World Aquaculture Magazine - March 2021

WWW.WA S .ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • MARCH 2021 27 farms throughout the life cycle of their farming operations. Ecological aquaculture practices nutrient management by using ecosystem design, reuse and recycling and does not discharge any nutrient or chemical pollution causing irreversible damage to natural ocean/aquatic/terrestrial ecosystems. No harmful chemicals or pharmaceuticals potentially harmful to long-term human or ecosystem health are used in ecological aquaculture production processes. Ecological aquaculture farms have “sustainability strategic and implementation plans” in place to develop, manage and communicate comprehensive reuse and recycling systems for all farming operations. Planetary health (www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/home ) is a critical part of developing a complete knowledge basis for the design of ecological aquaculture systems. Planetary health provides a framework for the transdisciplinary scientific knowledge needed to produce high-quality foods with no residues of antibiotics, organic pollutants or other well-known industrial toxicants damaging to environmental and human health and wellness. 2. Ecological aquaculture results inaccelerated economic pro ts by practicing trophic ef ciency to ensure that aquaculture is humanity’smost ef cient proteinproducer. Design and implementation of aquaculture systems for both lower and higher trophic level species which demonstrate added production of high-quality foods providing multiple benefits to social, environmental and economic health and wellness are the only choices for ecological aquaculture. A global expansion of lower trophic level systems and species in designed ecologies is a priority for ocean/aquatic aquaculture development. Non- fed fish and shell sh comprised 25 million t globally in 2018 (17 million t aquatic invertebrates and 8 million t filter-feeding carps), comprising about 30 percent of all global aquaculture production. Shellfish production was reported at 17.5 million t or 56 percent of all marine and coastal production (FAO 2020). For fed aquaculture, fish meals/oils are not used as either the major protein or energy sources but are included in animal diets to solve issues of diet palatability and human health only. If used as major dietary ingredientt for fed aquaculture species, shmeals and fish oils originate from certi ed, sustainable sheries only or from innovative fisheries management systems planned and regulated to fully utilize and not waste bycatch resources from fisheries (e.g., Iceland). Fed aquaculture ecosystems do not use unsustainable protein and oil sources from agriculture that threatens invaluable terrestrial ecosystems and allied biodiversity (Costa-Pierce 2016). Ecological aquaculture prioritizes science training and industry development for innovations that could result in “game changing” solutions to past quandaries about “farming up marine food webs.” Ecological aquaculture expands aquaculture’s food production to add to global/local fishery production, practicing efficient ocean resource use and management. Full development of fungal, yeast, bacterial (“bio ocs,” Unibio, Calysta, etc.), detrital, insects, and algae (e.g., Veramaris) and other underutilized resources are a high priority for science-based feed developments; contributing to global priorities to develop “circular economies” to feed aquaculture organisms. Fed aquaculture species become highly efficient “ocean/ aquatic omnivores” retaining their full nutritional values for human health and wellness (Cottrell et al. 2021). Icelandic law explicitly prohibits discards of fisheries bycatch and provides incentives for compliance. Fishing vessel crews are paid a fixed handling fee for bringing bycatch ashore, encouraging vessels to land all bycatch. Valuable juvenile fish species can comprise only up to a maximum of 10 percent of the catch on each fishing trip. Bycatch can be landed without decreasing the vessel’s catch quota on the condition that it is sold at an auction. Proceeds from bycatch sales have created a special fund used to fund marine research. Landed bycatch has fueled a national fishmeal and fish oil industry. (Government of Iceland, n.d.). 3. Ecological aquaculture results inaccelerated social pro ts by integrating aquaculture developments into long-termglobal sheries, foodandpoverty alleviation industries andprograms. Ecological aquaculture is part of the global movement to eliminate extreme hunger and starvation (MillenniumDevelopment Goal #1; Sustainable Development Goal #2) by being a part of —not separate from—comprehensive plans for sustainable sheries for poverty alleviation. Ecological aquaculture systems are scientifically assessed to deliver net gains to food production. In fed aquaculture, evidence of system efficiencies demonstrating provision of new foods to humanity is required, eliminating concerns of “farming up marine food webs” (Stergiou et al. 2009). 4. Ecological aquaculture results inaccelerated local/regional social/ economic pro ts by integrationwith communities tomaximize local and regional economic and socialmultiplier effects in order toprovide maximal job creationand trainingwithin the region. Ecological aquaculture creates “aquaculture communities” that are an essential part of vibrant, restorative rural developments and working waterfronts. Ecological aquaculture plans for contribution to youth and community social advancement, job creation and environmental enhancement on local and regional scales. Ecological aquaculture operations export to earn pro ts but also promote and market products locally to contribute not only to bottom lines economically but also to society. Ecological aquaculture operations are committed to building the “culture” of aquaculture so that “aquaculture communities” can develop and evolve as sources of innovation, education and local pride. Aquaculture development as a means of community development can result in numerous, innovative economic and social multiplier effects such marketing of “sustainable seafoods” that can be certified, but not necessarily. They can be branded locally with pride as local and bioregional, contributing to restaurants that will celebrate their aquaculture products to customers and developing “aquaculture tourism” (Skallerud and Armbrecht 2020). It is well documented that most aquaculture jobs are not directly in production, rather in affiliated service industries. Dicks et al. (1996) found that aquaculture production in the USA at that time accounted for ~16,500 jobs and ~8 percent of total income but that aquaculture goods and services accounted for ~92 percent of the income and ~165,500 jobs, with most jobs in equipment, supplies, feeds, fertilizers, transport, storage and especially processing. Aquaculture development and workforce assessments need to make sure they go beyond production planning concerns and develop comprehensive plans for localization of seed, feed, markets and, ( C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 2 8 )