Aquaculture is the fastest growing food production sector ...



Aquaculture is the fastest growing food production sector of the global economy. Against a background of an increasing world population, rising consumer demands and over-exploitation of wild fisheries, it plays an increasingly important role in meeting global demand for high quality proteins as well as in economic and community development throughout the world as we move to a more global economy. Although world aquaculture production reached an all time high of 37.9 million mt in 2001, aquaculture production must triple to meet world demand for seafood products by 2025.

The importance of aquaculture in developing economies as a means of providing livelihoods and food security was recently demonstrated in Indonesia where forty thousand individuals , who had registered their livelihoods as dependant on aquaculture, were impacted by the tsunami. Progressive development and expansion of aquaculture, especially in developing countries, is dependent on generation, dissemination, and adoption of knowledge and technology consistent with broad societal, national and international goals. As aquaculture production expands, it is essential that efficient and environmentally, socially and economically sustainable production systems be developed and utilized.

Aquaculture is the fastest growing food production sector of the global economy, driven by rising consumer demands and over-exploitation of wild fisheries. While aquaculture production is supplying much needed aquatic protein, particularly in developing countries which produce over 90% of world aquaculture production, industry expansion brings increased risks of environmental impacts. While these shortcomings have been publicized by various environmental organizations, the World Aquaculture Society is the only NGO whose primary mission is to promote sustainable development of aquaculture on a global basis. WAS members are the primary source of science-based information and technology development for the aquaculture sector. The vision statement of its founding charter reads:

WAS, through its commitment to excellence in science, technology, education, and information exchange, contributes to progressive and sustainable development of aquaculture throughout the world.

MISSION

- WAS is organized for educational and scientific purposes to: Promote educational, scientific, and technological development and advancement of sustainable aquaculture throughout the world.

- Gather and disseminate technical and practical information on aquaculture worldwide.

- Hold meetings for presentation, exchange, and discussion of information, findings, and experiences on all subjects and techniques related to aquaculture.

- Encourage teaching of all phases of aquaculture and training of aquaculturists.

- Encourage aquaculture research, development and education activities by public and private sectors

WAS, founded in 1970, has grown to 3,000+ members in 84 countries. To reflect meet the international nature of aquaculture and to address specific needs in various regions, members have created Chapters in the US, Japan, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. WAS links with other aquaculture groups including; Asian Fisheries Society, Aquaculture Association Canada, Korean Aquaculture Society, European Aquaculture Society, and other geographic and species associations globally. Through its diverse membership and international networks, WAS provides leadership for enhanced international communications, collaboration and information exchange. WAS is a dynamic organization capable of responding to change and is recognised for its professional credibility in aquaculture science, technology and education.

Aquaculture has an increasingly important role in meeting global demand for high quality proteins as world population expands and fisheries are depleted. Although world aquaculture production reached an all time high of 37.9 million mt in 2001, aquaculture production must triple to meet world demand for seafood products by 2025. Aquaculture plays a key role in economic and community development throughout the world as we move to a more global economy.

Forty thousand individuals in Indonesia, who had registered their livelihoods as dependant on aquaculture, were impacted by the tsunami. Further demonstrating aquaculture’s importance in the developing world. Progressive development and expansion of aquaculture is dependent on generation, dissemination, and adoption of knowledge and technology consistent with broad societal, national and international goals. As aquaculture production expands, it is essential that efficient and environmentally, socially and economically sustainable production systems be developed and utilized.

Since 1970, WAS members have produced, presented and published most of the leading research devoted to improving sustainability of aquaculture. Many WAS scientists are devoting their professional careers to mitigating and eventually solving environmental and social impacts associated with aquaculture.

More important are the seldom reported success stories where scientists have worked with farmers in developed and developing countries to build low impact or bioremediating aquaculture operations. Most bivalve and seaweed culture operations are credited with improving water quality. The incredible growth of global aquaculture has provided millions of jobs, and vastly improved overall supply, quality, and diversity of seafood products. Most experts agree that the vast majority of aquaculture operations are ecologically and socially sustainable. Ecological footprints of almost all aquaculture operations are smaller than land-based animal husbandry.

