tonnes in 1985, and 30 years later, in 2016, production exceeded 110 million tonnes,
accounting for almost 55% of total world aquatic production (FAO 2018). Fish
account for around half of the aquaculture production, algae close to 27%, and
mollusk about 15%.
During this last period, the year-over-year growth of aquaculture oscillated at
around 8%, and marine aquaculture has progressed and outperformed freshwater
aquaculture. However, this situation differs among countries. Thus, within the
European Union, aquaculture represents only 20% of aquatic production, with the
harvesting of just under 1.3 million tonnes in 2016. Year-over-year growth in
aquaculture has not reached 1%, and regarding the data since 2000, production has
even decreased slightly. Production focuses almost exclusively on fish (53% of the
total) and mollusks (46%). While fish production experienced a slight but sustained
rise, mollusk production has fallen about 1% annually during the last 20 years. The
main species of farmed fish are Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), rainbow trout
(Oncorhynchus mykiss), gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata), sea bass
(Dicentrarchus labrax), and common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Regarding mollusks,
the main cultured species are mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis), followed far behind
by Portuguese oyster (Magallana gigas) and Japanese clam (Ruditapes
philippinarum).
The situation is similar in Spain. In 2016, 1.2 million tonnes of aquatic products
were obtained, of which 284,000 t came from aquaculture, with mussel, sea bass,
rainbow trout, and sea bream being the main cultivated species, and in 2018, the total
production reached 349,000 t due to an important increase in mussel production
(APROMAR 2019). Annual growths in Spain are very scarce, as in the case of all of
the European Union. However, there are important differences according to the
species; thus, regarding marine aquaculture, while mussel production does not differ
much from what was obtained 30 years ago (around 250,000 t per year on average
but with significant fluctuations), there has been a significant growth in marine fish
production. This occurred mainly throughout the 1990s and in the first decade of the
2000s, reaching about 50,000 t in 2009 and stagnating thereafter.
In Morocco and Algeria, the production is significantly lower, with over 1200 t
and 1400 t produced in 2017, respectively. In Morocco in the 1990s, marine
production experienced a significant increase, reaching almost 3000 t (1000 t of
which was marine aquaculture) in 1999. But production dropped below 1000 t at the
end of the first decade of the 2000s, and since then it has maintained a slight rise. In
Algeria, the production increase occurred later, reaching 2800 t in 2008 and subsequently decreasing to stabilize in recent years at 1400 t (of which approximately
500 t corresponds to marine aquaculture).
The Alboran Sea is located in the western part of the Mediterranean Sea. It lies
among Spain, in the North, Morocco and Algeria, in the south, and the Strait of
Gibraltar in the west. The eastern limits are the Cape de Gata (Spain) and the Cape
Fegalo (Algeria).
The Alboran Sea is the first one receiving Atlantic waters flowing eastward at the
surface, and it is gone through by deeper saltier water flowing westward coming
from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. Nevertheless, the Alboran Sea
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A. Ortega et al.
accounting for almost 55% of total world aquatic production (FAO 2018). Fish
account for around half of the aquaculture production, algae close to 27%, and
mollusk about 15%.
During this last period, the year-over-year growth of aquaculture oscillated at
around 8%, and marine aquaculture has progressed and outperformed freshwater
aquaculture. However, this situation differs among countries. Thus, within the
European Union, aquaculture represents only 20% of aquatic production, with the
harvesting of just under 1.3 million tonnes in 2016. Year-over-year growth in
aquaculture has not reached 1%, and regarding the data since 2000, production has
even decreased slightly. Production focuses almost exclusively on fish (53% of the
total) and mollusks (46%). While fish production experienced a slight but sustained
rise, mollusk production has fallen about 1% annually during the last 20 years. The
main species of farmed fish are Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), rainbow trout
(Oncorhynchus mykiss), gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata), sea bass
(Dicentrarchus labrax), and common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Regarding mollusks,
the main cultured species are mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis), followed far behind
by Portuguese oyster (Magallana gigas) and Japanese clam (Ruditapes
philippinarum).
The situation is similar in Spain. In 2016, 1.2 million tonnes of aquatic products
were obtained, of which 284,000 t came from aquaculture, with mussel, sea bass,
rainbow trout, and sea bream being the main cultivated species, and in 2018, the total
production reached 349,000 t due to an important increase in mussel production
(APROMAR 2019). Annual growths in Spain are very scarce, as in the case of all of
the European Union. However, there are important differences according to the
species; thus, regarding marine aquaculture, while mussel production does not differ
much from what was obtained 30 years ago (around 250,000 t per year on average
but with significant fluctuations), there has been a significant growth in marine fish
production. This occurred mainly throughout the 1990s and in the first decade of the
2000s, reaching about 50,000 t in 2009 and stagnating thereafter.
In Morocco and Algeria, the production is significantly lower, with over 1200 t
and 1400 t produced in 2017, respectively. In Morocco in the 1990s, marine
production experienced a significant increase, reaching almost 3000 t (1000 t of
which was marine aquaculture) in 1999. But production dropped below 1000 t at the
end of the first decade of the 2000s, and since then it has maintained a slight rise. In
Algeria, the production increase occurred later, reaching 2800 t in 2008 and subsequently decreasing to stabilize in recent years at 1400 t (of which approximately
500 t corresponds to marine aquaculture).
The Alboran Sea is located in the western part of the Mediterranean Sea. It lies
among Spain, in the North, Morocco and Algeria, in the south, and the Strait of
Gibraltar in the west. The eastern limits are the Cape de Gata (Spain) and the Cape
Fegalo (Algeria).
The Alboran Sea is the first one receiving Atlantic waters flowing eastward at the
surface, and it is gone through by deeper saltier water flowing westward coming
from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. Nevertheless, the Alboran Sea
660
A. Ortega et al.