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Public Health Implications of Aquaculture
Edward Broughton, MPH
Johns Hopkins University
Edward Broughton




Doctoral Student, Johns Hopkins School of
Public Health, Department of International
Health
Fellow, Center for a Livable Future
Interest in public health impacts of intensive
aquaculture
MS and faculty appointment, Columbia
University’s Mailman School of Public Health
3
Section A
Aquaculture: Introduction
Outline
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What is industrial aquaculture?
What are the various types of aquaculture?
What are the trends in aquaculture production worldwide?
Similarities to industrial terrestrial animal agriculture
Image source: FAO.
5
Definitions

Aquaculture
-  Farming of aquatic animals and plants in inland or coastal
waters or open ocean
-  Intervention in the rearing process to enhance production
-  Individual or corporate ownership of stock being cultivated
Source: FAO. The state of the world’s fisheries and aquaculture, 2006.
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Definitions

Intensive aquaculture
-  Facility production > 200 tons per hectare per year
-  High degree of control
-  High-tech and high cost
-  Claims high production efficiencies
-  More independent of local climate/water quality
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Inland (Freshwater) Aquaculture
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Freshwater species, mostly herbivorous
Carp, tilapia, catfish, trout, mollusks, crustaceans
Most production occurs in Asia
Some production in U.S., Southern Europe, Africa
Chinese carp farms
Image source: Environment and Development Challenges. Retrieved from www.edcnews.se/Research/Proteinprod.html
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Marine (Saltwater) Aquaculture
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Saltwater species, mostly carnivorous
Salmon, shrimp, mollusks
Most production in East Asia, Northern Europe, Chile, and Canada
Photo by yeraze via flickr.com. Creative Commons BY-NC.
Production Methods: Open System
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Fish cages/net pens
No solid barrier between fish farm and natural environment
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Production Methods: Open System
Fishmeal
Drugs and additives
Feces, waste
fishmeal, drugs
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Production Methods: Closed System
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Closed system
-  Tanks or ponds separated from the natural environment with
solid barrier
-  All or most water is filtered and recirculated
-  Requires more technology inputs
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Production Methods: Closed System
Effluent
Pond wastewater
Pump
Fish ponds
Filtration
unit
Recirculating water
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Nature of Aquaculture Operations—1
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Selective breeding for size, color, and rapid growth
Use of nonindigenous species
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Nature of Aquaculture Operations—2
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High density of livestock
-  Stress decreases resistance
-  Increases transmission of diseases
-  Increases concentration of wastes
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Nature of Aquaculture Operations—3
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Use of aquafeed
-  5–7 pounds of fishmeal required for every 1 pound of fish
produced
-  Additives include antibiotics and color-enhancing chemicals
Source: Pauly et al. (1998). Fishing down marine food webs. Science, 279, 5352, 860–863.
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Nature of Aquaculture Operations—4
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Highly contaminated effluents
-  Fecal matter
-  Veterinary drug residue
-  Excess food/oil
-  Heavy metals
Source: Pauly et al. (1998). Fishing down marine food webs. Science, 279, 5352, 860–863.
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Nature of Aquaculture Operations—5
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Farming up the food chain
Primary consumers
Higher-level carnivores
Aquatic plants/
phytoplankton
Source: Pauly et al. (1998). Fishing down marine food webs. Science, 279, 5352, 860–863. Seaweed by welshcathy via
flickr.com (Creative Commons BY-NC-ND); Catfish by wetwater via flickr.com (Creative Commons BY-NC-SA); Salmon by
Rob Casey via flickr.com (Creative Commons BY-NC-ND).
Nature of Aquaculture Operations—6
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Fishing down the food chain
Tuna
Cod
Herring
Zooplankton
Phytoplankton
Source: Pauly et al. (1998). Fishing down marine food webs. Science, 279, 5352, 860–863. Tuna by Courtney Romann (BY-NCND); Cod by Gunnar Birgisson Powers (BY-NC-SA); Herring by Jorgen Schyberg (BY-NC-ND); Zooplankton by Paul Galipeau
(BY-NC); Phytoplankton by Seth Pipkin (BY-SA).
Global Trends in Aquaculture
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Relative contribution of aquaculture and capture fisheries to fish
consumption
Source: FAO. The state of the world’s fisheries and aquaculture, 2006.
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Global Trends in Aquaculture
Top 10 producers by
quantity, 2004
Annual
growth (%)
Top 10 producers by
growth, 2004
Annual
growth (%)
China
5.0
Burma
45.1
India
6.3
Vietnam
30.6
Vietnam
30.6
Turkey
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Thailand
10.8
Netherlands
20.4
Indonesia
6.9
Republic of Korea
16.9
Bangladesh
7.8
Iran
16.5
Japan
-3.1
Egypt
11.9
Chile
11.2
Chile
11.2
Thailand
10.8
U.S.A.
10.4
Norway
7.7
U.S.A.
10.4
Source: FAO. The state of the world’s fisheries and aquaculture, 2006.
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Global Trends in Aquaculture
Time period
Crustacean
Mollusks
Freshwater
fish
Diadromous
fish
Marine fish
Overall
1970–1980
23.9
5.6
6.0
6.5
14.1
6.2
1980–1990
24.1
7
13.1
9.4
5.3
10.8
1990–2000
9.1
11.6
10.5
6.5
12.5
10.5
2000–2004
19.2
5.3
5.2
5.8
9.6
6.3
Source: FAO. The state of the world’s fisheries and aquaculture, 2006.
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Global Trends in Aquaculture: Summary
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Trend of rapid growth expected to continue
Intensification of operations
Use of new technologies
Filling gaps created by declining capture fisheries
Establishment of new markets with steady supplies
“Blue Revolution”: rapid expansion of aquaculture production
.
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