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OFFSHORE AQUACULTURE AND THE FUTURE OF SEAFOOD PRODUCTION Daniel Benetti Chairman, Marine Affairs and Policy Associate Professor and Director of Aquaculture RSMAS - University of Miami The Future of Seafood Production Why Aquaculture / Why Offshore? Facts and trends: ¾ Fish consumption increasing, world population growing (FAO, 2003) ¾ Overfishing: 75% of ocean fisheries fully exploited (many stocks collapsed) ¾ Oceans are in deep trouble (2004 Ocean Comm. Rep.; 2004 PEW Rep.) ¾ US seafood trade déficit > $ 8 Billion /year and growing Bottom line: ¾ Increases in seafood production are unlikely to come from fisheries ¾ Over 30% of total world fishery production from aquaculture ¾World aquaculture production has been steadily increasing at >10% per year over the last decade Aquaculture, bait fish & fishmeal Data from Tacon, A.G.J., 2003 and Allen, G. 2004 MMT 40.0 Aquaculture production 35.0 30.0 25.0 20.0 Landings of “bait” fish 15.0 10.0 Fishmeal production 5.0 00 20 98 19 96 19 94 19 92 19 90 19 88 19 86 19 19 84 0.0 Global Aquaculture Growth Jobs and Production Currently, the global aquaculture industry employs over 100 million people. By 2020, employment from aquaculture is predicted to grow substantially. Aquaculture Production International Food Policy Research Institute, 2003 120 Billions of Pounds • • 100 80 60 40 20 0 Today 2020 “A new way to feed the world” “The future of food” “Aquaculture is a good thing, in spite of environmentalists concerns” “… the inevitable..” J. Marras (Nature, July 2005) At stake: • • • • • • Not whether, if or when but how and where it will expand: - Traditional or new technology? - Inland/Coastal /Open ocean / Offshore? - US or abroad? What can happen/What should happen (seafood/energy) Precautionary approach/sustainable development What ifs? California wine industry Napa; Silicone Valey Can “sustainable” aquaculture be economically feasible? Is the technology to move/expand aquaculture offshore (into the EEZ) in place? CURRENT STATUS • Technology limits move towards futuristic, fully automated, “self-sustained” farms offshore (EEZ) • Oil/gas platforms hold promise but cost/liability prohibitive WHERE ARE WE AT? Exposed areas (adequate depth+current) Near shore, within State waters CULEBRA, PUERTO RICO ELEUTHERA, BAHAMAS SeaStation 3000 - Ocean Spar, Net Systems (U.S.) Culebra, Puerto Rico Snapperfarm, Inc. Cage volume = 3000 m3 Average current velocity = 0.5 knot Depth = 25-30 m (90-100 ft) H2O flow > 2 billion liters/day (>600 million gl/day) Eleuthera, Bahamas AquaSense Bahamas, Ltd. OFFSHORE AQUACULTURE OPEN OCEAN AQUAFARM - NOT JUST A CONCEPT ANYMORE… CONCEPTUAL OFFSHORE SUSTAINABLE AQUAFARM http://www.rsmas.miami.edu/groups/aquaculture SPECIES 1) Native /endemic to the region (SE US, Gulf and the Caribbean) 2) High market demand and value 3) Technology developed/available from egg to market (hatchery produced) 4) High Aquaculture performance: growth, survival and feed conversion rate Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) Mutton Snapper (Lutjanus analis) HATCHERY TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED IN THE U.S. COBIA Rachycentron canadum 20 days old Yolk-sac larvae - 1 day old 45 days old (4.5 in) 2 days old 8 weeks (80 grams!) 10 days old Comparative Growth During Early Developmental Stages 45 DPH (Days Post Hatch) – 6 weeks Cobia 5.5 g; 11.5 cm (4.5 in) Snapper 0.2 g; 2.0 cm (1.0 in) HATCHERY TECHNOLOGY Extensive larval rearing in ponds (natural plankton blooms) Fist trials carried out at the University of Miami Experimental Hatchery in May/June 2005 produced tens of thousand of healthy cobia fingerlings KONA BLUE HAWAII KAHALA (a.k.a. Seriola rivoliana) GROWOUT Snapperfarm and AquaSense cobia are produced without the use of any antibiotics, hormones, pigments, or pesticides. Grown offshore, far from pollution sources Organic Cobia!? [Ethoxyquin, a synthetically-derived antioxidant (stabilizer) used to prevent oxidation, rancidity.] Extraordinary Rates of Growth and Feed Conversion Efficiency (FCR) at Low Environmental Impact GROWTH RATES OF COBIA CULTURED IN OPEN OCEAN CAGES IN PUERTO RICO AND THE BAHAMAS 8000 7000 6000 Lower stocking density Higher temperature 5000 4000 3000 2000 Higher stocking density Lower temperature 1000 0 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 Age (days) Environmental and economic sustainability of operations? Growth rate is inversely proportional to stocking density Mortality rate is directly proportional to stocking density Environmental Assessment • Physical factors – – – – – – Bathymetry (depth profile) Bottom type (preferred sandy) Coastal topography Wind