Aquaculture, Aquaponics and Sustainability

Northern Aqua Farms Book Store

2013-02-05T20:06:00.001-03:30

Find fish farming books, manuals and other useful reference information

Sometimes finding what you are looking for on the internet can get to be time consuming or even a bit frustrating at times. I have experienced the same feelings when searching for good reference books and I often thought that it would be nice to be able to easily narrow down my effort and get more relative results, would help.

I few years ago I put together a book review showcase on Aquaculture and Aquaponics, that a lot of people liked, visited and used frequently. Due to personal time reasons and other work commitments I didn't have time to update it very often. Good news, it's now back and hopefully improved! Take a Peek at our Bookstore.

The new book store pages are still in conjunction with Amazon.com. I feel that it is a good resource to help make you search for aquaculture and aquaponics books that are the most relative to the subjects, easier to find, browse and review.

Press This Link To Visit the Northern Aqua Farms Aquaculture Book Store

FIS - Worldnews - OriginOil's technology can reduce toxin levels in aquaculture

2013-02-05T18:15:00.001-03:30

FIS - Worldnews - OriginOil's technology can reduce toxin levels in aquaculture

OriginOil, Inc has announced that its Solids Out of Solution(TM) (SOS) technology could be used by the aquaculture industry to lower toxin levels, and that fish farmers could feed algae to their farmed fish on a wide scale.

"Using OriginOil technology, WeFeedUs believes it may be able to accelerate aquaculture research and development and, ultimately, advance the commercialization of a proprietary Algal inclusion, high-protein, high-value, specialty fish feed," said Mike Andrus, Co-Founder and Principal of WeFeedUs. Read More

Cooke to process 240,000 quarantined salmon in N.B. | The Chronicle Herald

2013-02-05T18:08:00.001-03:30

Cooke to process 240,000 quarantined salmon in N.B. | The Chronicle Herald

LIVERPOOL — A New Brunswick company has begun transporting thousands of fish affected by an outbreak of infectious salmon anemia from a quarantined Nova Scotia aquaculture farm to a fish plant for processing.
Cooke Aquaculture says about 240,000 fish will be transported from its farm off Coffin Island near Liverpool to a fish plant in Blacks Harbour, N.B., over the next month. The processing started last week, it said. Read More

OFAH Encourages Families to Go-Fish Next Weekend!

2013-02-05T18:05:00.001-03:30

OFAH Encourages Families to Go-Fish Next Weekend!

PETERBOROUGH, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Feb. 5, 2013) - On Saturday, February 16, staff and volunteers of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) will be drilling holes, pouring hot chocolate, baiting hooks, and sharing ice fishing gear, all free of charge, to help introduce local families to our community's 'hottest' cold-weather tradition at the OFAH Family Ice Fishing Day. Formerly known as the Bridgenorth Panfish Festival, the OFAH is now leading this unique community event that celebrates our new local winter fishery and the province-wide MNR and Federation "licence-free" Ontario Family Fishing Events initiative. Read More

Arctic Char In Aquaculture

2012-06-27T21:05:00.002-02:30

Arctic Char were first investigated as an aquaculture species because it was expected that they would have low optimum temperature requirements and would grow well at the cold water temperatures present in numerous areas of Canada. It was also "correctly" anticipated that the Arctic Char would be welcomed as an alternate selection to Rainbow Trout and thus could provide producers with a unique product and a niche in seafood markets.

Canadian Arctic char are farmed in the Yukon Territory, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, Quebec and Manitoba. Operators in Iceland, Norway and the USA also raise Char. There are several different strains of Arctic Char being used in aquaculture. The most common strains used in Canada are derived from Nayuk Lake and Fraser River stocks.

Good Aquaculture Attributes

The majority of Arctic char produced today are raised in land-based systems. Arctic char eggs are hatched within specialized hatchery facilities where the young fish remain until they reach ~100 grams and can be transferred to larger grow - out tanks. The initial early rearing stages of growing can take almost a year for the juveniles to reach 100 grams. Once in the production farm Arctic char exhibit a rapid growth spurt from juvenile to adulthood, with most stocks reaching market weight (1-2.5kg) within the next 12 months.

Well Suited to Land Based Aquaculture

Land-based Arctic char rearing systems are considered to be among the most environmentally responsible fish farming designs. Facilities that utilize designs based on the principles of Recirculation Aquaculture technologies are among the most cutting edge farms. Arctic Char exhibit unique characteristics that make the species favorable to land based secure production, chief among those is its natural desire to shoal and live in high density populations. Read More Here

Excellent Market Reception

The Arctic Char is highlighted as a “Best” choice by the Monterey Aquarium Seafood Watch Guide for Healthy Oceans. The New England Aquarium lists farm raised Arctic Char as an ocean friendly species. They call it an excellent choice. Read more here

Alternative Aquaculture Systems

2012-06-25T23:31:00.001-02:30

Industry Overview

The Aquaculture industry blossomed rapidly, and became a significant supplier of food over the last couple of decades. Aqua Farming is now practiced worldwide, each year it increases in scope and significance. The aquaculture industry grew out of necessity, the chief reason being that the traditional practice of hunting and gathering of food by fishing became unsustainable in many areas of the world. Read More Here

