the sector’s growing degree of openness to, and
integration in, international trade. High-value
species such as shrimp, prawns, salmon, tuna,
groundfish, flatfish, seabass and seabream are
highly traded, in particular as exports to more
affluent economies, and low-value species such as
small pelagics are also traded in large quantities.
Products derived from aquaculture production are
contributing an increasing share of total interna-
tional trade in fishery commodities, with species
such as shrimp, prawns, salmon, molluscs, tilapia,
catfish, seabass and seabream (FAO, 2011a).
Aquaculture continues to be the fastest-growing
animal-food-producing sector and to outpace population
growth, with per capita supply from aquaculture
increasing from 0 .7 kg in 1 970 to 7. 8 kg in 2008 , an
average annual growth rate of 6.6 percent. At present,
about 46 percent of world food fish supply comes
from aquaculture, which compares to 32 percent
some ten years ago.
The importance for biodiversity of this strong devel-
opment of aquaculture is outstanding, as only a
handful of species are commercially cultivated, while
the world capture fisheries includes a huge range of
species, some with very limited catch figures.
On the marketing side, the importance of super-
markets in the distribution of seafood is increasing.
In some countries, both in the developed and the
developing world, supermarkets account for more
than 70–80 percent of seafood retailing. This
process has emerged relatively quickly during the
last decade. These retailers have certain character-
istics which aim at standardized sizes, product quality
and constant availability.
These requirements are easily met by the aquaculture
industry, while capture fisheries has difficulties
meeting these requests, as sizes and quality of cap-
ture fisheries, principally a hunting exercise, vary
greatly. Thus further concentration of the super-
markets in seafood marketing will result in even
more demand for aquaculture products, and thus
in less variety of fish products available to theconsumer. This will result, in the long run, in less
biodiversity, as the few aquaculture species,
salmon, shrimp, bivalves, tilapia and catfish, will
increasingly replace the wild species traditionally
living in the aquatic environment used for aquacul-
ture production. Thus the increasing importance of
aquaculture has a negative impact on biodiversity,
but might be the most sustainable option of meeting
the increasing demand of aquatic foods.Biosecurity and biodiversity
The current trend towards globalization of the aqua-
culture industry, while creating new market oppor-
tunities for aquaculture, has also resulted in
intensified production, increased pressure to
improve production performance and the wide-
spread movement of aquatic animals. This scenario
has increased the likelihood of disease problems
occurring. Transboundary aquatic animal diseases
(TAADs) are highly infectious with strong potential
for very rapid spread irrespective of national borders.
They are limiting the development and sustainability
of the sector through direct losses, increased op-
erating costs, closure of aquaculture operations,
unemployment; and indirectly, through restrictions
on trade and potential negative impacts on biodi-
versity (Bondad-Reantasoet al., 2005).
Biosecurity is a strategic and integrated approach
that encompasses both policy and regulatory
frameworks aimed at analysing and managing risks
relevant to human, animal and plant life and health,
including associated environmental risks (FAO,
2 007). It covers food safety, zoonoses, introduction
of animal and plant diseases and pests, introduction
and release of living modified organisms (LMOs)
and their products (e.g. genetically modified organ-
isms or GMOs), and the introduction of invasive alien
species.
Effective biosecurity frameworks and aquatic animal
health management strategies are important for safe-
guarding animal health, enhancing food safety, pro-
moting environmental sustainability and protecting98