velocity/direction/fetch Currents and tides Wave height (max/min/average) – Air and water temperature – Turbidity • Biological factors – – – – – – Fouling Chlorophyll Productivity HABs Assemblage Benthic studies • Chemical factors – – – – – – – – Total suspended solids Ammonia Nitrite Nitrate Phosphate Dissolved oxygen Organic matter Nitrogen • Socio-economic factors – Acceptance of project – Local communities – Partnership Fishermen Association • Educational factors – Elementary / High School / Technical Level Curricula – Teachers’ Materials / Talks, etc. Environmental Assessment Summary of Results - Puerto Rico Dissolved nutrients in the water column Snapper Cobia 6.0 Control 0.004 5.5 0.004 5.0 % organic matter 0.003 0.003 mg/L Organic matter in the sediments at the cages and control site 0.002 0.002 4.76 4.68 4.75 Snapper Cobia Control 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 0.001 2.0 0.001 1.5 0.000 Ammonia Nitrite Nitrate Phosphate 1.0 Environmental Assessment Summary of Results - Bahamas Average Water Column Chlorophyll a November 2003 - December 2004 Average Benthic Chlorophyll-a November 2003 - December 2004 0.2 40 0.18 35 micrograms/m2 micrograms/m2 0.16 0.14 0.12 0.1 0.08 0.06 0.04 30 25 20 15 10 5 0.02 0 0 10 100 300 Distance (m) 500 (Control) 0 10 100 Distance (m) 300 500 (control) Summary of Environmental Studies (Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Hawaii, New Hampshire) • Environmental data from Puerto Rico and the Bahamas indicate that there are no significant changes in the water column and benthic ecosystems near the area. • There were no significant differences in any of the water quality parameters measured in the area surrounding and beneath the cages - except for small localized benthic impact just underneath the cages • No samples had values in excess of allowable values under the NPDES permits • Data are from small scale, demonstration projects • Need to continue environmental monitoring studies as operations expand to determine whether/when a threshold level may occur Benetti, Brand, Helsey, Langan, Alston, Cabarcas, Collins (in prep) PROBLEMS: HURRICANES • In 2004, the cages were exposed to severe storms, including category 4 Cage Location Hurricane Frances • WINDS ranging from 70-100 miles/hr prevailed in the area where one of the cages is deployed in South Eleuthera for almost 24 hours • No damage to the cage or fish mortality were observed SHARK PREDATION ESCAPEMENTS HARVESTING/PROCESSING/SHIPPING HIGH-QUALITY PRODUCT… … FOR A HIGH-END MARKET SUMMARY • Objective is to produce high-quality fish for high-end market seeking profits and lowering US seafood trade deficit ($ 8B) • New technology has been developed from egg to market: new species (moi, kahala, cobia) production has been added to market • Results suggest that growing this species in exposed sites can produce high yields of fish with low environmental impact • Results suggest that, properly sited and managed, aquaculture of high-value fish can be conducted responsibly • Must be integral component of NOAA Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management Plan and Coastal Management Plans • It will be difficult to compete with production from abroad; environmental and technological prospects seem great; economic prospects do not SUMMARY - THE FUTURE • Anti-predator systems including predator nets, shark pods, electromagnetic fields and chemical/electrical repellants (passive deterrent methods) • Facilitate permits for demonstration projects and to expand currently permitted operations to reach economic feasibility • Continue mandatory environmental monitoring studies to ensure sustainability and determine threshold to limit production/unit area • Expansion of offshore aquaculture will be driven by economic and environmental concerns combining the needs from the industry, government agencies, NGO’s, press and the public at large • Move/develop the industry abroad with great losses (e.g. quality control, employment, social/economic losses, dependence foreign production; seafood trade déficit) • What can happen: to buy more seafood/energy abroad • What should happen: to produce more seafood/energy at home THANKS! Aquaculture Research Council Florida Department of Agriculture - Division of Aquaculture Four cages are now on site: two nursery cages, and two submersible Sea Stations. Four more Sea Stations will be deployed over the next year. Kona Blue’s submersible Sea Station cages, in waters over 200 ft deep, offshore from the Kona Coast, off the Big Island of Hawaii Total of 90,000 fish stocked in offshore cages to date. First harvest September 1st, 2005. Mean weight 3.5 lbs Kona Blue’s Kona Kampachi™ (Seriola rivoliana)