Growth Trough Innovation

The need for change in seafood supply lead us to Aquaculture and now the need for changes in the way we farm fish has lead us to developing alternative methods to conduct aquaculture in a more sustainable manner. One of new technologies that are having a tremendous impact upon the way we farm fish is land based farming in enclosed tanks using water recycling systems. Read More Here

An innovative combination of fish and vegetable farming methods that is experiencing renewed interest and rapid growth around the world is Aquaponics. This farming method is essentially the rebirth of age old practices and is now used to farm vegetables, herbs and fish synergistically. It is an eco-friendly way to naturally produce quality food for home use or for sale. This scalable farming method is being embraced by many small home growers and even large operations that are using the process and methods as a means of producing sustainable fish and plant crops. Read More Here

Aquaculture Industry Size

Aquaculture, probably the fastest growing food-producing sector, now accounts for nearly 50 percent of the world's food fish. The reason for this is very simple, aqua farming is the best and most sustainable method to meet the demand for fresh seafood products that our population creates. It is now a widely held view that the worldwide biomass of wild fish and shellfish (stocks) are continuing to be depleted at a rate that surprises even those scientists that made dire predictions a few short years ago. Read More Here.

Types of Aquaculture Technologies

2012-06-22T03:56:00.002-02:30

There are many types of systems and farm designs used to grow fish. These include; ponds, net cages in lakes or oceans, rectangle raceway tanks, circular (round) tanks, earthen tanks lined with plastics or clays and other forms of containment. Basic Land based fish farms involve the use of one or more types of tanks or ponds and generally have water piped in and out to maintain life support for the fish and to flush the tanks of waste products. Basic designs may also include mechanical aeration equipment for adding oxygen to water.

In recent years land based farms have advanced in technology to become more eco-friendly and to provide greater security and control of the farming process. The most advanced of these are known as water recirculation systems or RAS designs. Advancements in design and technology are being driven in part by the need to develop alternative methods for aquaculture and by the demand for more fish and secure supplies.

Read more here

We are in the process on migrating North Aqua Farms website to this site. Please bear with us while we improve and recover from our website problems. Thanks!

4,000 Pounds of Organic Vegetables Per Month, With 1/10th The Space

Sustainability and Aquaculture

2012-06-22T03:15:00.000-02:30

People have been farming fish for thousands of years. Today, a wide range of plants and animals are grown in aquaculture farms both on a commercial scale and subsistence level. As a result of the growing world population and a shift in western societies towards healthier eating patterns commercial scale fish farming has had to expand to fill the need for fresh fish and seafood. Aquaculture is well suited to meeting this increasing demand for seafood. Out of need, we realized as a society, centuries ago, that we could not sustain ourselves with hunting and gathering of land foods. Much the same today, we must also face the very same facts when it comes to harvest of the waters.

Commercial scale fish farmers and western consumers are not the only beneficiaries of increased aquaculture production. Several low-income food-deficit countries are big aquaculture producers. In these countries aquaculture contributes to poverty alleviation and to the enhanced supply of fish products to poor people in rural and urban areas.

In addition to the massive direct food production benefits, fish farming technologies also play a supporting role to the wild fishery by making possible fish restocking and enhancement activities and by filling a complimentary niche in export markets. Indeed the sharp decline in some “wild fish Stocks” is mitigated in part by supplemental production of young seed stock in hatcheries.

The inherent efficiencies of farming versus fishing for the wild catch (hunting) will continue to further a progressive switch from fishing to fish farming. In the late 1990’s the FAO estimated that the cost of catching fish in the wild, on a global basis, was already about 25% higher than the true value of the catch. Much of the difference was made up in subsidies and other forms of financial support.

Alternative Production Methods and Advancements in Aquaculture

Land based aquaculture is a food sector that is sustainable, renewable and provides safe high quality food products to consumers while creating considerable benefits for the general population. Based on science and technology, it is a market driven sector that has emerged to provide consumers with value, taste and convenience in consumption of seafood and other Aquatic products similar to that expected from other food commodities.

Aqua Farming requires clean growing waters to maintain a satisfactory level of production. Therefore, the industry has to encourage environmentally friendly practices and has taken many practical steps to protect the local environment. In fact without ensuring protection of the environment, the industry itself would flounder. Such safeguards include government measures controlling the introduction of new species and the transfer of fish, fish health protection, better site selection, and actions to minimize fish escapes and prevent waste discharges.

Land based fish farms that utilize technology to recycle and reuse water supplies and to prevent waste discharge and fish escapement are among the most eco-friendly and sustainable methods of aquaculture. Farms that incorporate water recirculation aquaculture systems into their design are proven to be the most eco-friendly of all commercial fish farms.

Taking these systems one step further involves the incorporation of polyculture techniques, where plant crops are grown with the nutrients produced by the fish crop. This is known as Aquaponics a farming technique that is becoming more common in the design of both small and larger scale farms. Land based farms using Aquaponics is one of the most promising of alternative aquaculture practices.

Aquaculture books and reference materials.

