The state of world fisheries and aquaculture 2024

BOX 9ALART: AN FAO TOOL TO REFORM NATIONAL AQUACULTURE LEGISLATION

Following a multidisciplinary and participatory process, FAO has developed the Aquaculture Legal Assessment and Revision Tool (ALART)^* – a two-step methodology to assess the national legal framework underpinning the aquaculture sector. As the aquaculture sector is diverse and complex, with different species, water environments, aquaculture systems and technologies, the first step of the ALART methodology entails scoping the aquaculture sector of a given country, identifying the type of species cultured, the areas where aquaculture is undertaken, and at what socioeconomic scale the sector operates.

The second step allows users the opportunity to comment on existing aquaculture legislation or policies. The set of 142 questions is organized into nine sections: policy issues, institutional arrangements, tenure arrangements, planning and approval, production (inputs), production (facility management), post-production, disease prevention and control, and inspection and enforcement. ALART is useful for identifying information and normative gaps in a country’s aquaculture sector, thus shedding light on the need for legislative reform or identifying areas for future research and development.

Complementing ALART is the FAO legislative study, “Legal frameworks for sustainable aquaculture”,^** which not only provides information, but analyses the normative framework for aquaculture at the international and national levels, identifying the key elements of an appropriate legal framework for sustainable aquaculture development. The study clarifies the issues to be addressed both in aquaculture-specific laws and in other legislation (e.g. agriculture, the environment). ALART should be used in conjunction with the related legislative study to optimize the assessment of a country’s aquaculture legal framework. The ALART online portal^*** provides the option of using ALART and the study online and in an interactive manner.

BOX 10AQUACULTURE PARKS: A MODEL FOR SUSTAINABLE AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION

In aquaculture, aquapark, also known as “aquaculture park”, “aquaculture cluster” or “aquaculture village”, refers to an aquaculture organizational model developed to support small-scale aquafarmers throughout the value chain. An aquapark requires a specialized, well-organized and business-oriented infrastructure, and efficient and approved operational procedures. In general, an aquapark includes all the input supply chain facilities and logistics needed to provide seed, aquafeed and technical services, production components (i.e. workers and production assets), and processing, distribution and marketing components (i.e. traders, processors, cold storage, transport and marketing facilities, and logistics). Some aquaparks integrate other activities such as ecotourism or cultural demonstrations to enhance their business model.

Aquaparks have been introduced and established worldwide, but their model varies depending on local circumstances and business objectives. An aquapark may include “enterprises + farmers” (basic stage); “enterprises + cooperatives + farmers” (intermediate stage); or “leading enterprises + demonstration sites + cooperatives + farmers” (advanced stage).

Aquaparks are managed using a community-based approach to coordinate activities and professional support. Typically, a management team is responsible for coordinating and supervising production operations and supporting services. This approach reduces costs, creates synergies and fosters development. Government authorities at local or national level often guide the planning, providing technical, financial and policy support and incentives – both to attract public and private investment for infrastructures and access to inputs and resources, and to facilitate a business-oriented development of sustainable aquaculture.

MAONAN TILAPIA AQUACULTURE PARK
The Maonan Tilapia Aquaculture Park is located in Maonan District, Maoming City, Guangdong Province, China, and covers 30 100 hectares (see figure). As of December 2022, this aquapark benefited 3 983 fish farming households and employed 12 617 workers, accounting for 73.45 percent of the total Maonan District aquaculture workforc (Zhang et al., 2024). The aquapark focuses on farming tilapia and has become an aquaculture industrial base in Guangdong Province, producing 800 million high-quality tilapia fingerlings annually. The annual aquafeed supply is 286 000 tonnes for an annual production of tilapia of almost 220 000 tonnes, generating an average yearly income of over USD 4 615 per capita along the entire value chain. In addition, 1 800 farmers have received technical training on tilapia farming and gone on to become key players in the demonstration sites. Meanwhile, almost 10 percent of the total aquaculture area is allocated for water treatment and purification, and various aquatic plants and filter feeders have been stocked and grown in surrounding water bodies, securing additional environmental benefits. In addition, good pond management practices (i.e. increasing dissolved oxygen in the water and conducting water exchange regularly) promote the healthy aquatic environment required for efficient production.

