CHAPTER 3 

 IMPEDIMENTS TO AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT 



The general constraints to aquaculture, detailed on the following 

 pages, may significantly affect the development and culture of any 

 species. Specific constraints and recommended actions for 

 particular species are addressed in individual species plans 

 (Volume II) . 



Inadequate Assessment of Current Status 



Adequate data on the size and production levels of operations for 

 various species would be helpful in improving production efficiency 

 and in estimating the amount of funds necessary for initiation of a 

 commercial venture. This information would also be useful for 

 predicting how much the industry could expand, based on present and 

 projected market demands. 



Information on current aquaculture research efforts by various 

 governmental, academic, and industry groups would make it easier to 

 direct resources to areas where they are most needed. 



Aquaculture is one of the few food-producing industries where 

 cultured animals may be in direct market competition with wild 

 animals of the same species. Insufficient production and marketing 

 information may create seasonal overabundances or erratic prices in 

 the market. 



To date, with the exception of Hawaii, no wide-scale, detailed 

 assessment exists of land or water resources potentially available 

 for aquaculture. 



Knowledge, Economic and Legal Barriers 



Life History and General Biology 



For some species, lack of knowledge in this area limits an accurate 

 assessment of their aquacultural potential. This deficiency 

 restricts the producer's ability to control or manipulate factors 

 (breeding, environment, nutrition, maturation, and metamorphosis) 

 crucial to the success of large-scale culture. 



Genetics and Reproduction 



Without development of strains adapted to intensive culture, the 

 potential productivity of a species may never be realized. 

 Knowledge of how altered genetics affect indigenous stock and the 

 genetic diversity of a species also needs to be gained. 



In the culture of some species (for example, crawfish) , operators 

 harvest faster-growing individuals first, holding over the 



24 