The Need for Aquaculture

2012-06-22T03:01:00.000-02:30

Aquaculture is probably the fastest growing food producing sector in the world. During the past three decades, aquaculture has expanded, diversified, intensified and made technological advances. The potential of this industry to enhance local food security, alleviate poverty and improve rural livelihoods has been well recognized

The present level of aquaculture production was driven out of necessity. Just as Agriculture became imperative to the existence of mankind, so now has Aquaculture become the only sustainable method of producing high quality seafood. One needs only to review commercial fishery statistics to see that the world's demand for fish and seafood has exceeded the levels that hunting and gathering wild fisheries can support. Recent data suggests that aquaculture now accounts for over 50% of the entire worldwide seafood supply. It is estimated that at least an additional 40 million tonnes of aquatic food will be required by 2030 to maintain the current per capita consumption.

Read more at this page

Global Aquaculture Outlook 2010

2011-11-15T17:48:00.001-03:30

Global Conference on Aquaculture 2010 - FAO publication releases.

The Fisheries and Aquaculture Department of FAO published seven technical documents on aquaculture which are of global relevance. These documents can be found at this link.

The FAO states that these Regional Reviews and the Global Synthesis can be of pertinent use to national governments, regional organizations, policy makers, farmers, investors, civil society organizations, research and training institutions and the general public.

I, like many others, am busy reading these publications in my spare time and hoping to gain some helpful insights and fresh data from the reports.

From my limited review of the 2010 publications to date; one thing that certainly stands out is that the industry continues to grow based on need and demand for sustainable fish supplies by the world population. Here is a quote from “State of world aquaculture 2010"

Global production of fish from aquaculture has grown substantially in the past decade, reaching 52.5 million tonnes in 2008, compared with 32.4 million tonnes in 2000. Aquaculture continues to be the fastest-growing animal food producing sector and currently accounts for nearly half (45.6 percent) of the world’s food fish consumption, compared with 33.8 percent in 2000. With stagnating global capture fishery production and an increasing population, aquaculture is perceived as having the greatest potential to produce more fish in the future to meet the growing demand for safe and quality aquatic food.

According to FAO, it is estimated that by 2012 more than 50 percent of global food fish consumption will originate from aquaculture.

Link to Quote

With all this fresh data and some review time I hope to make more posts and comments on the state of affairs. I hope that you do also, feel free to comment here.

Introducing New Closed Loop Aqua Farming Blog

2011-10-24T00:03:00.000-02:30

To better define and provide information on aquaculture and aquaponics, I have begun a new blog that will focus on the topic of Closed Loop Aqua Farms. Where land based aquaculture is integrated with aquaponics and other farming methods designed to make maximum use of resources and farming bi-products. The new blog is titled Closed Loop Aqua Farms. It can be found at this link

I will continue to post information here that is more specific to Aquaculture only particularly intensive land based farming using water recirculation systems. Of course recent and relative news will be blogged on both sites where appropriate.

This should help provide my readers with more more information that is better presented.

The new blog will focus more on the topic of aquaponics and poly-culture farm scenarios.

Closed Loop Aqua Farming Blog

The Image below is an illustration of the Closed Loop process that I will be blogging on.

Thanks for visiting. I hope you enjoy reading my stuff. If you do tell a friend about it!

Farmed Shrimp from South Asia - in the News

2010-11-22T21:39:00.000-03:30

A recent story in the Globe and Mail titled: The big challenge in making farmed shrimp safe to eat, states that Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), continues to find illegal substances in samples of shrimp imported from Thailand. The story by JESSICA LEEDER — Global Food Reporter, in Monday’s 2010-11-22 globe and mail also points out that recent sample checks, by the CFIA on Thai imports have uncovered residues of antibiotics deemed illegal for food production in Canada and the United States.

Although the Canadian Food Inspection Agency only scans a fraction of incoming seafood – five per cent is the agency’s target – inspectors are still finding tetracyclines (antibiotics commonly used to treat acne) nitrofurans (an antimicrobial drug and known carcinogen banned in Canada) and fluoroquinolones (broad-spectrum antibiotics used in human medicine) in the shipments they test. None should be consumed by humans. They’re also supposed to be illegal in Thailand, a global shrimp farming giant that pledged years ago to flush drugs out of its system, which yields 550,000 tons of shrimp per year.

“We can’t inspect one hundred per cent of every piece of fish that comes in the country, otherwise there won’t be anything to eat,” said Jeanelle Boudreau, a fish policy officer with the CFIA’s fish and seafood network. The agency is constantly adjusting its inspections to focus on “areas where there might be more issues for non-compliance,” she said.

The full Globe and mail Story can be read at this link.

“In general, it would be fair to say it [antibiotic use] has fallen dramatically in shrimp farms around the world,” said Peter Bridson, manager of the Seafood Watch Program a the Center for the Future of Oceans at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. “That doesn’t mean to say it’s good now,” said Mr. Bridson, who also sits on the Shrimp Aquaculture Dialogue steering committee. “It’s just that it was horrific before.”

The Thailand shrimp farming industry is made up of thousands of small farmers. The Thai department of fisheries states that it has undertaken a major campaign to educate farmers on best practices, however reducing yield losses often outweighs concerns over sustainability. The use of Antibiotics to keep stock from becoming ill remains a tempting option to the small farmer hoping to get the best yield. Clearly more education on sustainable and chemical free farming methods is needed.

One thing you can do as a consumer is monitor what you buy and where it comes from. Buy what you trust and have the best available information on. If possible opt for foods Labeled organic or from known sustainable sources.