THE AQUACULTURE PARK CONCEPT

SOURCE: Author's own elaboration.
CREDITS: Nursery, Grow-out pond, Processed tilapia, Processing workshop and Hatchery workshop pictures © FFRC/Jun Qiang; Broodstock pond picture © FAO/Anton Ellenbroek.

The establishment of the aquapark and its operation benefited from a public–private partnership, with private operators contributing up to 60 percent of the financing, and the rest provided through provincial government (25 percent) and local government (15 percent) funding. The aquapark has adopted the development mode of “leading enterprises + demonstration sites + cooperatives + farmers”. The public sector has also supported several leading enterprises that each manage the development and operations of 10–20 demonstration sites. These enterprises provide fingerlings and feeds, technical training and services for aquafarmers to carry out grow-out production of tilapia, while cooperatives are responsible for attracting pre-production investments, selecting production technologies and boosting sales.

BOX 11AQUAGRIS: TRANSFORMING THE KNOWLEDGE BASE ON GENETIC RESOURCES IN AQUACULTURE

The global information system on aquatic genetic resources (AquaGRIS), developed by FAO, is the first ever global database to collect and store detailed information on existing farmed types and wild stocks of aquaculture species. A farmed type is a descriptor applied to farmed aquatic organisms at a level below species, including strain, variety, hybrid, triploid, monosex group, other genetically altered form, and wild type. The primary scope of AquaGRIS is to function as a tool for countries to build their own registries of aquatic genetic resources (AqGR) used for aquaculture and to monitor their conservation, sustainable use and development status. A national registry created using AquaGRIS provides a given country with a detailed overview of available AqGR, their characteristics and their management status, which can be used in the development or revision of national aquaculture strategies.

The figure shows examples of the information collected at different levels: species, farmed type, fishery management/assessment unit, and genetic stock. Once these data are validated by national focal points (NFPs), they can be accessed through a publicly accessible dissemination interface in a range of reporting formats.

The set of indicators integrated into AquaGRIS, known as resource indicators, were developed by FAO in consultation with countries. They are linked to the priority areas and strategic priorities of the Global Plan of Action for the Conservation, Sustainable Use and Development of Aquatic Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.^* AquaGRIS is, therefore, also an indispensable tool to monitor the future progress of the implementation of the Global Plan of Action at national and global scale. The availability of indicators for AqGR is a significant achievement and can have relevance beyond monitoring implementation of the Global Plan of Action. For example, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 2.5 uses indicators for the status of crop and livestock genetic resources that do not currently include farmed aquatic biodiversity. In the future, any review of the current SDG indicators or ongoing work to implement the Convention on Biological Diversity Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (particularly Target 4) may make use of the AquaGRIS resource indicators.

Countries are encouraged, especially prior to the next global assessment due in 2029, to create their national registries using AquaGRIS, with the support of FAO. Once the initial registries are created, the AqGR information will be updated biennially. Some countries have already started to use AquaGRIS to create their national registries. The collection of information for creating a national registry is the responsibility of AqGR NFPs and will involve a range of national stakeholders as sources of updated information. The whole process has the benefit of improving communication and the flow of information among aquaculture stakeholders, paving the way for more harmonized reporting mechanisms nationally and globally.

EXAMPLES OF INFORMATION CONTAINED IN AQUAGRIS AT SPECIES, FARMED TYPE, MANAGEMENT UNIT AND GENETIC STOCK LEVELS

SOURCE: Authors' own elaboration.

BOX 12CHALLENGES IN GENETIC MANAGEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT IN SEAWEED AQUACULTURE

Seaweeds are produced in over 56 countries worldwide (Cottier-Cook et al., 2023), contributing to the economies of rural coastal communities in low- and middle-income countries (see Box 21, p. 145). The vast majority (97 percent) of this production comes from aquaculture, but its sustainability is hindered by poor knowledge of the genetic and phenotypic diversity of cultured species; poor investments in breeding programmes; and the limited effectiveness of many regulatory frameworks (Brakel et al., 2021). Addressing these gaps is urgent, especially considering that overexploitation for farming purposes, combined with other factors such as pests, diseases and climate change, is contributing to declines in wild seaweed stocks around the world.

