Stanford Report, August 8, 2001
BY MARK SHWARTZ
As America's demand for seafood continues to rise, so does the likelihood that the fish, shrimp or shellfish purchased at the local market or restaurant has been farm raised. Aquaculture -- the farming of fish, shellfish or aquatic plants -- continues to grow rapidly worldwide, with production doubling by weight and value from 1989 to 1998.
A new report by the Pew Oceans Commission examines the role of the emerging U.S. aquaculture industry in meeting the nation's demand for seafood, and its current and potential impacts on the marine environment. The report, titled "Marine Aquaculture in the United States: Environmental Impacts and Policy Options," is the first review of national oceans policies in more than 30 years.
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| Specially designed floats are used to raise oysters in VirginiaÕs Taskinas Creek -- part of the federal Aquaculture Education Project located in the Chesapeake Bay Virginia National Estuarine Research Reserve. Credit: April Bahen, CBNERRVA/NOAA |
The report is written by Rosamond L. Naylor, senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for International Studies, and Rebecca Goldburg and Matthew Elliott of the New York-based conservation group Environmental Defense. The authors recommend steps to ensure that U.S. aquaculture is ecologically sustainable and call upon the United States to take a leadership role in adopting the best practices.
"Aquaculture is among the fastest-growing segments of the U.S. food economy and is being strongly promoted by the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture," observes Naylor. "It is important that environmental guidelines for the industry be implemented before irreversible damages are done
to marine ecosystems and wild fish populations. Without clear recognition of its dependence on natural ecosystems, the aquaculture industry is unlikely to develop to its full potential or continue to supplement ocean fisheries."
The authors point out that farmed fish and shellfish supply one-third of the world's seafood and that U.S. aquaculture provides almost all of the catfish and trout and nearly half of the shrimp and salmon currently consumed. More than 4,000 aquaculture facilities exist in the United States and collectively raise more than 100 different species of aquatic animals and plants. Aquaculture supports jobs and provides new sources of seafood for consumers.
Although American aquaculture represents just over 1 percent of the world's production, aquaculture facilities now exist in every state, from enclosed tanks on land to net pens in bays and estuaries, and certain regions of the country are experiencing rapid growth.
"With supplies of wild seafood limited and demand rising, aquaculture will likely continue to expand in the United States," Goldburg says. "In short, aquaculture is here to stay."
Immediate action
The authors find that the U.S. aquaculture industry is diverse in its methods and practices, and that its negative effects on the marine environment are minor compared to overfishing, coastal development or global warming. Nevertheless, they cite several areas in need of immediate attention to prevent potentially more serious problems:
- Eliminate the accidental release of farmed fish into the wild, which may harm native fish populations through competition and interbreeding. In addition, escaped fish may spread diseases and parasites throughout an ecosystem. For example, escaped farmed Atlantic salmon may threaten endangered wild Atlantic salmon off the Maine coast and wild Pacific salmon in the Pacific Northwest. Supporting federal activities under the Endangered Species Act to protect wild salmon populations also is a key element of protecting native fish in some regions. One component of this effort must be to develop bilateral agreements with Canada to study and to minimize the impact of salmon farming on wild salmon stocks.
- Reduce the use of wild fish for fish feed. The authors call for greater federal research into the identification of alternatives to the use of wild fish for fish feed, and the cultivation and promotion of non-carnivorous aquaculture species. Some types of aquaculture, particularly salmon aquaculture, use large quantities of wild-caught fish as feed ingredients, the authors find. Increased catches of forage fish small fish used for feed for the aquaculture industry would reduce the amount of food available for wild predators such as large fish, marine mammals and sea birds.
- Develop strong effluent guidelines for aquaculture under the Clean Water Act, particularly where larger-scale aquaculture pens are in place in stressed coastal waters.
- Put in place an environmentally protective federal permitting program for offshore aquaculture before this developing segment of the industry becomes established.
- Seek greater environmental sustainability through the World Trade Organization, with the goal of allowing environmental considerations in the production of traded-food commodities to play a far larger role in trade decisions.
- Improve state oversight of aquaculture. State standards currently are inconsistent and sometimes inadequate.
- Champion research and development investments and cost-share incentives for sustainable aquaculture practices, such as recirculating on-land systems.
Marine reports
The Pew Oceans Commission is an independent organization based in Arlington, Va., and led by Leon Panetta, former White House chief of staff. Members include leaders from ocean research, fishing, conservation, industry and government.
The marine aquaculture report is the second in a series of scientific reports that will assist the commission with its nationwide review of policies needed to restore and protect the oceans' living resources. In addition to aquaculture, the commission is reviewing coastal development, marine pollution, fishing, invasive species and ocean governance.
"Although aquaculture supplies a significant source of protein as wild caught fisheries reach their limit, important issues remain unresolved for this diverse industry," says Panetta, chair of the commission.
"This
report provides the commission with sound recommendations
for balancing the expected growth in aquaculture
production with the protection of the species and
habitats that share the oceans with aquaculture
facilities," he adds.