After Igor a video from Newfoundland

2010-09-27T02:52:00.000-02:30

Hi Folks,

Could you pass the following link on to friends. There will be several more in the series. However this one is important as it shows the storm damage that placed 230 people out of work and did so in less than 24 hours. The building you see was a shrimp processing plant where 230 people worked each year in order to make some sort of a living... which was seasonal at best. This plant unfortunately has a longer and larger history than this loss today.

This place was also once one of the largest fish processing plants in North America. Prior to the reductions in fishing quotas and the virtual elimination of a way of life that took place during the 1990's in Newfoundland, this same fish processing plant once employed over 900 people on a 24/7 basis processing Cod and other ground fish species and supported another several hundred fishermen. It was reduced (or rationalized) to a work force about 1/20 of its former size and recreated as a single species processing facility with only 230 people employed.

Now after the damage that resulted for Hurricane Igor, not even one of the remaining 230 have a job. In less than one day, in just one town, 230 people lost work. This is but one of the long lasting effects that Igor has imprinted in the the hearts, souls and livelihoods of the people that live on the Rock.

All I ask is that you consider forwarding this link, so that others can see how every deeply this act of god has effected hard working people, today and in the long term future. There are many more hardships in many more places of Newfoundland as a result of this storm. All of these are very important and so very sad and some are probably more devastating to the people that experienced first hand the wrath of Igor . This is only one very short video documenting the aftermath and how this storm effected over 230 plus people within hours. There are many,many places in Newfoundland that were adversely effected by Igor. My heart goes out to those people. I and my family got off easy as we weathered through this without any major damage and certainly no loss of life.

To the Family and friends of Mr Allen Duffet who lost his life during Igor, i send my heartfelt and deepest sympathy, and that is not enough measure to the sadness and loss by those close to him.

As hardy stock spawned from some of the first people that faced, endured and overcame the hardships and obstacles presented in helping to grow a brave new world, These people will as Newfoundlander's rise above it and once again play a significant part in creating new life, in a proud nation called Canada.

Have a look and pas it on so that others can give it a view. Thanks

Loblaws moving toward selling only sustainable seafood

2010-02-05T07:15:00.000-03:30

Loblaws a Canadian food chain that boasts it is the country's largest buyer and seller of seafood, as begun introducing its sustainable seafood drive in 18 stores before a national rollout.

The grocery giant's goal is to sell only sustainable seafood by the end of 2013. Shoppers are already encountering some empty trays at some Loblaw fish counters. The empty trays contain signs pointing out that Chilean sea bass, orange roughy, skate and shark are species at risk. Eco-friendly alternatives – such as sablefish or Pacific halibut instead of the Chilean sea bass – are suggested as alternatives.

To guide seafood buyers, Loblaw also posts certification labels from the Marine Stewardship Council, a non-profit, international agency. A new Aquaculture Stewardship Council certification for farmed fish is also being developed. It is expected to be completed in two years. Standards have already been set for tilapia and Vietnamese catfish.

Jeffrey Hutchings, a biology professor and marine conservation expert at Dalhousie University, says 80 percent of the world's fisheries are "fully fished, overfished or depleted." For example, he says the southern St. Lawrence cod fishery, once the largest source of cod in the world, may be gone in 20 to 40 years.

Full Story Link Toronto Star

The move towards more sustainable seafood supplies has been talked about and on-going in one degree or another for quite some time now. I welcome the news that companies such as Loblaws are taking a stance and making concrete moves to reduce the amount of seafood from non sustainable sources.

According to the FAO, "sustainable fisheries and aquaculture means the harvesting and farming of fish stocks in a manner that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".

More on the subject of fisheries sustainablity

Moratorium on Aquaculture Licenses in British Columbia - Will it lead to Benefits ?

2010-01-30T23:05:00.000-03:30

An article in the Vancouver Sun Jan 28, 2010 states that B.C. has slapped a moratorium on issuing new finfish aquaculture licences and won't accept new applications for shellfish aquaculture, the province announced Thursday.

The move follows a court decision on Tuesday in which the B.C. Supreme Court granted an extension to the transfer deadline for finfish aquaculture to federal regulation until Dec. 18, 2010. As part of this extension, the court ordered a suspension on approvals of all new marine finfish licenses in B.C.

Full Story Link

A related story by Mike Barber of Canwest news service Sept 9 , 2010 titled "Diversity needed on Canada's fish farms, researcher says"

Talks about the Need for Canada to diversify into production of alternative aquaculture species. That article points out that half the fish the world eats is now raised on farms, presenting an opportunity for Canada to exploit a growing global hunger for seafood, according to a study published in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by a team of international researchers.

But critics say Canada is ill-prepared to cash in on the growing trend because of a fixation on farming salmon -- a species that is expensive to raise, takes a long time to grow and is not to the taste of people in the world's rapidly developing markets.

Tony Farrell, one of the report's contributors, said the findings indicate a demand for protein-rich, affordable fish.

"The world is not eating wild fish, and they're switching to cultured fish," said Farrell, chairman of the University of B.C.'s Centre for Aquaculture and Environmental Research. "Canada can either move with the times, or not. As an exporting nation, we need to make decisions about this."

But relying on salmon -- carnivores that take more than two years to mature -- as the country's chief farmed fish would likely prevent the Canadian aquaculture industry from harnessing the continued growth, said Farrell.

