158
E.J. Cook et al.
Tilapia was first introduced into China, either from Vietnam in the 1950s (Liu et al.
2000) or Africa in the 1970s (Zhu 2000), dependent on the source; this freshwater
finfish is now cultivated in all 29 provinces in China with an annual production of
805,000 t (2003), which accounts for 60% of the world’s total production (Li 2005).
The bay scallop Argopecten irradians introduced from the United States in 1982 has
increased in production from less than 100,000 t per year to an annual production of
more than 600,000 t (Liu and Zhu 2006). The Yesso scallop Patinopecten (Mizuhopecten)
yessoensis, an indigenous species of Japan, Korea and Pacific Russia was introduced
to China in 1981 and in 15 years has become a major off-bottom mariculture species
at a shell-on production of 910,000 t in 2004 (FAO 2006c). This production is three
times the amount produced by Japan, the only other major producer of this species
(FAO 2006c) and generates a total value of more than US$1 billion per year. The
Zhangzidao Fishery Cooperation Group in Dalian is the largest producer and supplies
90% of total Yesso scallop products in China. About 800 million spat of Yesso scallop
are produced annually by the hatcheries of the company, which seed the company’s
400 km
2 seabed culture area.
Introductions of non-native species have also helped the industry in the face of
serious problems. The outbreak of virus disease in Chinese shrimp Penaeus
(Fennerpopenaeus) orientalis affected mariculture shrimp production in the early
1990s; however, the expanded farming of the Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei, the Japanese shrimp Penaeus japonicus and the Giant tiger shrimp Penaeus
monodon rapidly reversed the decline in shrimp production. The first commercial
shipment of disease resistant P. vannamei broodstock from the Americas to Asia was
from Hawaii to Taiwan Province of China in 1996, and from Hawaii to mainland
China in 1998 (Wyban 2002). In 2004, over 735,000 t of P. vannamei were produced
in China, more than the rest of the world combined (Chen 2006; FAO 2006a).
5.1.2 Non-Native Aquaculture Production in Europe
Several non-native species have been in various forms of culture for over 2,000 years
in Europe. Perhaps the earliest species cultured was the Common carp Cyprinus
carpio in ponds in Eastern Europe, which originated from the Manchurian region of
China. However, it has only been since Victorian times that aquaculture in Europe
evolved and this was mainly out of concern over the depletion of existing fisheries
(Wilkins 1989). Early experiments on rearing native oysters Ostrea edulis to produce
settlements in ponds during the first few decades of the 1900s were occasionally
successful. However, it was stock movements of the native oyster from continental
Europe that were used to increase production. These were supplemented with
imports of the American oyster Crassostrea virginica to both Britain and Ireland.
This became a regular trade over about 40 years from the ~1880s. Such long distance
movements became possible with reduced journey times owing to the development
of steam transport (Minchin 2006). Intercontinental trade soon led to the movement
of other species including fertilised salmonid eggs, easily transported and managed
E.J. Cook et al.
Tilapia was first introduced into China, either from Vietnam in the 1950s (Liu et al.
2000) or Africa in the 1970s (Zhu 2000), dependent on the source; this freshwater
finfish is now cultivated in all 29 provinces in China with an annual production of
805,000 t (2003), which accounts for 60% of the world’s total production (Li 2005).
The bay scallop Argopecten irradians introduced from the United States in 1982 has
increased in production from less than 100,000 t per year to an annual production of
more than 600,000 t (Liu and Zhu 2006). The Yesso scallop Patinopecten (Mizuhopecten)
yessoensis, an indigenous species of Japan, Korea and Pacific Russia was introduced
to China in 1981 and in 15 years has become a major off-bottom mariculture species
at a shell-on production of 910,000 t in 2004 (FAO 2006c). This production is three
times the amount produced by Japan, the only other major producer of this species
(FAO 2006c) and generates a total value of more than US$1 billion per year. The
Zhangzidao Fishery Cooperation Group in Dalian is the largest producer and supplies
90% of total Yesso scallop products in China. About 800 million spat of Yesso scallop
are produced annually by the hatcheries of the company, which seed the company’s
400 km
2 seabed culture area.
Introductions of non-native species have also helped the industry in the face of
serious problems. The outbreak of virus disease in Chinese shrimp Penaeus
(Fennerpopenaeus) orientalis affected mariculture shrimp production in the early
1990s; however, the expanded farming of the Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei, the Japanese shrimp Penaeus japonicus and the Giant tiger shrimp Penaeus
monodon rapidly reversed the decline in shrimp production. The first commercial
shipment of disease resistant P. vannamei broodstock from the Americas to Asia was
from Hawaii to Taiwan Province of China in 1996, and from Hawaii to mainland
China in 1998 (Wyban 2002). In 2004, over 735,000 t of P. vannamei were produced
in China, more than the rest of the world combined (Chen 2006; FAO 2006a).
5.1.2 Non-Native Aquaculture Production in Europe
Several non-native species have been in various forms of culture for over 2,000 years
in Europe. Perhaps the earliest species cultured was the Common carp Cyprinus
carpio in ponds in Eastern Europe, which originated from the Manchurian region of
China. However, it has only been since Victorian times that aquaculture in Europe
evolved and this was mainly out of concern over the depletion of existing fisheries
(Wilkins 1989). Early experiments on rearing native oysters Ostrea edulis to produce
settlements in ponds during the first few decades of the 1900s were occasionally
successful. However, it was stock movements of the native oyster from continental
Europe that were used to increase production. These were supplemented with
imports of the American oyster Crassostrea virginica to both Britain and Ireland.
This became a regular trade over about 40 years from the ~1880s. Such long distance
movements became possible with reduced journey times owing to the development
of steam transport (Minchin 2006). Intercontinental trade soon led to the movement
of other species including fertilised salmonid eggs, easily transported and managed