A Fishy Story Promoting a False Dichotomy to Policy-Makers

It Is Not Freshwater vs. Marine Aquaculture

authored by: Barry Antonio Costa-Pierce, Abigail B. Bockus, Bela H. Buck, Sander W.K. van den Burg, Thierry Chopin, Joao G. Ferreira, Nils Goseberg, Kevin G. Heasman, Johan Johansen, Sandra E. Shumway, Neil A. Sims, Albert G.J. Tacon
Abstract: A recent publication by Belton et al. raises points for policy-makers and scientists to consider with respect to the future of aquaculture making recommendations on policies and investments in systems and areas of the world where aquaculture can contribute most. Belton et al. take an ‘us versus them’ approach separating aquaculture by economics, livelihood choices, and water salinity. They conclude “that marine finfish aquaculture in offshore environments will confront economic, biophysical, and technological limitations that hinder its growth and prevent it from contributing significantly to global food and nutrition security.” They argue that land-based freshwater aquaculture is a more favorable production strategy than ocean/marine aquaculture; they disagree with government and non-governmental organizations spatial planning efforts that add new aquaculture to existing ocean uses; they advocate for open commons for wild fisheries as opposed to aquaculture; and they oppose ‘open ocean’ aquaculture and other types of industrial, capital-intensive, ‘carnivorous’ fish aquaculture. They discredit marine aquaculture rather than explain how all aquaculture sectors are significantly more efficient and sustainable for the future of food than nearly all land-based animal protein alternatives. As an interdisciplinary group of scientists who work in marine aquaculture, we disagree with both the biased analyses and the advocacy presented by Belton et al. Marine aquaculture is growing and is already making a significant contribution to economies and peoples worldwide. None of the concerns Belton et al. raise are new, but their stark statement that farming fish in the sea cannot ‘nourish the world’ misses the mark, and policy-makers would be wrong to follow their misinformed recommendations.
Organisation(s): Coastal Research Centre
External Organisation(s): University of New England
Ecological Aquaculture Foundation LLC
Montana State University
Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research
Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences
Wageningen University and Research
University of New Brunswick
Chopin Coastal Health Solutions Inc
Longline Environment Ltd
NOVA University Lisbon
Technische Universität Braunschweig
Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research
University of Connecticut
Aquahana LLC
Cawthron Institute
Ocean Era, Inc.
Type: Article
Journal: Reviews in Fisheries Science and Aquaculture
Volume: 30
Pages: 429-446
No. of pages: 18
ISSN: 2330-8249
Publication date: 2022
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Aquatic Science, Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 14 - Life Below Water
Electronic version(s): https://scholarworks.montana.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1/17255/costa-pierce-fish-2021.pdf;jsessionid=35D3D9AF1D3F1B6A10C83A14D9D250F2?sequence=1 (Access: Open)
https://doi.org/10.1080/23308249.2021.2014175 (Access: Closed)