"I think diversification is a great way of thinking about this. You put all your stocks and bonds in one thing, and when it crashes, you'll have a rude awakening," Farrell said. Full Story

This blog has always promoted alternative aquaculture systems and the need for further development of other species. While there are many issues effecting the industry two of the main concerns are the potential for environmental conflicts and the need to address sustainable industry growth.

Diversification into alternative farm designs producing other species using sustainable and intregrated methods, is certainly an area that needs attention.

Realted Items: Land based Fish Farms | Aquaponics Technologies

Aquaponics use in sustainable fish and plant farming

2010-01-22T19:34:00.000-03:30

Aquaponics use in sustainable fish and plant farming

This post provides a quick review of the NorthernAquaFarmsCom recently updated web page containing an introductory article that describes aquaponics in simple terms.

The Following is an exert from the article:

Modern day aquaponics is essentially the rebirth of age old practices to farm vegetables, herbs and fish in a self contained eco-system. It is an eco-friendly way to naturally produce quality food for home use or for sale. This scalable farming method is experiencing renewed interest worldwide with many small home growers and large operations employing the process as a means of producing sustainable fish and plant crops. Read More

Northern Aqua farms has also added a new web store offering a wide range of Aqua Farming and Hobby farming Books, Ready to assemble Home Aquaponics Systems, outdoor apparel and outdoor equipment and gear.

Waste to green or ruin

2009-11-12T00:54:00.000-03:30

Over 3000 years ago peoples in Asia began to practice poly culture, a process development in which they successfully learned how to recycle agriculture wastes to improve the yield obtained by farming a secondary source of protein( yet eventually equally or more important than the initial crop), that protein source was fish.

Now let us go further back in an effort to explore the role of fish as a part of the diet:

Fish and shellfish have been part of the European’s diet for as long as man has been present on the continent. Indeed, 500 thousand years ago, Homo erectus would have caught salmon (probably by hand) and eaten it raw, perhaps accompanied by a few berries and nuts. Today, salmon carpaccio bears a distinct resemblance to such paleolithic gastronomy (first age of prehistory, till 10 000 BC) .

Mesolithic man (between 10 000 and 5 000 BC) appreciated oysters and mussels while fish would have long been established as a highly desirable food. As farming activities developed, man also became able to master the rearing of animals and the same concepts were applied to fish. Reference link: http://www.feap.info/home/FAQ/Answers/ans1_en.asp

The first Publication of "Fish Husbandry", written by Fan Li, was made around 500 BC and it documented a farming process that was in practice (and still in practice) many years before our well accepted and present day world beliefs and preceptions.

Poly culture back then, simply involved using organic waste to naturally produce feed to fertilize plants that the fish ate and converted into a high protein source (Fish) for humans to consume. The Fish waste also became another source of organic food to nourish other plants and vegetables, thus increasing the yield and variety of edible food obtained.

These farming practices were very `green` back when they were invented and practiced. Considering that the inputs and outputs balanced each other without diminishing other resources or relying on such things as inorganic ingredients, the process is very simple and sustainable.

Today, such a process of farming is pretty much considered in the same light as one eyed aliens visiting the earth. There is no big company that is mass producing by using the farming principal, thus it is insignificant and perhaps a topic of dis-flavour in the circles of corporate agriculture .

Perhaps if more people grew fish and fresh vegetables on their own with little or no cost, it could be a real part of being green.

For the most part such practices are in Ruin today.

When all the fish are gone?

2009-09-25T00:59:00.000-02:30

Here is a great picture and memory:

After a good night’s sleep, you awake to a great sunny morning and reflect upon the wonderful relaxing experience that you enjoyed last night. The memories of that great meal you shared with your special someone rests in your mind. The feeling of comfort and closeness you discovered, over the candle light casting shadows at your secluded table while soft music played, is still fresh in your thoughts.

The seafood was the best choice, it sure made a hit. The succulent flavors blended well with the mood and with the wine, bringing a mutual feeling of pleasure and satisfaction that a good dinner often brings. It was a night to remember, that brought you the same age old enjoyment that good friends, good food and good wine, has done for years. Yes it was great you say. Let us thank the folks that made it possible.

Now Picture this:

You have some slack time and you are wondering around the internet, reading about things that mean something in your life and you are gathering a better understanding of the world. In keeping with your concerns and important issues, the state of the world’s food supply, the quality of food and the price of food are all issues that you read about because you know that they will make an everyday difference in your life. After reading and researching on the subject for awhile you come upon information relating to one of the world’s largest sources of protein and nutritious food, which is fish and seafood.

This maybe is where your bad day starts, as you realize that humankind cannot any longer count on or rely upon wild fish stocks to meet the demands of the future or even satisfy the demands of today.

Perhaps you also wonder where all the fish have gone? If you do, you can also take some satisfaction in knowing that you are not alone. Many of the world’s scientist, governing bodies and think tanks are grappling with the crisis and are searching for alternative ways for making the best of our ocean, river and inland lake fish resources.

It is now written in “factual stones” that the populations of worldwide wild fish and shellfish (stocks) are continuing to be depleted at a rate that surprises even those scientists that made dire predictions a few short years ago. The huge hunting and gathering efforts that has long dominated the World’s supply of seafood are failing. Even with today’s increased overall fishing effort and increased focus upon catching and substituting less desirable fish species, collapse and failure of the wild fishing industry is near, and the lack of sustainability of the fishing effort against available wild supplies is impossible to escape.

