A regional shellfish hatchery for the Wider Caribbean: assessing its feasibility and sustainability
Caribbean aquaculture production accounts for less than one percent of the world’s aquaculture and culture efforts are directed mainly towards non-native species such as tilapia. This situation, where the application of foreign culture operations using exotic species predominates, may entrain potentially irreversible environmental impacts. It is recognized that the growth of the aquaculture sector in the Caribbean Region is due in part to the lack of technical expertise, infrastructure, capital investment and human resources. The pooling of resources among countries is proposed through the establishment of a regional facility. For this reason, the establishment of a “regional shellfish hatchery” focusing on native species is assessed based on the interest of Caribbean countries, the culture potential of native species and the available technical knowledge on identified target species. The engagement of the governments of the Region in the development of a regional shellfish hatchery concept was first assessed through a brief questionnaire distributed by the Aquaculture Service (FIRA), Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to 33 countries in 2009. Responses were received from 21 countries. Of these, 11 are islands of the Caribbean, while the other ten are continental countries bordering the Caribbean Sea. Of the total number of responses received, 14 expressed a definite interest in the concept. The responses confirmed the dominance of exotic species cultured and the overall interest in investigating the culture of native molluscan species. A list of 22 target species was drawn based on responses from the countries of the Region, including gastropods, crustaceans, bivalves (scallop, clams, oyster and mussels), echinoderms (three species of sea urchins) and one cephalopod (the common octopus). Sea cucumbers were added to this list at a later date due to the strong interest expressed by a number of participants.
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Texto biblioteca |
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Rome (Italy) FAO
2011
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| Subjects: | SHELLFISH CULTURE, AQUACULTURE TECHNIQUES, HATCHERIES, FEASIBILITY STUDIES, PRODUCTION POSSIBILITIES, MOLLUSCA, FISHERY PRODUCTION, CHOICE OF SPECIES, SEED PRODUCTION, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, HUMAN RESOURCES, PRODUCTION HALIEUTIQUE, CHOIX DES ESPECES, PRODUCTION DE SEMENCES, IMPACT SUR L'ENVIRONNEMENT, RESSOURCE HUMAINE, ELEVAGE DE COQUILLAGES ET CRUSTACES, TECHNIQUE D'AQUACULTURE, ECLOSERIE, ETUDE DE FAISABILITE, POSSIBILITE DE PRODUCTION, PRODUCCION PESQUERA, ELECCION DE ESPECIES, PRODUCCION DE SEMILLAS, IMPACTO AMBIENTAL, RECURSOS HUMANOS, CRIA DE MARISCOS, TECNICAS DE ACUICULTURA, LOCAL PARA INCUBACION, ESTUDIOS DE FACTIBILIDAD, PRODUCCION POTENCIAL, |
| Online Access: | http://www.fao.org/docrep/014/i2179e/i2179e.pdf |
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| Summary: | Caribbean aquaculture production accounts for less than one percent of the world’s aquaculture and culture efforts are directed mainly towards non-native species such as tilapia. This situation, where the application of foreign culture operations using exotic species predominates, may entrain potentially irreversible environmental impacts. It is recognized that the growth of the aquaculture sector in the Caribbean Region is due in part to the lack of technical expertise, infrastructure, capital investment and human resources. The pooling of resources among countries is proposed through the establishment of a regional facility. For this reason, the establishment of a “regional shellfish hatchery” focusing on native species is assessed based on the interest of Caribbean countries, the culture potential of native species and the available technical knowledge on identified target species.
The engagement of the governments of the Region in the development of a regional shellfish hatchery concept was first assessed through a brief questionnaire distributed by the Aquaculture Service (FIRA), Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to 33 countries in 2009. Responses were received from 21 countries. Of these, 11 are islands of the Caribbean, while the other ten are continental countries bordering the Caribbean Sea. Of the total number of responses received, 14 expressed a definite interest in the concept. The responses confirmed the dominance of exotic species cultured and the overall interest in investigating the culture of native molluscan species. A list of 22 target species was drawn based on responses from the countries of the Region, including gastropods, crustaceans, bivalves (scallop, clams, oyster and mussels), echinoderms (three species of sea urchins) and one cephalopod (the common octopus). Sea cucumbers were added to this list at a later date due to the strong interest expressed by a number of participants.
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