Many WAS members have specialised in retraining displaced fishers to work in sustainable aquaculture operations. These include trawl fishers in Florida who now farm clams, dynamite fishers in the Philippines who now grow seaweeds, and reef fish collectors from Bahamas and Singapore who now sell domesticated fish for aquariums. Across Asia, fish is the primary source of animal protein. WAS members have led development of this critical food sector that has prevented starvation and improved household income for hundreds of millions. Their methods and results have been discussed, presented and published in WAS conferences and publications.

The Annual Meeting of WAS is recognized as the premier aquaculture conference/exhibition, bringing together a wide variety of aquaculturists from commercial, academic, government, and NGO sectors. In addition to the WAS Annual meeting, WAS organises and sponsors regional conferences and other symposia to cover specific topics or needs, especially focussed on improving industry sustainability. All of these meetings include sessions aimed at involving and educating local aquaculture farmers on issues related to sustainability.

WAS publishes 1) Journal of the World Aquaculture Society, a quarterly scientific journal which contains high quality, peer-reviewed, scientific papers covering the range of aquaculture topics, 2) World Aquaculture Magazine, a source of articles on aquaculture and aquaculture products, 3) Books and technical manuals presenting state of the art techniques for sustainable development. These publications are critical to domesticating aquatic plants and animals and developing farming systems that protect the environment, farmers and consumers. Some of these titles include: Aquaculture and the Environment, Biosecurity in Aquaculture Systems: Exclusion of Pathogens and Other Undesirables, Sustainable Shrimp Farming, Microbial Approaches to Aquatic Nutrition in Environmentally Sound Aquaculture Production Systems, Manual de Histologia del Camaron Penaeido Normal.

WAS and its members play an important role in assuring progressive development of aquaculture world-wide by meeting global demands for science-based information and technology. Through its diverse membership and international networks, WAS provides leadership for enhanced international communication, collaboration and information exchange. WAS is a dynamic organization capable of responding to change and is recognized for its professional credibility in aquaculture science, technology, and education.

Members of the WAS believe that aquaculture is the most sustainable form of food production yet devised. Seaweed and bivalve culture are widely considered beneficial to the environment. The vast majority of aquaculture occurs in Asia, where farmers have integrated fish farming into sustainable systems for centuries. These farms and the healthy fish-vegetable-seaweed diets produced are fundamental to the high human population levels (carrying capacity) and advanced civilizations that have developed in Asia. WAS (publications, scientists, extensionists, workshops and conferences) endeavours to spread this knowledge across the planet. We also strive to develop ecologically equivalent systems to be integrated into Western agriculture-aquaculture systems (fish production in irrigation systems, salmon-kelp, aquaculture-hydroponics, and shrimp-seaweed).

WAS points out that vVirtually all aquatic animals have better feed conversion ratios than terrestrial animals. Many aquatic animals feed at the lowest trophic levels, producing high quality proteins from algae, bacteria and decaying organic matter. Many fish and bivalves are filter feeders, removing material from the water column, thereby improving certain water quality parameters. Aquatic plants and seaweeds, widely eaten in Asia, are even more efficient at removing nutrients from the water and improving water quality while producing high quality seafood. Again, WAS takes the global lead in developing and promoting these sustainable, even bio-remediating, techniques.

WAS scientists are also trying working to improve the sustainability of industrial style aquaculture by conducting research to develop salmon and other aquaculture feeds based on grains, distillery wastes, and seaweeds to minimize or eliminate the need for fish meal. Intensive studies are underway to develop techniques to rear salmon, shrimp and other aquatic animals in shore-based recirculating systems. WAS provides the constructive criticism and peer review science that is needed to advance the science that will address the environmental impacts of intensive aquaculture.

The Society devotes many of its resources to supporting scientists and farmers from developing countries. They often understand the art of aquaculture and traditional systems, but need assistance to deal with aquaculture’s place in a global economy and with the influx of new techniques and farm inputs (newly domesticated species, feeds, equipment, etc.).

We believe that domestication of aquatic plants and animals is critical to protection of natural populations. Most WAS members were trained as marine biologists, fisheries scientists or ecologists. We recognize that most of the world’s fisheries are fully- or over-exploited. International trade disputes are now arising as commercial fisheries try to compete with farm raised products. WAS believes that open and frank discussions and full disclosure and description of aquaculture systems will lead to equitable accommodations between competing seafood sectors and between critics and supporters of aquaculture practices.

• Global aquaculture yield has grown 10-fold in 30 years. Most of this growth has occurred in widely acknowledged sustainable aquaculture including seaweeds, aquatic plants, bivalves, herbivorous fishes and ornamental species.

