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F. Asche et al.
Aquaculture is distinguished from other aquatic production by the degree of
human intervention and control that is possible (Anderson 2002). Hence, aquaculture can be defined as the human cultivation of organisms in water. As such, it is in
principle more similar to forestry and animal husbandry than to traditional capture
fisheries. In other words, aquaculture is stock raising rather than hunting. The production process in aquaculture is determined by biological, technological, economic and environmental factors. Many aspects of the production process can be
brought under human control. This control makes innovation possible, and is
accordingly essential for the rapid technology development that has fuelled the
production growth which has taken place since the early 1970s.
Although aquaculture is a very old food-producing technology, it was not very
important in terms of quantity produced until the 1970s. Then a revolution occurred
as humanity’s accumulated knowledge in the area then allowed the introduction of
semi-intensive and intensive farming practices, where the producers actively influenced
the growing conditions of the fish with feeding, breeding, etc. The control of the
production process that was achieved enabled a number of productivity enhancing
innovations to take place. Improved productivity results in a reduction in production costs, and with a given price, this makes the production more profitable. High
profits are the market’s signal to increase production, and this will happen both
because existing producers produce more and because new producers enter the
industry. To sell the increased production, one needs to give the consumers a reason
to buy the product, and in general the most important incentive used is a reduction
of the price. A substantial part of cost savings due to productivity increase is
accordingly passed on to the consumers. This can clearly be seen in the price development for most successful aquaculture species. Hence, one can sum up the most
important drivers in the development of modern aquaculture as follows: Control
with the production process allows technological innovations that reduce production
cost. This makes the product more competitive, the industry profitable and leads to
increased production and lower prices to the consumers.
Several criteria can be used to classify an aquaculture system (Bjørndal 1990).
From an economic point of view the most significant criterion is intensity, i.e., the
division into intensive, semi-intensive or extensive forms of culture. Measures of
intensity include stocking density, production by area, feeding regimes and input
costs, while the most interesting feature is the degree of control within the production
process. In intensive salmon farming, fish are reared in pens and the farmer controls
factors of production such as farm size, stocking and feeding of fish. For other species
(e.g., turbot, shrimp) the pens can be replaced with land-based tanks, raceways or
ponds. Traditional aquaculture varies between semi-intensive and extensive. Mussel
farming is an example of an extensive method used around the globe, where the
farmer primarily provides a rope or a stake for the mussel fry to fasten onto, but
otherwise leaves the mussel to grow. The small ponds used in Chinese aquaculture
were traditionally operated on an extensive basis, as the farmer did little to control
growth and biomass. While this system is still common, many farmers have become
semi-intensive as they actively feed their fish and maintain higher densities as well
as adapting other production-enhancing technologies.
F. Asche et al.
Aquaculture is distinguished from other aquatic production by the degree of
human intervention and control that is possible (Anderson 2002). Hence, aquaculture can be defined as the human cultivation of organisms in water. As such, it is in
principle more similar to forestry and animal husbandry than to traditional capture
fisheries. In other words, aquaculture is stock raising rather than hunting. The production process in aquaculture is determined by biological, technological, economic and environmental factors. Many aspects of the production process can be
brought under human control. This control makes innovation possible, and is
accordingly essential for the rapid technology development that has fuelled the
production growth which has taken place since the early 1970s.
Although aquaculture is a very old food-producing technology, it was not very
important in terms of quantity produced until the 1970s. Then a revolution occurred
as humanity’s accumulated knowledge in the area then allowed the introduction of
semi-intensive and intensive farming practices, where the producers actively influenced
the growing conditions of the fish with feeding, breeding, etc. The control of the
production process that was achieved enabled a number of productivity enhancing
innovations to take place. Improved productivity results in a reduction in production costs, and with a given price, this makes the production more profitable. High
profits are the market’s signal to increase production, and this will happen both
because existing producers produce more and because new producers enter the
industry. To sell the increased production, one needs to give the consumers a reason
to buy the product, and in general the most important incentive used is a reduction
of the price. A substantial part of cost savings due to productivity increase is
accordingly passed on to the consumers. This can clearly be seen in the price development for most successful aquaculture species. Hence, one can sum up the most
important drivers in the development of modern aquaculture as follows: Control
with the production process allows technological innovations that reduce production
cost. This makes the product more competitive, the industry profitable and leads to
increased production and lower prices to the consumers.
Several criteria can be used to classify an aquaculture system (Bjørndal 1990).
From an economic point of view the most significant criterion is intensity, i.e., the
division into intensive, semi-intensive or extensive forms of culture. Measures of
intensity include stocking density, production by area, feeding regimes and input
costs, while the most interesting feature is the degree of control within the production
process. In intensive salmon farming, fish are reared in pens and the farmer controls
factors of production such as farm size, stocking and feeding of fish. For other species
(e.g., turbot, shrimp) the pens can be replaced with land-based tanks, raceways or
ponds. Traditional aquaculture varies between semi-intensive and extensive. Mussel
farming is an example of an extensive method used around the globe, where the
farmer primarily provides a rope or a stake for the mussel fry to fasten onto, but
otherwise leaves the mussel to grow. The small ponds used in Chinese aquaculture
were traditionally operated on an extensive basis, as the farmer did little to control
growth and biomass. While this system is still common, many farmers have become
semi-intensive as they actively feed their fish and maintain higher densities as well
as adapting other production-enhancing technologies.