«

»

Print this Post

New numbers will likely conclude the song remains the same: More growth in aquaculture is inevitable

by Bill Manci

As we gather in Seattle for Aquaculture America 2014, I patiently and eagerly await publication of the latest set of world fishery and aquaculture production statistics developed annually by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

For a consultant like me, these data are invaluable, as they provide me with global and regional perspective and allow me to couch recommendations to clients based on what is happening around us.

What has been very clear for at least the past 15 to 20 years is that supplies of fish and shellfish from the wild have reached a maximum.

Sure, there is some annual variability up or down, but the numbers always revert to a mean of about 90 million metric tons per year.

We have reached what is referred to as maximum sustainable yield – the tipping point which cannot be exceeded without adversely affecting the ability of the overall fish population to fully reproduce itself.

 

Read the rest and much, much more in Issue 1, 2014 of Fish Farming News.  Download access instructions so that you can read the online flipbook AND download a pdf copy for future reference.

Permanent link to this article: http://fish-news.com/ffn/new-numbers-will-likely-conclude-the-song-remains-the-same-more-growth-in-aquaculture-is-inevitable/

LoadingUpdating...