Seaweeds have complex, diverse and poorly understood life cycles, challenging the opportunity to close their life cycle for farming purposes and to develop genetic improvement programmes. Furthermore, farming of some species (e.g. Eucheuma spp. or Kappaphycus spp.) is based on asexual or vegetative reproduction with only rare cases of sexually reproductive individuals. Therefore, existing seaweed cultivars are often the result of natural selection or domestication without purposeful genetic improvement, with farmers playing a pivotal role in maintaining cultivar diversity. While some of these cultivars can be easily recognized by farmers based on specific agronomic traits, the lack of genetic information or informative genetic markers makes it difficult to reliably classify species and cultivars and to understand their distribution. Seaweeds also can have morphological plasticity, complicating their classification or description in the absence of any genetic characterization. Integrating farmers’ traditional knowledge with genetic information can help identify ideal candidate seaweed stocks and cultivars for genetic improvement programmes and for adaptation to specific conditions (Dumilag et al., 2023).

Some breeding programmes, mainly based on selective breeding and hybridization, and sometimes involving induction of mutation, have been established over past decades (e.g. for Pyropia spp., Saccharina japonica, Undaria spp.) and have generated seaweed farmed types produced on a large scale (Hwang et al., 2019). However, the development of farmed types that are stable under different environmental conditions remains a significant challenge.

Despite the recognized importance of seaweeds, their production and management are still not supported by effective national and international regulatory frameworks. In terms of conservation of seaweed stocks, for example, there is a lack of seaweed-specific legislation and almost no protected areas are purposely created for protecting seaweeds and their habitats (Cottier-Cook et al., 2023). Access and benefit-sharing is also less regulated compared to terrestrial plants. Although seaweeds are regulated under the Nagoya Protocol, they are not included in the scope of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which would simplify and standardize mechanisms for material transfer (for research, education and commercial purposes), and reduce the cost (Brakel et al., 2021). Given the growing volume of seaweed production, there is a need to develop or improve seaweed regulatory frameworks, and to increase awareness of the specific challenges of seaweed cultivation, which may require specific and targeted genetic management approaches.

BOX 13FAO REFERENCE CENTRES FOR ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE AND AQUACULTURE BIOSECURITY

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat caused by overuse and misuse of antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine, potentially impacting the effectiveness of antibiotics in the treatment of diseases. Among the many issues addressed by the Progressive Management Pathway for Aquaculture Biosecurity (PMP/AB) and the National Aquatic Organism Health Strategy/Regional Aquatic Organism Health Strategy (NAOHS/RAOHS) are mechanisms to curtail the misuse of antibiotics in the treatment of disease outbreaks in populations of cultured aquatic organisms, and their replacement with prevention and treatment methods that do not rely on these drugs.

The FAO Reference Centres for AMR and AB are institutions designated by the FAO Director-General to provide specific and independent technical and scientific advice on issues related to FAO’s mandate. To combat AMR, the Reference Centres assist in the implementation of FAO Resolution 4/2015, through the FAO Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2021–2025, which serves as a roadmap supporting global efforts of the food and agriculture sectors in addressing AMR. The following are examples of FAO Reference Centres (see figure) and their activities in aquaculture and prevention of AMR:

• The Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, China, performs basic and applied research and pursues advances in the development of fisheries in the Pearl River and tropical and subtropical zones.
• The Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, China, focuses on research on the development and sustainable use of marine biological resources and has made pioneering contributions to the mariculture of fish, shrimp, crab, shellfish, seaweed and sea cucumber in China.
• Nitte University, India, is a multidisciplinary university with a vision to achieve excellence in education and health care; it is equipped with a state-of-the-art hospital, rural health centres and research centres carrying out both fundamental and translational research.
• The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs marine and freshwater science agency.
• Mississippi State University, United States of America, is a public, land grant institution with a nationally and internationally diverse student and faculty body. It is dedicated to three broad purposes: learning, research and service.

Although the use of antibiotics will continue, as they play a critical role in food security, people’s well-being, and animal and plant welfare, it should be in a responsible manner. Indeed, their misuse increases the risk of AMR, leading to the emergence of organisms resistant to antimicrobials and becoming a growing threat to human, animal or plant life. To prevent this threat, the Quadripartite organizations (World Health Organization, World Organisation for Animal Health, United Nations Environment Programme and FAO) are working together to accelerate a coordinated strategy on human, animal, plant and ecosystem health to achieve the One Health goals. The designation of FAO Reference Centres in 2022 is one step towards a better understanding of and improved collaboration in preventing the increase in AMR.

