10 Status and Future Perspectives in Aquaculture
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herbivore zooplankton, and new efficient international regulations and management
principles of fisheries. Harvesting of fish is to a great extent directed toward the
large zooplanktivore stocks that are well priced, because their use for direct human
consumption has increased. Piscivore species are less abundant in catches, they are
at an acceptable price, but most of these species are mainly produced in mariculture.
Zooplankton is the main feed resource, and cultured carnivore marine fish, diadromous salmonids, and squid are now produced at a lower trophic level in culture than
in nature, because their feed is partly produced from herbivore zooplankton biomass
and agricultural products. The use of zooplankton for fish feed has released the
fishing pressure on most zooplanktivore stocks, and fishery management has
improved. This positive effect on the stocks outweighs the potential negative consequences of harvesting part of their food.
A great variety of species is produced in mariculture by 2050, including macroalgae, herbivore animal species (e.g., other mussel species), crustaceans, and fish.
A few major species are responsible for the main volume produced, and large
international companies are responsible for the majority of this production. The
diversity of cultured “herb species” is still high thanks to local priorities, and
smaller producers undertake most of this production. Feed of agricultural origin is
mainly used for species that can be grown on such feeds, but it is used as a feed
supplement for all species.
European mariculture is doing quite well, thanks to the early investments in
R&D during the beginning of the century that made the industry highly competitive.
The Mediterranean production of sea bass and sea bream is now considerably
increased, thanks to the success of developing an export industry of fresh products
to continental Asia and Latin America. Salmon production has continued to
increase, although at a lower rate than in the last century. The competition is gradually
becoming stronger towards 2050, and again the future prospects for feed supply are
questionable.
The ecological efficiency is far higher in culture than in nature, and this contributes
to a total global mariculture production by 2050 of 80 million tonnes, with a high
component of high-priced species. The total global marine harvest (i.e., the sum of
fisheries and mariculture) with zooplankton included is 190 million tonnes, corresponding to an increase of 1.6 million tonnes per year from 2000 to 2050. Fisheries
and aquaculture contribute more to the per capita food supply of humans than in the
year 2000.
Scenario 3 – Equal to Scenario 2, But “Single Cell Biomass”
Becomes Gradually Available
The development is identical to that of Scenario 2 up to late 2020s. Already from
around 2020, a new cheap source of marine type “single cell biomass” of a genetically modified bacteria produced based on methane was commercially tested as a
resource for fish feed a microorganism that is a nutritionally optimal food for marine
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herbivore zooplankton, and new efficient international regulations and management
principles of fisheries. Harvesting of fish is to a great extent directed toward the
large zooplanktivore stocks that are well priced, because their use for direct human
consumption has increased. Piscivore species are less abundant in catches, they are
at an acceptable price, but most of these species are mainly produced in mariculture.
Zooplankton is the main feed resource, and cultured carnivore marine fish, diadromous salmonids, and squid are now produced at a lower trophic level in culture than
in nature, because their feed is partly produced from herbivore zooplankton biomass
and agricultural products. The use of zooplankton for fish feed has released the
fishing pressure on most zooplanktivore stocks, and fishery management has
improved. This positive effect on the stocks outweighs the potential negative consequences of harvesting part of their food.
A great variety of species is produced in mariculture by 2050, including macroalgae, herbivore animal species (e.g., other mussel species), crustaceans, and fish.
A few major species are responsible for the main volume produced, and large
international companies are responsible for the majority of this production. The
diversity of cultured “herb species” is still high thanks to local priorities, and
smaller producers undertake most of this production. Feed of agricultural origin is
mainly used for species that can be grown on such feeds, but it is used as a feed
supplement for all species.
European mariculture is doing quite well, thanks to the early investments in
R&D during the beginning of the century that made the industry highly competitive.
The Mediterranean production of sea bass and sea bream is now considerably
increased, thanks to the success of developing an export industry of fresh products
to continental Asia and Latin America. Salmon production has continued to
increase, although at a lower rate than in the last century. The competition is gradually
becoming stronger towards 2050, and again the future prospects for feed supply are
questionable.
The ecological efficiency is far higher in culture than in nature, and this contributes
to a total global mariculture production by 2050 of 80 million tonnes, with a high
component of high-priced species. The total global marine harvest (i.e., the sum of
fisheries and mariculture) with zooplankton included is 190 million tonnes, corresponding to an increase of 1.6 million tonnes per year from 2000 to 2050. Fisheries
and aquaculture contribute more to the per capita food supply of humans than in the
year 2000.
Scenario 3 – Equal to Scenario 2, But “Single Cell Biomass”
Becomes Gradually Available
The development is identical to that of Scenario 2 up to late 2020s. Already from
around 2020, a new cheap source of marine type “single cell biomass” of a genetically modified bacteria produced based on methane was commercially tested as a
resource for fish feed a microorganism that is a nutritionally optimal food for marine