Aquaculture zoning and site selection

in the Ecosystem Approach to

Aquaculture

Doris Soto (FIRA)

PURPOSE OF THIS

PRESENTATION

To briefly introduce the EAA

To examine the steps for site aquaculture

site selection

– The process

– The participation

– Inputs needed

– The scales (aquaculture zone vs aquaculture

farm sites)

THE ECOSYSTEM APPROACH TO AQUACULTURE

EAA

“An Ecosystem Approach for

Aquaculture is a strategy for the

integration of the activity within the wider

ecosystem such that it promotes

sustainable development, equity, and

resilience of interlinked social-ecological systems”.

The EAA is guided by three main

principles:

1. Aquaculture should be developed in the context of

ecosystem functions and services (including

biodiversity) with no degradation of these beyond

their resilience

2. Aquaculture should improve human-well being and

equity for all relevant stakeholders.

3. Aquaculture should be developed in the context of

other sectors, policies and goals.

What is new in EAA?

EAF strives to balance diverse societal objectives, by taking

account of the knowledge and uncertainties about biotic, abiotic

and human components of ecosystems and their interactions and

applying an integrated approach to fisheries within ecologically

meaningful boundaries.

Top-down

One objective: production

Sectoral

Farm scale (most common)

Predictive

Scientific knowledge

Prescriptions

Corporate

Participatory

Multiple objectives

Interaction with other sectors

Multiple (nested) scales

Adaptive

Extended knowledge

Incentives

Public / Transparent

Conventional

approach

Ecosystem

approach

Co

ns

ult

ati

on

wit

h s

tak

eh

old

ers

1. Initiation and Planning

Scoping and Baseline Data

Broad Objectives

2. Identify and prioritize Issues

Component Trees and other tools

Risk Assessment

3. Develop Management System

Set Operational Objectives

Select Indicators

Evaluation/Selection of Mgmt Options

4. Implement and Monitor

Finalizing Management Plan

Formalize Management Plan

Review Performance

Report and Communicate

1 year

5-10 years

Be

st

ava

ila

ble

kn

ow

led

ge

Scales relevant for the

implementation of EAA

Farm – Easy to define, sometimes easy to regulate, to control

and to monitor

Watershed/aquaculture zone – A major problem with the implementation of EAA at this

scale is that often they do not coincide with administrative and even national scales. Yet management is often necessary at this scale

Global – This level requires global partnerships and agreements

EAA Spatial Scales

The farm

The waterbody and its

watershed/aquaculture zone

The global market-trade scale

Identification of issues looking in to Inputs, Resource

use and Outputs.

Aquaculture

Inputs Resource use Outputs

Seed

Feeds

Energy

Water

Land, sea

space

Food

Seed

Impacts

Nutrients

Genes

Disease

Chemicals

Coastal

habitats

Ecological

Dimension

Social

Dimension

Institutional

Dimension

External

Forcing

Factors

Water

Land and

coastal

habitats Seeds Feeds

Excessive water

use in pondsLand salinization

Habitat

degradation

(e.g. Mangroves

Biodiversity

losses

Diminished

water flows

Biodiversity

losses

Productivity

declines

Impacts on

local communities

and other users

protection

services lost

Impacts on

local communities

and other users

Over fishing of

wild seeds

By-catch of other

organisms

Biodiversity

losses

Productivity

declines

Impacts on

local communities

and other users

Over fishing of

wild feeds

(e.g. trashfish)

Over fishing of

wild pelagics

for fish meal

Productivity

declines

Impacts on

local and global

fisheries, local

and global

stakeholders

- -- -

Fishery of

Seeds and

Feeds

+

Alternative

livelihoods

Impacts on

local

communities

and other users

-+

Productivity

declines

Most common impacts of aquaculture inputs and

resource use

Most common impacts of Aquaculture Outputs

Food

+

Seeds

Alternative to

fishing

+

Excessive

Nutrients

Organic mater

Escape of

farmed

organisms

(and parasites)

Restocking

May enhance

fisheries

productivity

Chemicals

Eutrophication

Deterioration

of benthic habitats

Biodiversity

losses

Predation and

competition

with wild fish

and genes

Biodiversity

lossesProductivity

decline

Transmission

of diseases

Food

Security

Impacts on

local

communities

Productivity

decline

Impacts on

local fisheries and

communities

Biodiversity

losses

Productivity

decline

Impacts on

local fisheries

and communities

_ _ _

Income

Livelihoods

development

Impacts on

local fisheries

and communities

+

May enhance

biodiversity

productivity

Impacts on

local

communities

Nutrients

Organic mater

Escape of

farmed

organisms(and parasites)