EXAMPLES OF FAO REFERENCE CENTRES FOR ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE AND AQUACULTURE BIOSECURITY

NOTE: AMR – antimicrobial resistance.
SOURCE: Adapted from FAO. 2023. FAO Reference Centres for Antimicrobial Resistance and Aquaculture Biosecurity – Combatting AMR together: ensuring healthy and safe aquatic foods. Rome. https://www.fao.org/3/cc6625en/cc6625en.pdf

BOX 14ALTERNATIVES TO REDUCE THE NEED FOR ANTIMICROBIALS AND PREVENT ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE

The Global Plan of Action on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), with contributions from FAO and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), was adopted during the 68th World Health Assembly in May 2015. During a high-level meeting on AMR at the Seventy-first Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2016, a political declaration was agreed to support the development and implementation of national action plans on AMR and related activities under the One Health platform.

The World Health Organization (WHO), FAO and WOAH have since agreed to step up joint actions to combat health threats associated with interactions between humans, animals and the environment.

In May 2017, the United Nations Secretary-General convened the UN Interagency Coordination Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (IACG on AMR), in consultation with FAO, WOAH and WHO (the Tripartite Members) to provide guidance on approaches for ensuring sustained global action on AMR. The IACG recommended that Member States support the accessibility of cost-effective alternatives to antimicrobials (see figure), particularly in low- and middle-income countries (IACG, 2019). Indeed, many alternatives to antibiotics have great potential for disease control; some have proven benefits, while others are still in the experimental stage. FAO (2019) emphasized the need for more knowledge and research in order to better understand the reasons for the successes and failures, cost implications, efficacy, practicality (especially for smallholders), adverse effects on the farm environment, and how such alternatives improve health and enhance host immunity.

In 2022, the Tripartite welcomed the United Nations Environment Programme and formally became the Quadripartite, an alliance to accelerate a coordinated strategy on human, animal and ecosystem health.^*

ALTERNATIVES TO REDUCE THE NEED FOR ANTIMICROBIALS

SOURCE: Adapted from Bondad-Reantaso, M.G., MacKinnon, B., Karunasagar, I., Fridman, S., Alday-Sanz, V., Brun, E., Le Groumellec, M. et al. 2023. Review of alternatives to antibiotic use in aquaculture. Reviews in Aquaculture, 15(4): 1421–1451. https://doi.org/10.1111/raq.12786

BOX 15INVESTING IN DESERT AND ARID ZONE AQUACULTURE: A DREAM OR AN OPPORTUNITY?

The growing competition for land and water resources has led to the exploration of unconventional regions for the development of agriculture and aquaculture practices. Arid lands are one such frontier for adopting modern aquaculture practices to create new opportunities for fish farming. Sustainable and resilient integrated agriculture–aquaculture food systems able to adapt to arid conditions can help cope with resources scarcity and adjust to climate change. Available freshwater or brackish water resources can provide livelihood opportunities producing edible plants and aquatic foods, including fish.

Over the past decade, FAO has provided technical assistance to Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia and Oman to implement integrated agriculture–aquaculture projects in arid lands. These projects, together with innovative technologies like aquaponics, have demonstrated that integrated systems can be cost-effective and suitable for both food self-sufficiency and small-scale commercial operations.

Since the 2010s, desert aquaculture has expanded, thanks to technological innovations and private sector investments supported by public incentives. For example, in Egypt, fish production from integrated agriculture–aquaculture systems increased from 700 to 2 200 tonnes between 2010 and 2017 through the establishment of some 100 farms in arid areas. Likewise, in Ouargla District, Algeria, there are now several small- to large-scale fish farms in the desert, boasting an annual production capacity of 2 000 tonnes (see photo).

