Environment and aquaculture in developing countries

Aquaculture Development and Environmental Issues

in the Developing Countries of Asia

IMRE CSAVAS

FA0 Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

39 Phra Atit Road

Bangkok 10200, Thailand

CSAVAS, I. 1993. Aquaculture development and environmental issues in the developing countries of

Asia, p. 74-101. In R.S.V. Fullin, H. Rosenthal and J.L. Maclean (eds.) Eqvironment and

aquaculture in developing countries. ICLARM Conf. Proc. 31, 359 p.

Abstract

The status of aquaculture in the Asia-Pacific region is described with special emphasis on the

developing countries of Asia. Characteristics of inland and coastal aquaculturr: are analyzed

separatzly, and differences in the role and environmental compatibility of major aquaculture

production systems are highlighted. The dominance of culturing aquatic organisms low in the food

chain is docurncntcd in the developingcountries ofthe region. Trends inculturing noncarnivorous and

carnivomus finfishes, crustaceans, molluscs and seaweeds are studied individually; substantial

differences in their impact on the environment are demonstrated. Major environmental issues raised

by the rapid development of aquaculture are recounted and improved approaches are proposed to

achieve sustainable growth in the future.

Introduction

Any attempt to analyze the status and

trends of aquaculture production is

hindered by a general lack of reliable data.

FA0 started only in 1984 to collect annual

aquaculture statistical data and results of

these enquiries were first published in

1989. Although the quality of data
      improved over the years, much confusion
      has arisen from the fact that the term
      "aquaculture" was not properly defined.
      To overcome this imprecision, in 1987
      FA0 adopted a definition of aquaculture
      production which follows closely the
      practical distinction between hunting1
      gathering and agriculture (FA0 1992a).
      Its most important impact was the

exclusion of enhanced 'culture-based'

fisheries (e.g., catch from stocked

reservoirs, sea ranching) from aquaculture

production. This led to the need to revise

earlier data. Thus, figures quoted in this

paper may not correspond fully with tho~e

published in the literature before 1990.

One continuing weakness of

aquaculture data is the rather unreliable

nature of their collection. A significant

portion of aquaculture production never

reaches a market where representative

sampling may be possible. A general

consequence of this is the underestimation

of subsistence aquaculture, although this

has an important impact on the nutrition

of the poorest segments of the Asian

population.