Sustainable Approaches for Aquaculture Development: Looking Ahead Through Lessons in the Past

Aquaculture has significantly progressed in recent years. Thirty percent of the total world fishery production now comes from aquaculture. Because capture fisheries production is leveling off and unlikely to increase, aquaculture is considered to be the production mechanism that will provide fishing products that capture fisheries can no longer provide. Unfortunately, the rapid expansion of aquaculture has brought negative effects on the environment, primarily in nearshore areas, and has prompted some people to wonder whether it is necessary to sacrifice the environment for the sake of food production. Inadequate understanding of aquatic environments has led to the perception that the oceans have an inexhaustible supply of resources and an unlimited capacity to receive wastes from all of mankind’s activities, including those from aquaculture. In marine aquaculture, problems such as deposition and dispersal of wastes in bays and coastal areas cause the destruction of mangrove habitats, which serve as important larval nursery grounds. In freshwater aquaculture systems, environmental impacts include exhaustive use of groundwater, resulting in land subsidence and intrusion of saltwater into the water table. Nevertheless, there remains enough room and opportunity to gain the benefits that aquaculture can provide. In this paper, two approaches are proposed. One is a non-technical approach, which includes the implementation and strict enforcement of policies as well as a massive educational program on the need of a rational and environmentally sound basis in the practice of aquaculture. This would minimize or prevent environmental impacts and resolve conflicts among different users of particular resources. The second approach is technical in nature. This includes the development and application of technologies that are in harmony with the environment, such as constructing super-intensive recirculating culture systems, properly placing sea-cage aquaculture systems, replenishing seeds in the wild through stock enhancement, and practicing sea ranching. Aquaculture plays a vital role in food production. However, caution should be taken in aquaculture development in the future. Although there is probably no ultimate technology that will prevent impacts of aquaculture on the environment, continued surveillance and monitoring are highly desirable. Scientists and aquaculturists must work together to transfer to future generations the high-quality environments inherited from previous generations.