Integrating aquaculture with agriculture in arid environments produces more benefits than conventional agriculture. This includes significantly reducing, and in some cases eliminating, the need for fertilizers. Crops benefit from the nutrients in fish farm water, and the same volume of farm water results in increased yields. In Egypt, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) accounts for 90 percent of desert-based aquaculture production. Farms use underground saline water reserves, desalination plants and/or agricultural drainage. Water varies in salinity between 0.5 g and 26 g per litre and in temperature between 22 °C and 26 °C. European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) are other fish species suitable for farming in high salinity areas. Most commercial fish farms have adopted flow-through systems to irrigate agricultural land, enabling production of vegetables, fruits and arable crops, as well as clovers for feeding livestock. Aquaponics – linking fish production with soil-less plant production in recirculating systems – provides an additional option.

These systems may use desalinized brackish or seawater, rainwater, or treated or untreated municipal and industrial wastewater, selecting salinity-tolerant species. Efficient use of these alternative sources of water would certainly contribute to making integrated farming systems more productive and sustainable.

In 2013, FAO launched the Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity for the Near East and North Africa to address challenges of water resources management in the region and promote sustainable integrated agriculture–aquaculture production systems. Such a coordinated regional approach is crucial to raise fish and agricultural production, increase rural employment, and ensure sustainable integrated water resources management.

These efforts, together with private sector investments, research, and development initiatives, are paving the way for the transformation of these seemingly inhospitable regions into centres of agriculture–aquaculture innovation. With an integrated water resources management approach and efficient water use – an FAO priority area of work – desert and arid lands can indeed become areas for food production and economic growth in the coming years.

To learn more about agriculture–aquaculture, please visit the following resources:

• https://www.fao.org/3/ca8610en/CA8610EN.pdf
• https://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/rne/docs/WSI-Pamphlet-en.pdf
• https://hdl.handle.net/10568/134559

Earthen pond for fish farming and irrigation in the District of Ouargla, Algeria
© FAO/Valerio Crespi

BOX 16FAO AND AQUACULTURE DIGITALIZATION

Digitalization of aquaculture is a transformative process based on the use of digital technologies along the production cycle to improve operations and create value. Aquaculture digitalization increases the amount and quality of data collected; furthermore, the systematic availability of data throughout the cycle facilitates analysis to inform management and control decision-making.

Digitalization links farmers, input suppliers, service providers and traders, strengthening and accelerating the connections across value chains and lessening many of the challenges faced in the sector. Off-farm, technologies – such as mobile phone applications, online information and communications technologies, e-commerce platforms, smart monitoring networks, internet of things sensors, big data analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and digital payment systems – can improve marketing and reduce transaction costs.

Digitalization can also accelerate aquaculture transformation in developing countries by removing barriers to the collection, dissemination and use of data and technologies. Aquaculture digitalization requires inclusive capacity building to improve digital literacy and skills, in particular for young practitioners. FAO’s Blue Transformation Roadmap targets innovative technology and management to support the expansion and intensification of aquaculture by prioritizing actions that facilitate investment in digital, technological and management innovations.

However, the use of digital technologies should be properly regulated to mitigate possible infringements on personal and collective rights. FAO is paving the way for the digital transformation of aquaculture through a wide range of initiatives. These include the global Smart Aquaculture Biosecurity project,^* which aims to assist countries to effectively implement biosecurity governance and best practices through smart and digital tools, and the global information system on aquatic genetic resources (AquaGRIS), which collects, validates, monitors and reports below the species level (see Supplying quality seed for aquaculture, p. 123, and Pathways to effective aquaculture biosecurity and disease control, p. 130).

IMPROVING AQUACULTURE MANAGEMENT IN AFRICA THROUGH DIGITALIZATION
During the last two decades, aquaculture in Africa has moved away from subsistence fish farming to commercial production and profit-oriented aquaculture. The transition requires technical support, and the provision of information, inputs and services in real time. To meet the needs of African fish farmers, Rhodes University (South Africa) has developed Buna Africa, an online platform designed to support the development and management of the aquaculture sector in Africa. Through the platform, farmers can submit to the government their production data, which are required to inform policy and formulate management and development plans. FAO is also supporting the implementation of Buna Africa in Rwanda and Uganda, providing farmers with technical support and services to increase production and efficiency. Buna Africa is also an entry point for service providers in the aquaculture sector to connect with fish farmers and government services, tracking production data in their area to inform policy and management decisions.

The operation and development of digital platforms and applications are accelerating aquaculture transformation in these countries, removing barriers that hinder access to technologies by all stakeholders, reducing transactional costs, and improving the quality and availability of data.

