INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND FOOD SECURITY

Fish, Aquaculture and Food Security: Sustaining Fish as a Food Supply

Robert Kearney

Professor Kearney is Emeritus Professor of Fisheries at the University of Canberra and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the WorldFish Center

Demand for seafood-fuelled by elevated consumer preference, improved product quality and distribution, and growing acknowledgement of health benefits associated with seafood consumption-continues to outstrip even world population growth. Current trends project a global short-fall of up to 80 million tonnes per annum in seafood supply within the next 30 years. Reported declines in capture fisheries production reflect inadequately controlled exploitation of target species. Trends in trade in seafood, with developing countries as net exporters and developed countries as importers, highlight tensions between fish for the wealthy and fish for the poor. While international trade may help to alleviate poverty for some countries it also tends to make fish as food increasingly unattainable in areas where poor people are concentrated. Aquaculture is anticipated to play a greatly increased role in meeting future demand for seafood. But if China’s figures for aquaculture (an increase of 20 million tonnes per annum since 1988) are excluded, global increases in aquaculture production in the last 10 years have not even equalled declines in capture fisheries production. If projected seafood demand is to be met, quantum changes are necessary.

• To meet projected global demands for an extra 80 million tonnes of seafood would require four countries to copy China’s 20 million tonne increase in production, or the combined aquaculture output from all other countries to increase by 800%.
• The need for revolution is further underscored by acknowledgement that aquaculture in 2004 consumed as feed at least twice the weight (live fish equivalent) of fish it produces.
• Key questions about aquaculture include concerns about destruction of coastal fish habitats to construct aquaculture enterprises, spread of fish diseases, negative impacts from translocation of species used in aquaculture and, of direct impact on the poor, the use of fish traditionally available for human consumption as aquaculture feed.
• An estimated 4 million tonnes of ‘trash’ fish are now traded fresh to the aquaculture sector. While this trade may seem like efficient use of what was waste, and may even be proclaimed as a win for the environment, several international ass17 July, 2006uly, 2006
• Assessments of the secondary impacts of increased targeting of smaller fish of more species, driven by the increased demand for aquaculture feed, are revealing the damage to ecosystems and even to other existing commercial fisheries.
• There are fisheries that have been well managed to produce high yields sustainably-the Western Australian rock-lobster fishery is one example. Some aquaculture ventures are increasing incomes and food security for the poor-the development of GIFT tilapia and progressive replacement of fishmeal in selected aquaculture feeds for example.
• Science and technological development can meet most challenges when given the authority and resources. Australia is currently a strong supporter of two proven models for cooperatively addressing complex fisheries issues of international significance-the CGIAR and ACIAR. Yet neither currently has the resources to resolve the problems highlighted above. Quantum changes are required.

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