The Culture of Aquatic Species: Approaches, Effects, and Future Developments

The culture of marine species has been steadily increasing since the early 1970s, especially over the last 20 years, when the total biomass of captured wild fish started to stabilize. The growth in human population and the pressures on wild stocks, combined with increased interest in aquatic products and diversification, have been the impetus for this development. Concerns associated with this rapid development, especially in regard to its sustainability, have focused primarily on the direct and indirect environmental impacts of farming (biological, chemical, and physical), as well as on any effects these increases in production may have on fish-meal requirements. As the industry matures, there is progressive accumulation of knowledge not just in regard to potential impacts but also in regard to methods, approaches, and regulatory instruments that can ensure progress toward the sustainability of the industry. Challenges such as the diversification in species culture, the competition with other coastal activities, both for space and for environmental quality, and interactions with wildlife have led to the development of new approaches, new research, and the implementation and establishment of voluntary and statutory instruments, such as codes of practice, locational guidelines, and environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedures. The key areas for the continued sustainable development of aquaculture include some of the areas that have been the focus of much work already, such as genetic interactions of farmed and wild populations (including reduction of escapes), management of disease, especially of disease transfer between farmed and wild populations, improved husbandry practice to minimize the effects of culture (e.g., organic matter, nutrients, and chemicals), reduction of dependency on wild taxa for seed collection and for feedstuffs, and control of introduction of alien species. It is important to stress that significant progress has been made in all of these areas over the last few years. The expansion into farming of a diverse range of species and intensification in certain geographical areas has highlighted the importance of addressing these key topics. As new species are introduced, it is important that the relevance of current management and regulatory procedures is assessed and any amendments implemented. The development of new feeds, new vaccines and treatments, offshore aquaculture, and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture are all promising areas of development where currently much progress is being made.