Fisheries Research Institute Trabzon, Türkiye
© FAO-GFCM/Claudia Amico

DIGITAL AQUACULTURE – DATA SOURCES AND DATA FLOW

NOTE: LoRa (Long Range) is the technique adopted by the Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) – a radio communication protocol that defines how terminal equipment with low-power supply sources (e.g. battery, solar panel) communicates wirelessly through gateways.
SOURCE: Adapted from Lan, H.-Y., Ubina, N.A., Cheng, S.-C., Lin, S.-S. & Huang, C.-T. 2023. Digital Twin Architecture Evaluation for Intelligent Fish Farm Management Using Modified Analytic Hierarchy Process. Applied Sciences, 13: 141. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010141

BOX 17FISH SILAGE: A HIGH-QUALITY FEED INGREDIENT PROMOTING A CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN BARBADOS

Fish filleting yields by-products such as head, guts, bones and skin that can represent up to 70 percent of the whole fish by weight. These are of high nutritional value and can be processed into fish silage – a feed ingredient of high economic and nutritional value, easily digested by terrestrial and aquatic animals – or used as fertilizer for crop production. During the silage process, digestive enzymes from the fish break down proteins into amino acids and peptides. Usually, an organic acid is directly or indirectly added to preserve the product; this enables it to be stored for longer periods and has a positive impact on the gut health and immune system of farmed animals, particularly under unfavourable microbiological conditions (Olsen and Toppe, 2017). Fish silage could thus reduce the need to use antibiotics while improving growth performance. In diets with a high plant protein content, free amino acids and other compounds from fish silage have shown feed-attractant properties providing an excellent source of essential amino acids that are limited in most plant-based feed ingredients.

In addition to the demonstrated nutritional benefits, contributing to better animal growth performance, fish silage promotes a circular economy within the fish industry, reducing costs and improving the industry’s environmental footprint. For example, in Barbados, 3 000 tonnes of fish waste are produced annually, with approximately 8 tonnes discarded daily (King, Ouadi and Cox, forthcoming). Following confirmation by the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute of the safety of using fish silage-based feed, a livestock growth performance study was carried out; young rabbits exhibited better weight gain and the feed was demonstrated to be more effective than current commercial rations.

In 2019, the fish silage initiative was started to foster a circular economy in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) such as Barbados, characterized by a relative shortage of land for which there are many competing usages. The less state land apportioned to landfills for waste, the greater the availability for other uses and the smaller the sector’s environmental footprint. Awareness-raising and capacity-building activities have led to the establishment of a national fish silage community, the mainstreaming of fish waste utilization in the 2022–2030 Fisheries Policy, private investment by a fish processor in the fertilizer business, and a high level of interest from fisherwomen and young farmers. The production of a wide range of fish silage-based feeds has proved feasible within an ecosystem of support, with institutional resource strengthening. This is the rationale behind the envisioned retrofitted public facility, designed to serve the needs of all livestock and eventually aqua farmers through fish silage-based feed production, and to fulfil the role of a farmer training centre with a national and regional outlook.

BOX 18DIGITALIZATION IN SUPPORT OF AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT IN THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY

In 2021, FAO launched a digitized aquaculture library project to support information exchange and the identification of opportunities and means for the development of sustainable aquaculture in Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries. The project contributes to national efforts, pooling available aquaculture information from the financial, technological, research and academic domains into one regional digital hub. As of 2022, the aquaculture sector remained poorly developed in the region, with four member countries – Belize, Guyana, Haiti and Jamaica – accounting for most of the regional aquaculture production of 5 047 tonnes, valued at USD 21.1 million (see figure).

The digitized aquaculture library project aims to enhance networking and sharing of knowledge and best practices among Caribbean countries – a need identified by the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) during the FAO 2020 regional review of aquaculture in Latin America and the Caribbean. Regional cooperation and exchange of information were indeed considered key to the development of aquaculture in the region to address the recognized limitations in expertise (Wurmann, Soto and Norambuena, 2021). Other constraints include lack of infrastructure, inadequate technology, inappropriate skills, and insufficient investment, all of which restrict production of a reliable and affordable seed and feed supply.

