Page 30 - World Aquaculture Magazine - March 2011

28 March 2011
traditional systems using low technology. Marine fish farm-
ing continues its slow production increase explained by the
development of intensive and semi-intensive systems.
Nowadays, the Portuguese Fisheries Policy defined, in
the present fisheries management plan (2007-2013), the pro-
motion of a structural modernization of the aquaculture
sector and has set as major goals to increase production in
3200 tons for 2010, and additional 8200 tons for 2013. This
prediction in net gain is based on the promotion and en-
couragement of intensive production models like off-shore
systems. In order to support a sustainable development of
these systems, an area located in the South coast of Algarve
where off-shore cages and bivalves longlines was created in
March 2008 (Pousão-Ferreira, 2008), with the scientific and
technical collaboration of Portuguese Institute for Fisheries
and Sea Research (IPIMAR).
Other main aims also include the reinforcement of the
sector, to increase long term production with technological
innovation and the diversification of the market offer, in a
sustainable manner. With the perspective of a good accept-
ance by the consumer, support will be given to install new
units and to modernize old ones in order to enhance product
safety, quality and production volume.
Main Species
The prevailing farmed species, in Portugal, have a geo-
graphical distribution along the Mediterranean Sea and
North Atlantic Ocean. Nowadays molluscs represent half
of the total Portuguese aquaculture, the more important
species produced are clams (Ruditapes decussates – 29%)
cultivated in parks in intertidal zones, oysters (Crassostrea
spp – 13%) reared in bags, cockles (Cerastoderma edule –
4%) also reared in parks and mussels (Mytilus edulis – 3%)
cultivated in long lines. Clams and oysters are the more valu-
able than mussels, and clams selling price is more than twice
the oysters value.
In the fish sector, technological improvements as well as
the increased availability of juveniles in the market, led to a
production increase of some species especially of seabream
Fig. 2. Seabass from semi-intensive production (Photo: A.
Ramalho)
(Sparus aurata – 20%), seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax – 13%)
and turbot (Scophthalmus maximus – 4%). However market
diversification is needed and farmers are investing in new
species such as sole and meagre, currently with a higher mar-
ket value. Freshwater aquaculture is exclusively dedicated to
intensive trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss and Salmo trutta fario)
production in cages and concrete tanks.
Main Production Areas
Portuguese coastal aquaculture areas are located in the
traditional salt-work sites along centre and south coasts,
while freshwater production is much less representative
and is only located in the country’s north and central re-
gions.
Portugal has six major areas of coastal aquaculture,
represented in Figure 3: Ria de Aveiro (Vouga estuary)
and Mondego estuary, located in the Central area; South
of Lisbon are Lagoa de Albufeira and Sado estuary; in
Alentejo is Mira estuary; in Algarve are Ria Formosa la-
goon system and Ria de Alvor. Madeira island is the sixth
marine production zone which is not included in the map.
Inland aquaculture is found in the several rivers on the
North and in Zêzere river (near Manteigas ) in the Central
region.
The North region of Portugal comprehends one inten-
sive marine farm producing sole, turbot and seabass. This
is the more important area of inland aquaculture where
freshwater farms, distributed by several rivers, represent
96% of national trout production (INE, 2010). Despite be-
ing the region with the lower surface use and with the less
number of farms, it is the third production area in terms of
volume, due to the use of intensive systems.
The Vouga River reaches the Atlantic Ocean with a
system of lagoons and natural ponds, creating a large
wetland area – Ria de Aveiro – very propitious to salt pro-
duction and aquaculture. Ria de Aveiro together with the
region of Mondego estuary are the second more impor-
tant production site in Portugal (table 1), corresponding
1.305 tons in 2008 (INE, 2010). There is a very important
extensive molluscs’ production, particularly oysters and
mussels. Mussels rearing in this area represents 60% of
the total national production. In this region, semi-inten-
sive systems are producing mostly seabass, which is often
cultivated in polyculture with 10 to 20% of seabream. The
resistance of seabass to lower temperatures and to high
inputs of freshwater in the system, verified during the
winter when salinity may drop close to one ppt, justifies
this choice. The role of seabream in polyculture is to con-
trol macroalgae and maintain the ponds clean. One large
investment, considered by the Portuguese government as
a Project of National Interest (PIN), was recently built
in this region for turbot intensive production, expecting
to produce 7000 tons of marketable turbot, mainly for
export.
The Lisbon region is characterized by two different sites
with specific features: Sado estuary and Lagoa de Albufeira.
Despite the wetland production area corresponds to 25%
of the national surface used for aquaculture, in 2008 pro-