52 DECEMBER • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG Despite a global surge in aquaculture production, the Caribbean contributes only 0.05% to global output. Globally, aquaculture is commonly associated with intensive salmon farming in developed countries and lower-cost species in developing nations. However, the Caribbean’s diverse ecosystems offer opportunities to expand production to include blue foods such as conch, marine finfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, oysters, mussels, seaweeds, and other aquatic plants. More than 100 million people in the wider Caribbean region live on or near the coast within 100km of the sea. The Caribbean Sea supports three of the region’s major fisheries, reef fish, Caribbean spiny lobster, and queen conch, and forms the backbone of the region’s tourism industry. However, this fragile ecosystem is under increasing pressure from both human activity and natural stressors. Once-abundant species are now threatened or endangered. Hurricanes and tropical storms are becoming more frequent and severe, causing widespread destruction, loss of life, and heightened vulnerability of coastal communities to future shocks. Aquaculture — and more specifically, mariculture — offers a promising path to balance sustainable fisheries, marine conservation, and food production. Current aquaculture activities in the Caribbean include the farming of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), freshwater prawns (Macrobrachium rosenbergii), ornamental fish, and aquaponics systems. Over the years, to no avail, mariculture has been explored as a viable alternative livelihood, with seaweed farming emerging as a leading subsector. Many Caribbean nations possess extensive marine areas with strong potential for marine-based aquaculture development. Cultivating species such as snapper, cobia, mangrove oyster (Crassostrea spp.), Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus), sea cucumber, and sea urchins presents opportunities not only for food security, but also for marine conservation. The FAO (2022) highlights several common barriers to aquaculture development, including governance gaps, limited investment, and the need for innovation and capacity building. Key solutions include technical advancements such as improved breeding programs, feed innovations, strengthened biosecurity and disease management, and supportive policy frameworks that incentivize sustainable practices. Embracing innovations in aquafeeds, digital tools, and environmentally responsible production practices should be prioritized. Effective implementation requires investment in skills development, training, research, partnerships, and leveraging information and communications technologies and mobile platforms. Constraints and Challenges to Aquaculture in the Caribbean Despite its potential, aquaculture in the Caribbean faces significant constraints. Pond-based aquaculture has stagnated, with production levels today comparable to those of the mid-1990’s. Countries like Belize and Jamaica, which experienced growth in the early 2000’s, have since seen declines due to falling global market prices, disease outbreaks, increased competition from cheap imports, and a lack of enabling policy and legal frameworks (FAO Regional Report). In the Eastern Caribbean, limited land and freshwater resources pose additional challenges. Larger countries such as Suriname, Guyana, Belize, and Jamaica have greater potential for inland aquaculture due to more abundant land and freshwater. However, the entire region is vulnerable to rising sea temperatures, extreme weather, and storm surges that threaten fisheries, aquaculture infrastructure, and sea moss farming systems. Addressing these risks requires stronger marine conservation efforts and climate-resilient planning. Other persistent challenges include poor access to affordable feed, inadequate technology transfer, limited technical assistance for small-scale farmers, and weak governance structures. High startup, equipment, and maintenance costs make pond aquaculture less accessible, especially compared to aquaponics and seaweed farming. Without adequate support for disaster preparedness and management, these costs will continue to undermine the sector’s sustainability. To overcome these barriers, greater investment in training, financing, and capacity-building is essential. Strengthening the enabling environment can help unlock the full potential of aquaculture as a sustainable economic and ecological solution for the Caribbean. Despite encouraging developments in Caribbean aquaculture, critical gaps persist in several specialized areas, including: • Aquatic animal nutrition and health • Phycology (the study of algae and seaweed) • Aquaculture law and policy • Technical assistance in seaweed cultivation and aquaponics • Legal and regulatory framework development Building the Capacity of Aquaculture For the Blue Economy in the Caribbean Juli-Anne Royes Russo Ph.D. PHOTO 1. Seamoss farming in Saint Lucia.
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