Completed in February 2022, the digitized aquaculture library connects CARICOM member countries and facilitates technical exchange and training on aquaculture systems and species with proven regional success. It also provides a toolbox to entrepreneurs and governments for diversifying and scaling up commercial operations. The library was built with information collected from fisheries and aquaculture officials, practitioners, researchers, and financers of all 15 CARICOM countries. All information was validated by the respective member countries, and consent for the publication of individual details was granted.

The library has two components: first, a downloadable registry of individuals and hubs in the public and private sector (including decision-makers, regulators, managers, businesspeople, financers and practitioners) posted on FAO, CRFM and country websites;^* second, a publication list (including national plans, technical guides, factsheets and peer-reviewed publications) with online access to the CARICOM aquaculture library containing digital copies of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts^** publications.

The digitized aquaculture library continues to grow, strengthening the Caribbean aquaculture network, improving access to reliable updated information and increasing the opportunities to support sustainable aquaculture expansion. FAO and CRFM member countries have agreed on a process to update and maintain the library annually to keep it relevant and informative.

AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION AND VALUE FOR CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY COUNTRIES, 2016–2022

NOTE: Data expressed in live weight equivalent.
SOURCE: FAO. 2024. FishStat: Global aquaculture production 1950-2022. [Accessed on 02 April 2024]. In: FishStatJ. Available at: www.fao.org/fishery/en/statistics/software/fishstatj. Licence: CC-BY-4.0.

BOX 19AQUACULTURE DEMONSTRATIVE CENTRES TO ACCELERATE BLUE TRANSFORMATION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN AND BLACK SEA REGION

Aquaculture is an active and growing sector in the Mediterranean and Black Sea region. With over 35 000 farms producing around 3.3 million tonnes^* of aquatic foods in 2021 and directly employing almost 350 000 people in the region, this sector is an important driver for food security, employment and economic development towards the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and it offers important opportunities to enhance aquatic food production and reduce the pressure on wild fishery stocks.

Boosting the sector and enhancing its benefits are one of the priorities of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), a regional fisheries management organization established under the provisions of Article XIV of the FAO Constitution with a mandate for sustainable development of fisheries and aquaculture. Within the framework of its 2030 Strategy for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea,^** the GFCM is working towards implementing Blue Transformation in the region by developing sustainable aquaculture that is productive, profitable, environmentally friendly and globally competitive.

Aquaculture demonstrative centres (ADCs) act as specialized Blue Transformation accelerator hubs to promote innovation, knowledge sharing, best practices, technical cooperation and stakeholder capacity. More specifically, they aim to:

• promote scientific research and innovation;
• provide hands-on technical and technological support;
• showcase best practices in aquatic food farming;
• advance education and increase stakeholders’ skills, focusing in particular on women, youth and small-scale farmers; and
• foster further collaboration and partnerships.

The ADCs are open to all aquaculture stakeholders and are located in different areas of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, operating as technical units tailored to the features of each subregion. There are currently three active ADCs in, respectively, Egypt, Romania and Türkiye, and a fourth is planned to be soon launched in Tunisia.

Two ADCs were established in the Black Sea: the Grigore Antipa National Institute for Marine Research and Development in Constanta, Romania, for shellfish; and the Central Fisheries Research Institute in Trabzon, Türkiye, for finfish. Following their success in training over 4 000 persons and developing innovative projects, and in light of requests made by its member countries, the GFCM established in 2023 the first Mediterranean ADC in Alexandria, Egypt, focusing on brackish water aquaculture, with the support of the Marine Aquaculture Development in Egypt (MADE II) project of the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation. The fourth ADC currently in development in Tunisia will focus on offshore cage farming and environmental monitoring.

BOX 20GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE AQUACULTURE ADVANCEMENT PARTNERSHIP

The Global Sustainable Aquaculture Advancement Partnership (GSAAP) is a voluntary platform bringing together a wide range of aquaculture stakeholders. It was established to enhance the scientific basis of aquaculture, promote continuous innovation, and fully harness the potential of aquaculture to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The partnership functions include: (1) serve as a global platform to discuss key issues and challenges, innovations and findings in the development of the aquaculture sector, formulating solutions to address the issues and challenges for long-term sustainability; (2) facilitate aquaculture innovation and advancement in science, technology, farming systems and practices through extensive collaboration and exchange; (3) provide strategy advice, technical assistance, and think tank services on the request of beneficiaries including, but not limited to, country governments, enterprises and other entities towards achieving sustainable aquaculture; (4) advocate and disseminate sustainable practices and successful development approaches of diversified aquaculture systems and technology across nations and continents; (5) serve as a multistakeholder platform for the advocacy of global aquaculture and enhance dialogue with the public; and (6) foster an inclusive partnership and cooperation mechanisms with the international community.

