1998 Year of the Ocean Ocean Living Resources 



The depletion of the world's fish stocks and the impact of fisheries activities on 

 biodiversity and fishery ecosystems are a global problem and have attracted international 

 attention in recent years. In partnership with other nations, the United States has embarked on a 

 series of initiatives designed to improve the management of fisheries that are not restricted to one 

 coastal nation's Exclusive Economic Zone and explore ways of dealing more effectively with the 

 effects of environmentally harmful practices and economic incentives in the fisheries sector. (See 

 Box 3) 



Developing Robust and Environmentally Sound Marine Aquaculture 



World population is expected to increase by one billion people during the next decade. 

 This, coupled with the increasing affluence of the world's people, means that future demand for 

 seafood is projected to continue growing for the foreseeable future. Despite this increase in 

 demand, future seafood harvests from the wild are not expected to increase significantly above 

 the current levels. 



A major junction in world history is fast approaching — one where humans for the first 

 time will need to move from increased harvesting of wild fish stocks to aquaculture (the 

 production of farmed crops of fishes, shellfishes and other aquatic plants and animals). This shift 

 will be the next in a series of historical food production revolutions that have allowed humankind 

 to continue feeding itself despite shrinking farmland and growing population worldwide. 



Aquaculture already accounts for 25 percent of world food fish supplies, with China, 

 India, Taiwan, and Thailand among the leaders in this field. Given current population 

 projections, aquaculture production would have to double to 52 million metric tons by 2025 in 

 order to maintain the present level of per-capita fish consumption. The potential for growth in 

 this industry is obvious. The United States currently produces only about $800 million of the $33 

 billion annual value worldwide of aquaculture products, or less than 3 percent of the total. 

 Aquaculture in marine and brackish water holds particular promise for increased growth. 



Legitimate concern about the negative environmental effects of some aquaculture 

 operations has hindered industry growth in the United States. Addressing these concerns and 

 developing new environment-friendly technologies will allow the industry to expand. Two 

 examples of new technologies that address water quality issues associated with aquaculture are: 

 (1) the development of ways to move aquaculture to the open ocean where the water has a greater 

 nutrient carrying capacity, and (2) using onshore recirculating systems. These technologies can 

 be a model for other nations to use to reduce the negative environmental impacts of aquaculture. 

 Additionally, uniform observance of an international code of conduct, such as the aquaculture 

 provisions of the FAQ Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, will help to minimize future 

 negative impacts on the environment. 



Whether aquaculture is done in ponds or tanks on land, or in the ocean, it always depends 

 on the availability of clean water and a source of broodstock (frequently from wild stocks). Many 

 aquaculture operations also depend on wild-caught fish for feed. At the same time, aquaculture 



C-28 