• Vast majority of aquaculture is practiced in developing countries, especially in Asia, and provides needed protein and employment for millions of low-income people.

• WAS Annual meetings held in Hawaii (2004), Salvador, Brasil (2003) and Beijing (2002) attracted over 10,000 participants in total.

• Producers, scientists and regulators have proposed, debated, and adopted Best Management Practices for Shrimp and Salmon Culture

• As a result of the WAS meeting in Seattle (2007), industry members established the Global Aquaculture Alliance to co-ordinate industry efforts to improve sustainability of the shrimp industry, leading to the establishment of a series of Best Management Practice standards largely based on inputs from WAS members.

• Scientists have tested and reported on integrated farming systems for shrimp –seaweed, shrimp – mangrove, fish – hydroponics, and salmon – seaweed farms

• Women have high profile positions in the WAS, in the public sector, and in the private sector (especially in developing countries)

• Fishmeal use by the industry has been static for last five years, even though aquaculture production has almost doubled

• Aquaculture production has contributed to restoration of several endangered fishes and over-exploited fisheries

• Shrimp farmers have been shown, and convinced, that ponds built in mangroves will have low yields and lower profits than farms built in more sustainable areas

• Individual conference session topics have included:

Role of Women in Aquaculture

Property Rights Considerations in Aquaculture Development

Effluent Reduction and Management in Salmon Culture

Shrimp Pathology: Wild and Captive Interactions

• WAS quickly established a tsunami aquaculture relief program that has attracted corporate, society and personal contributions. With FAO, Government of Indonesia, local and international NGO’s, and regional aquaculture partners, WAS has identified and will support (financially and technically) restoration efforts with artisinal fish farmers in Banda Aceh and Sri Lanka.

• The 1997 WAS meeting held in Seattle, was the first major forum bringing together members of the aquaculture community and NGO’s concerned with aquaculture issues. The discussions held at that meeting have been instrumental in promoting the sustainable development of aquaculture and a constructive dialogue between the concerned stakeholders.

• The student chapters of the Society bring together young scientists and future professionals interested in aquaculture, promoting greater communication and awareness of the issues surrounding aquaculture.

• Regional WAS chapters in Latin America, Japan and the Asia Pacific provide a more localised approach focusing on sustainability issues relevant to their regions. All of these chapters hold, or participate in, smaller regional conferences aimed at reaching local aquacultyurists who may be unable to attend the main WAS conferences.

• WAS conferences have grown quickly and now include up to 16 concurrent presentations. Saving the presentations in digital form has allowed us to publish on a CD, and post them on a website for downloading or streaming video. This has allowed members to view presentations that were missed during the conference and more importantly made the talks available on a global basis.

• Scholarships and travel support are provided to scientists from developing countries to encourage their participation in conferences. The goal is to increase information and technology exchange – allowing scientists to learn of sustainable artisanal farming practices and sharing newly developed technologies and equipment.

Q. 6

• WAS has US, Korea, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Japan Chapters and is . Ccurrently helping to organizeing an Africa Chapter. Role: to co-ordinate professional meetings and workshops, publications and sustainable industry development in their regions.

• WAS has formal association agreements with aquaculture associations in Asia, Canada, Europe, Indonesia, the Caribbean, Brasil, Australia, and South Africa. Role: to co-ordinate professional meetings and workshops, publications and sustainable industry development in their regions.

• WAS has formal and informal agreements with national and international Fisheries and Natural Resource agencies. Role: to coordinate information transfer, training and professional development supporting sustainable aquaculture.

• WAS collaborates with many species associations including striped bass, tilapia, trout, shellfish, ornamental fish, shrimp, and catfish growers. Role: to allow their members to participate in a forum that will improve their operations, their products and their profitability in a sustainable industry.

• WAS has formal agreements with many vendor and supplier organizations and companies. Role: to allow their members to participate in a forum that will improve their operations, their products and their profitability in a sustainable industry. Also, to provide information to producers in developing countries who often have difficulty gaining information from equipment and feed suppliers.

• WAS played a key role in the establishment of, and has a close collaboration with, the newly formed NGO, Aquaculture without Frontiers (). This was established as a result of a keynote address at a WAS conference in Brazil. WAS supports AwF in its aims of promoting and supporting sustainable aquaculture development for food security and poverty alleviation in developing countries through volunteer activities.

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