The GSAAP was founded in 2022, and its partners have already initiated substantive work. For example, a collaborative study has been carried out between farmers and the University of Ibadan on the feasibility of black soldier fly larvae as an alternative feed for catfish in Nigeria to address farmers’ need to decrease feed costs; brine shrimp (Artemia spp.) biomass production for direct human consumption has been introduced to improve nutrition for rural families in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic; and in South Africa, an interregional academic collaboration has provided local institutions with the capacity to collect data and assess the suitability of aquaponics in a data-driven and transparent way. Finally, policy dialogues on seaweed farming have been convened with the participation of 44 countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America, bringing together major stakeholders in seaweed aquaculture to support international cooperation and capacity-building initiatives to address policy gaps and develop or strengthen national strategies.

BOX 21TAWI-TAWI’S JOURNEY TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE SEAWEED FARMING

In the Sulu Sea off the southwestern coast of the Philippines, home to the Sama Dilaut sea nomads, Imilita Mawaldani Hikanti belongs to this Indigenous community historically known for its exceptional skills in seafaring, fishing and pearl diving. They once played a crucial role in supporting coastal economies and regional trade. However, the community now faces significant challenges, including displacement, environmental degradation, and threats to its cultural heritage, exacerbating poverty and marginalization for many.

Imilita, a mother of twelve (two of whom died at an early age), lives in Barangay Balimbing, Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi. She and her husband have been seaweed farmers their whole lives, living in a stilt house in the Pondohan community. Their education was limited due to financial constraints and the long distance to schools.

Tawi-Tawi Island is a cornerstone of the national and global seaweed farming industry. The municipality of Sitangkai has been instrumental in promoting Eucheuma seaweed farming since the 1970s, when a family farming system was first developed through a partnership between the Philippines and the University of Hawaii.

Eucheuma cultivation in Sitangkai thrived, bolstering the local economy, and by 1987, the municipality was the premier Eucheuma farming hub in the Philippines, playing a pivotal role in increasing seaweed exports and becoming the country’s most important aquaculture source of foreign exchange revenue.

In Tawi-Tawi, seaweed farming is more than an industry – it is a way of life, engaging approximately 80 percent of the population. Every year, seaweed farming is celebrated at the Agal-Agal Festival, a testament to the cultural and economic importance of seaweed in the society.

Like many, Imilita and her husband became skilled at seaweed farming with no formal training, using methods that have now become traditional on the island. It is their primary source of income, satisfying their basic living requirements, but insufficient for funding their children’s education. Moreover, the activity also presents numerous challenges such as “ice-ice” disease, inadequate aquaculture practices, lack of financial support, absence of marketing opportunities, decreasing carrageenan quality in seaweeds, and even threats from marine animals.

Recognizing these challenges, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Organization for Migration, and the International Trade Centre started a collaborative project funded by the European Union in Tawi-Tawi – the Bangsamoro Agri-Enterprise Project – with the aim of improving seaweed production, value chains and marketability. It provides capacity building and technical assistance, establishes social enterprises to elevate socioeconomic conditions and increase resilience to climate change and conflict, and contributes to sustainable development of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Furthermore, the project supports training in sustainable seaweed farming and post-harvest processing through farmer field schools, establishing seaweed nurseries and processing facilities, facilitating market linkages, promoting sustainable methods, and engaging the community to enhance its social and economic benefits.

This project provides Imilita and her community with new opportunities to improve their livelihoods and navigate the challenges of modern seaweed farming, contributing to a more sustainable and economically viable future for people in Tawi-Tawi.

Harvesting seaweeds in Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
© FAO/Rhadem Musawah Morados

Podonhan community dryer of seaweeds, Philippines
© FAO/Rhadem Musawah Morados