Now picture a light:

Once one contemplates the facts and reviews the information it becomes obvious that we should endeavor to do more with what we have and employ a level of husbandry to reduce our reliance upon capture fisheries in the same manner as we reduced our need to hunt and gather other food supplies like grain and animals. Yes I am talking farming.

Fish farming is now supporting over 50% of the entire world’s supply of fish and seafood. The reason for this is very simple, it is the best and most sustainable method to meet the demand that our population creates. Without Aquaculture the wild stocks of fish would have collapsed years ago, as the demand for supply has far outpaced the ability of wild stocks to produce and it has done so for numerous years.

There has been much written of late on the reports of poor populations of many of our fisheries. TAC (total allowable catch) predictions for next year look downright scary. If we continue to ignore solutions to the problem we will continue to have the problem.

If one were to have to "wonder around" today and gather the grains, cereals, poultry, beef and other products needed to ensure survival, it would be a much different world.

In order to meet the demand for high protein foods we have to continue to supplement the available supply by controlled husbandry to help achieve a better yield from a diminishing resource.

Yes we need to continue farming fish and we are learning how to do it much better than before. That learning curve is also called growing, like our plants, animals and fish we have also grown and gained a better understanding of how to do things right, and we will continue to grow and fill the need.

Robert Freeman

Aquaculture sees surge in worldwide production

2009-09-08T07:51:00.000-02:30

A new report by an international team of researchers, published September 07 in the online edition of The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), states that Aquaculture now accounts for 50 percent of the fish consumed globally.

Once considered to be a fledgling industry not so long ago, "Aquaculture is set to reach a landmark in 2009, supplying half of the total fish and shellfish for human consumption," the authors wrote.

Way back when, 20 or so years ago, I entered the field of aquaculture after witnessing first hand the ever increasing year to year decline in the traditional fishing industry. Back then we all felt to be on the verge of something new and big, today we can look back and see just how far the industry has come. The growth has been tremendous but it has certainly not been without challenges.

The report states that between 1995 and 2007, global production of farmed fish nearly tripled in volume, in part because of rising consumer demand for long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Oily fish, such as salmon, are a major source of these omega-3s, which are effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to the National Institutes of Health.

This growth has placed ever increasing pressure on marine resources due to the need for large amounts of feed made from wild fish harvested from the sea. "The huge expansion is being driven by demand," said lead author Rosamond L. Naylor, a professor of environmental Earth system science at Stanford University and director of the Stanford Program on Food Security and the Environment. "As long as we are a health-conscious population trying to get our most healthy oils from fish, we are going to be demanding more of aquaculture and putting a lot of pressure on marine fisheries to meet that need." Sourcing sustainable feed ingredients is one of the largest challenges faced by the industry today.

One way to make salmon farming more environmentally sustainable is to simply lower the amount of fish oil in the salmon's diet. According to the authors, a mere 4 percent reduction in fish oil would significantly reduce the amount of wild fish needed to produce 1 pound of salmon from 5 pounds to just 3.9 pounds. In contrast, reducing fishmeal use by 4 percent would have very little environmental impact, they said.

"Reducing the amount of fish oil in the salmon's diet definitely gets you a lot more bang for the buck than reducing the amount of fishmeal," Naylor said. "Our thirst for long-chain omega-3 oils will continue to put a lot of strain on marine ecosystems, unless we develop commercially viable alternatives soon."

Naylor and her co-authors pointed to several fish-feed substitutes currently being investigated, including protein made from grain and livestock byproducts, and long-chain omega-3 oils extracted from single-cell microorganisms and genetically modified land plants. "With appropriate economic and regulatory incentives, the transition toward alternative feedstuffs could accelerate, paving the way for a consensus that aquaculture is aiding the ocean, not depleting it," the authors wrote.

Link to Full Story

Newfoundland and Aquaculture Training

2007-06-06T20:26:00.000-02:30

New aquaculture program to start in August.

I am always on the look out for news relating to Aquaculture. I also have a self admitted fondness for reading about new things or events that demonstrate an educational improvement.

Recently I read a news story in "The coaster Online" and here is what I think.

First off, It's good news that the Keyin College will be offering it's first ever Aquaculture program at St. Alban’s Newfoundland, in August 2007. Early indications are that it is comprehensive program.

The press release states "'' The new program is designed to introduce students to the history of aquaculture, give them an overview of the state of the aquaculture industry and to prepare them for all facets of the industry which is growing rapidly, especially in the Coast of Bays region.""

Heidi Middleton, human resources manger with Cooke Aquaculture said "their hiring practice will give preference to candidates with a background in the industry".

Cooke Aquaculture is a significant stakeholder in the Atlantic Canada Aquaculture industry. The company in recent years, has enlarged it's business by expanding into new locations and diversifying it's operations.

Heidi goes on to say " A candidate can gain experience in the industry in one of two ways: by obtaining an Aquaculture Technician Certificate through a recognized learning institute like Keyin College or adequate years of hands-on industry experience. These employees will be compensated at a higher starting rate."

