312
Y. Olsen et al.
An increased loading rate of organic matter and mineral nutrients for plants do
not represent the same threat against food safety, and to a certain extent mariculture
activity itself produces this type of pollution (Islam 2005, Mente et al. 2006). It has,
however, become apparent that the production efficiency of mariculture, and thus
its economic potential, is quite sensitive to organic and inorganic loading. This
problem is particularly experienced in densely populated regions with very intensive mariculture activity. For instance, disorganised proliferation of milkfish pens
in Bolinao (Pangasina, Luzon, The Philippines) lead to a major red tide event that
killed all of the fish in the pens and much of the wild fish in the adjacent reefs.
There is, therefore, a limit to the density of fish farms, which places limits to intensification where the sediment and water quality become unacceptable for economically
feasible mariculture.
It is still a challenge for most cultured species to improve the efficiency of fish
feed use in mariculture, and to greatly reduce the environmental impacts per unit
fish production. Indeed, mariculture obligations to the environment must comply
with emerging legislation related to use and quality of coastal waters. Available
space, environmental concern, and mariculture requirements to the environment, or
environmental quality, are presumably main drivers for the development of environmental-friendly production technologies that will be used by tomorrow’s mariculture
activities (see below).
10.4.3 Unpredictable Emotional Events and Trade Restrictions
(Attitude Type Drivers)
The problem of unpredictable or emotional events that may affect the development
of mariculture on a global scale is probably minor, but the different countries may
be relatively seriously affected (Whitmarsh and Palmieri 2007, Chapter 8, this
book). Indeed, public opinion is characterized by sudden, unpredictable opinion
shifts (Richard and Bouchaud 2005), which often affect consumer attitudes and can
have catastrophic market consequences. The events that most likely can trigger this
type of response on a large or even global scale may be issues of food security, such
as news that question the healthiness of eating fish. A similar event as the mad cow
disease for cultured fish is one example. This event harmed in particular the UK
beef industry, but even this severe problem was handled and brought under control
by the European agriculture industry and the state agencies involved. There is no
reason why a similar or equally serious event should not happen for cultured fish,
but cow mad disease was a demonstration to science, authorities and the public that
the impossible was possible; a disease was transferred by a protein. Recently, information telling that caged salmon contained higher contaminant loads than wild
catches raised sudden consumer alarm (Hites et al. 2004). It was subsequently
shown that the conclusions of the analyses were biased by comparisons based on
wild stocks from pollution-free waters with aquaculture products grown in waters
with relatively high pollutant loads, where wild fish showed similarly pollutant
loads (Bell and Waagbø 2007, Chapter 6, this book).
Y. Olsen et al.
An increased loading rate of organic matter and mineral nutrients for plants do
not represent the same threat against food safety, and to a certain extent mariculture
activity itself produces this type of pollution (Islam 2005, Mente et al. 2006). It has,
however, become apparent that the production efficiency of mariculture, and thus
its economic potential, is quite sensitive to organic and inorganic loading. This
problem is particularly experienced in densely populated regions with very intensive mariculture activity. For instance, disorganised proliferation of milkfish pens
in Bolinao (Pangasina, Luzon, The Philippines) lead to a major red tide event that
killed all of the fish in the pens and much of the wild fish in the adjacent reefs.
There is, therefore, a limit to the density of fish farms, which places limits to intensification where the sediment and water quality become unacceptable for economically
feasible mariculture.
It is still a challenge for most cultured species to improve the efficiency of fish
feed use in mariculture, and to greatly reduce the environmental impacts per unit
fish production. Indeed, mariculture obligations to the environment must comply
with emerging legislation related to use and quality of coastal waters. Available
space, environmental concern, and mariculture requirements to the environment, or
environmental quality, are presumably main drivers for the development of environmental-friendly production technologies that will be used by tomorrow’s mariculture
activities (see below).
10.4.3 Unpredictable Emotional Events and Trade Restrictions
(Attitude Type Drivers)
The problem of unpredictable or emotional events that may affect the development
of mariculture on a global scale is probably minor, but the different countries may
be relatively seriously affected (Whitmarsh and Palmieri 2007, Chapter 8, this
book). Indeed, public opinion is characterized by sudden, unpredictable opinion
shifts (Richard and Bouchaud 2005), which often affect consumer attitudes and can
have catastrophic market consequences. The events that most likely can trigger this
type of response on a large or even global scale may be issues of food security, such
as news that question the healthiness of eating fish. A similar event as the mad cow
disease for cultured fish is one example. This event harmed in particular the UK
beef industry, but even this severe problem was handled and brought under control
by the European agriculture industry and the state agencies involved. There is no
reason why a similar or equally serious event should not happen for cultured fish,
but cow mad disease was a demonstration to science, authorities and the public that
the impossible was possible; a disease was transferred by a protein. Recently, information telling that caged salmon contained higher contaminant loads than wild
catches raised sudden consumer alarm (Hites et al. 2004). It was subsequently
shown that the conclusions of the analyses were biased by comparisons based on
wild stocks from pollution-free waters with aquaculture products grown in waters
with relatively high pollutant loads, where wild fish showed similarly pollutant
loads (Bell and Waagbø 2007, Chapter 6, this book).