Chemicals

Eutrophication

Deterioration

of benthic habitats

Biodiversity

losses

Predation and

competition

with wild fish

and genes

Biodiversity

lossesProductivity

decline

Transmission

of diseases

Impacts on

Local Fisheries

and coastal

communities

Productivity

decline

Impacts on

Local Fisheries

and coastal

communities

Biodiversity

losses

Productivity

decline

Impacts on

Local Fisheries

and coastal

communities

health and

livelihoods

__

_

The EAA as a strategy must enhance the right balance

optimizing positive impacts and minimizing negative ones

: adequate level of performanceFoodSeeds

Alternative to fishing

(may enhance

biodiversity

protection)

+

Restocking

May enhance

fisheries

productivity

Food Security

Livelihoods

Aquaculture outputs

The EAA as a strategy should

enhance the implementation of the CCRF

FAO is initiating a new form of dialog with countries

to enhance the CCRF implementation

Key elements in the implementation

Definition of system boundaries and

relevant stakeholders

– Which is the scale we are going to work?

The water body, watershed??

The individual farms

– Interaction with other sectors and opportunity

costs

In the implementation of the EAA, proper

aquaculture zoning and site selection

processes are key management measures

Most often in the idetification of issues with

stakeholders aquaculture location comes as

a priority

There are two potential extremes

– Aquaculture is a new activity; an opportunity for

start right

– Aquaculture has been there for some time and it

is neccessary to “mend”

Environmental issues related to the

location of aquaculture facilities

alteration of inland and coastal habitats for the construction of ponds and aquaculture systems (e.g. shrimp farming in mangrove areas)

nutrient and organic enrichment of recipient waters resulting in build-up of anoxic sediments and modifying benthic communities; – eutrophication of water ways, lakes and coastal zones;

release of chemicals used to control water conditions and diseases;

Rapid spread of diseases

Socioeconomic issues (examples)

Interference/conflict with touristic interests

Negative visual impacts

Disruption of artisanal costal fisheries

Insufficient coastal infrastructure to support

aquaculture

Lack/insufficient local labor

Governance issues

No recognized coastal/off the coast authority

Conflicting institutions

Unclear institutional systems and

procedures

Lack/ weak farmers organization

Co

nsu

ltati

on

wit

h s

takeh

old

ers

Co

nsu

ltati

on

wit

h s

takeh

old

ers

Best

availab

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no

wle

dg

eB

est

availab

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no

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Scoping and definition of

the ecosystem boundary(spatial, time and political scales)

High level policy goals

Identify key issues

Prioritize key issues

Develop an

implementation plan1 -5 year ?1 -5 year ?

Implement and enforce

Monitoring and Evaluation

Long term policy review

Define Operational

objectives

STAKEHOLDERS PARTICIPATION AND

BEST AVAILABLE KNOWLEDGE

Agreeing on community values

under high level objectives

VALUE OBJECTIVE

1 Economic Outcomes Optimising economic benefits to the

community; with potential for social

development

2 Food Security Maintaining access to sufficient

resources to provide healthy food

3 Ecosystem services Maintaining relevant ecosystem

functions and services (including

productivity, biodiversity)

OFTEN THERE ARE TRADE OFFS IN RECONCILING

THE DIFFERENT OBJECTIVES

Defining hazards and estimating risks in

the zoning and site selection process

Which issues are likely to become large

obstacles for my overall objectives???

Which are the risks?

According to the above; where can I allocate

sites?? What is the maximum production

that can be allowed???

Establish/define overall objectives and

operational objective

– It is essential that objectives are achievable;

and that progress toward them is measurable.

This implies, for each objective:

agreed criteria (e.g. nutrient concentration,

eutrophication level, new livelihood opportunities) for

measuring progress or assessing impact; and

specific targets or standards (social, economic,

environmental) to aim for over a specified time frame.

Minimum requirements to support the

implementation of the EAA (always following the three principles)

Create/enhance enabling adequate legal frameworks

Strengthen, modify or create new institutional arrangements

Integrate aquaculture with other sectors to deal with external and internal issues

Zoning – Zoning or allocation of space is a mechanism for

more integrated and better planning of aquaculture development,