She also notes that " many existing Cooke Managers possess an Aquaculture Technician accreditation."

The press release also points out "Once they complete the program students will have the skills to become aquaculture technicians with the opportunity to obtain long-term employment in one of the growing industries in the province. Cooke Aquaculture has invested millions into its operations in the region, as well as companies such as the Barry Group of Companies."

I see this new program as another welcome sign of advancement within Aquaculture Industry, particularly as it relates to my home province. (I am not shy)

Certainly the duration of the program is lengthy enough to provide for a wide range of learning opportunities covering the important aspects of the industry. Experience has thought me that training programs which include a good effort at providing a backgrounder to the history and nature of the industry, combined with the fundamentals of practice, offer more for "both" the students and prospective employers.

Persons that achieve a good working knowledge of the industry while gaining an understanding of the history and of it's present day importance as a sustainable food source, are in my opinion "The Class Act", and represent the future of the industry.

I look forward reading future updates of this program and it's progress.

News Story Reference: Special To the Coaster June 5 20007

New FAO Aquaculture Website

2007-05-24T04:03:00.000-02:30

Toady I had a chance to check out the new website of Aquaculture Conservation and Management Service (FIMA)FAO. Here is part of their new release

"""Wednesday, 23 May 2007
GISFish is a brand new Web site of the Aquaculture Conservation and Management Service (FIMA) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and a number of collaborating institutions.

It is evident there are many opportunities to use GIS, remote sensing and mapping to improve the sustainability of aquaculture and inland fisheries, but the more widespread use of these tools is impeded by a limited of awareness of their benefits and a lack of access to experience on how they can be deployed. GISFish was created to overcome these impediments. It is aimed at GIS practitioners and fisheries and aquaculture professionals in developing countries."""

Read Full Story

The new website can be accessed From This Link

The mission for this site, as well as its overriding goal, is "Solving problems in inland fisheries and aquaculture using GIS, remote sensing and mapping". Specifically, the objectives of GISFish are to:

* Improve the sustainability of aquaculture and inland fisheries by promoting the use of GIS, remote sensing and mapping
* Facilitate the use of GIS, remote sensing, and mapping through easy access to comprehensive information on applications and training opportunities.

Sounds like a worthwhile mission. I am going to test run it. I'll post with more thoughts later.

Aquaculture in Manitoba - Where to Start

2007-03-21T16:53:00.000-02:30

My First Fish Farm in Manitoba

Updated information is now available from the IRAFS Group aquaculture resource website. You can view and read new fresh content at this link

The IRAFS Group is based in Manitoba and Saskatchewan Canada. At the IRAFS website we publish our new blog and articles on land based closed containment aquaculture, along with industry related information and opinions. Members of the Irafs team regularly read and review news stories relating to the aquaculture industry and post our opinions on news and stories we feel are relative to the industry and could be informative for our site visitors.

I often receive requests for information on Aquaculture in Manitoba. Many requests are from persons wanting to research the business potential of fish farming as an alternative or supplementary form of agriculture or as a standalone business. The following provides a quick overview of Aquaculture in Manitoba with links to further resources.

Aquaculture, or fish farming, has been practiced in Manitoba since the late 1960s. It began with experimental stocking and fish growth studies in “pothole” lakes in the Erickson area in southwestern Manitoba. These pothole stockings were conducted by the DFO Canada Freshwater Institute and the Manitoba Government. Many of these lakes were considered to have the potential to be productive waters for raising fish and experimental stocking and monitoring was undertaken to help determine fish performance. Rainbow trout quickly became the species of choice due to their rapid rate of growth and their general hardiness. Rainbow trout continue to be the primary species stocked into lakes and dugouts in Manitoba.

Manitoba fish farming activities have primarily taken the form of hobby farming, involving the stocking of fingerling sized young fish into farm dugouts or ponds on private lands, or into small lakes on Crown lands, primarily for recreational purposes. The stock is generally allowed to grow by foraging on available food sources within the pond. This practice is known as Extensive Aquaculture. Depending on the owner preference, pond environment and fish growth desires the food source is sometimes supplemented by the feeding of prepared commercial fish food.

A good source of information on this type of activity is a booklet “Trout Farming in Manitoba”, available from the Fisheries Branch of the Manitoba Department of Water Stewardship.

Intensive aquaculture, which takes the form of fish rearing in cages, tanks, or raceways, is relatively new in Manitoba. There are currently only a few commercial aquaculture operations in the province. However interest in commercial aquaculture as a means of agriculture diversification or as an alternative crop is increasing.

Intensive aquaculture requires a higher degree of rearing environmental control, increased fish stocking densities, controlled feeding rates with prepared nutrient dense diets and greater farm management requirements. Intensive aquaculture operations require more capital investment , involves the use of more technologies and equipment and necessitate increased levels of manpower .

As mentioned extensive aquaculture is carried out in lakes or dugouts, present and future intensive aquaculture operations in Manitoba will involve the growing fish inside buildings under controlled conditions using tanks of varied sizes and shapes (land-based), or in cages moored in deep lakes.

The province of Manitoba offers “A Guide to Intensive aquaculture in Manitoba” as a good starting point for those exploring commercial fish farming in the province.

I always advise people to research the potential of Aquaculture as a business in as much detail as they can before deciding if it's an opportunity that fits both your financial and location resources.

Aquaculture does offer good potential for financial returns and it can be a rewarding business and one you can be be proud of. Like any other idea, your business size and scope has to suit you and your resources to have the best chance for success.

More information on commercial land based Aquaculture can also be found at This link.

Information on Aquaponics farming, an excellent way to grow your own supply of fresh herbs, vegetables and fish year round can now be found at This Page.

Update: A Canadian model aqua-farm demonstrating the viability of indoor fish rearing on the Prairies is now producing Rainbow Trout. The farm is a research data collection site to answer the many questions would-be investors and regulatory agencies will have about fish-farm operations. Link to AGcanada.com Story

B&B Freshwater Fish Farm owned by the McDonald family and located near Gunton Manitoba, is expanding. Rick McDonald converted an unused hog barn to fish farming. They now raise Arctic Char and maintain one of the few certified disease free breeding stocks in the world today. They produce Arctic Char eggs and young fish plus some Rainbow Trout Read More Here.

Salmon Farming Here To Stay

2007-03-20T23:42:00.000-02:30

Report:

KINGSTON, R.I., March 9 (UPI) -- U.S. residents are eating four times as much salmon as they were 20 years ago, most of it imported farmed salmon.
Researchers at the University of Rhode Island found that the value of wild salmon caught in the United States and Canada dropped from $800 million to $300 million between 1980 and 2004, the Providence Journal reported. In 1980, only 2 percent of the salmon sold globally was farmed, which grew to 65 percent in 2004.

"The Great Salmon Run: Competition Between Wild and Farmed Salmon" by Cathy A. Roheim and James Anderson of URI and Gunnar Knapp of the University of Alaska concludes that wild salmon cannot supply the market farmed salmon has created.

Full story Science Daily

It's an important point that's reached when harvesting the wild cannot satisfy the demands of the population. History demostrates that dewindling capture quanities of all wild animals and harvests of wild foods were the main deriving forces that created the need for all types of agriculture.

Responsible Aquaculture Program

2006-05-25T18:57:00.000-02:30

I spent time lately reading many of the arguments "pro and con" that that seem to pop up when Aquaculture is the topic. Numerous opinions have been expressed and there doesn't appear to be a shortage of media attention in certain areas. That robust activity is welcome. It exists in discussions of any industry or of any practice. As educated consumers we are entitled to review information, decide one way or another and make our choices.

Aquaculture isn’t a new idea, people have practiced Aquaculture for a few thousand years, yet in the modern world today, we still debate just about every news release on the subject. Sometimes we read news statements that are generally based in fact and other statements that contain a few elements of truth designed and emphasized to trigger certain feelings within the population.

Sadly there are a few attention focused presentations within the media that carry very little true research value or census value, and lean toward a more mumble and jumble “argument” that almost always attempts to pigeon hole an industry while presenting the “we told you so attitude” directed at the normal consumer. The reasoning behind this isn’t within my ability to explain.

Last year I wrote a few pages concerning the history and needs satisfied by Aquaculture. In other writings I also talked about the need for improvement.

The Global Aquaculture Alliance efforts to improve the way that Aquaculture is conducted should not go un-noticed.

Statements from the website:

The Responsible Aquaculture Program was developed to promote best management practices for aquaculture operators. The RAP program encourages the culture of safe, wholesome seafood in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. More importantly, it is also intended to improve the efficiency and long-term sustainability of the aquaculture industry.

The Responsible Aquaculture Program began as a straightforward set of "Guiding Principles for Responsible Aquaculture" that promote a cooperative approach to establishing aquaculture operations that reflect environmental, economic, and social sustainability. The principles call for minimal ecological impacts, water conservation, improved feed and drug use, and reductions in effluents.

The Global Aquaculture Alliance is an international, nonprofit trade association dedicated to advancing environmentally and socially responsible aquaculture. GAA recognizes that aquaculture "the culture and farming of fish, shellfish and other aquatic organisms" is the only sustainable means of increasing seafood supply to meet growing food needs.””

Give the link a look.

If we didn’t farm anything period, full stop, where would we be? Can we feed 6 billion people on politics or advertising? Everyday people supply veggies, meats and fish to the world. Managing the resources will play a major factor in the future. Increasing the "food" and ecomonic value of the resources is a factor best left out of media spins.

Rob Freeman

No Catch Cod is Branded

2006-05-24T19:09:00.000-02:30

Sustainable seafood firm adds cod brand
by Jennifer Whitehead Marketing 24 May 2006

LONDON - Johnson Sustainable Seafoods is launching a fresh fish brand called No Catch ...Just Cod, targeting ethically aware, health-conscious shoppers.

No Catch, which will be available in Tesco from 29 May, comes from the world's biggest cod hatchery in Shetland. The fish are fed offcuts of fish already harvested and have no contact with pesticides or dyes.

The packaging, through brand and design consultancy Bryt, is a departure from traditional fish branding and highlights the brand's ethical credentials. The packaging emphasises the product's origins and that it is "tasty, totally natural fish". It adds that it is the world's first organic, sustainable cod and uses the line "Good for you, great for fish".

Although cod is a favourite among consumers, there has been concern about its rapidly diminishing stocks, leading to restrictions on cod fishing in the Irish Sea, North Sea and off West Scotland.

Source: DesignBulletin