The Aquavision concept of organic carp & backyard fish farmingWith reference to applying a holistic approach to developing aquaculture

sustainably Jimmie Hepburn

Aquavisionwww.aquavisiononline.com info@aquavisiononline.com

What’s on your mind?

Or this…….?

What’s organic carp or backyard fish farming got to do with saving the

planet?

The story starts a long time ago…

The impact of aquaculture?

A whole complex of impacts……

MSc in Human Ecology….

How can aquaculture in Scotland develop toward sustainability?

Our remit today is to sketch out a map which could help …….

Towards a Sustainable Finfish Aquaculture Industry for England

The “S” wordSUSTAINABILITY!

We need a direction – we need a map

Where will our protein come from in 50 years time?

The arrival of the third millennia – when people realised that the world has finite resources and it is our responsibility to manage these resources for future generations

We need to avert the collapse of global fisheries through developing a comprehensive sustainable development strategy

We will need to develop sustainable aquaculture systems on a massive scale – to feed the world’s population and it’s growing affluence

How sustainable is a fish farm?

DEVELOPMENT

ENVIRONMENT

COMMUNITY PROCESSES

ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES

SUSTAINABLE AQUACULTURE

Ecosystem Processes

Ecosystem Structure –boundaries & integration

Ecosystem Function Cycles and feed back-input / output balance

Ecosystem Management within the farm to produce fish products –ecological intensification or diversification

Community Processes – how people organise themselves

Community processes outside the farm

Community processes inside the farm

The work of sustainable development

Practical Solutions

Developing & applying theory

Sustainability issues

General / global issues on sustainability

Specific/ local sustainability issues

Intensive or extensive ?

Characteristics Extensive Aquaculture

Intensive Aquaculture

Inputs Self-sufficiencyWasteNo. of Spp.Energy input Market Economy Diversification

LowClosed systemUseful - recycledSeveralLow Near to farmSubsistenceConsiderable scope

HighOpen systemHazardous OneHighFar away from farmCapital intensiveLimited scope

Semi intensive- the answer?

Extensive Intensive Semi - intensive

Effective communication We need to speak to the

‘right’ people Information flow in one

direction e.g. trade association and regulator

Stakeholders not fully integrated

People can change there minds e.g. the development of a furunculosis vaccine

A question of attitude…knowledge function

Effective networking Value of networks Action Centred Networks to reach

a decision through consensus –which are characterised by: Stake holder equity Multi disciplinary team Participation / learning essential Committed to the specific task Link pin organisation – to drive

the initiative through Example: Soil Association

development of an organic aquaculture standard

How do we put theory into practice?

NETWORKS

Feedback Deeds

Ideas Feedback

Theory Practice

How sustainable could Upper Hayne be?

Organic conversion...why?

Organic Regulation

35 certification standards in the world (19 in Europe)

28 are independent organisations (e.g. Soil Association)

Problems of harmonisation and dilution of standards

America Europe Asia Africa Aust/ NZ

No. of producers

47 123 752 1 12

Vol. (T) 7,000 24,500 19900 2000 <1000

Trend X X XXX XX X

Global production of organic aquaculture 2008

Certified production 2008

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Organic Aquaculture Production

UK – current certified fish/shell fish Salmon Trout Charr Bivalves Carp

Why carp?

Not to make a quick buck!

Globally carp is farmed and eaten widely

A relatively easy species to farm the whole system – sustainably

We need to move on from ‘Stone Age’ aquaculture

Growing carp organically

More questions than answers! Is it possible to fulfil the

current organic standard? Adequate and cost effective

protein supplements DO levels affecting

productivity How to boost productivity of

ponds Develop appropriate markets Processing challenges Economic viability of semi

intensive carp culture

Carp for the table – a future?

It can be done and there is a potential market

There is a need for enthusiastic producers and researchers to give semi insensitive carp (& other spp.) serious consideration

Small scale production?

Backyard Fish Farming (BYFF)

2 million garden ponds in the UK

A nation of fish keepers or hunters

Until now aquaculture has been left to the professionals

Is there an opportunity? Definition Existing BYFF

Similarities between ornamental fish culture and table fish culture

Could be similar sized systems Basic components are the same whether at pond

scale or within a recirculation system People are already ‘farming’ fish Can be intensive or extensive grown Must be relative easy to do (yet to be proven by

BYFF)

Differences between ornamental fish culture and table fish culture

Bio mass Water quality criteria Management

intensification – e.g. water flows, water use,

Aesthetic e.g. –herbaceous border versus the vegetable patch

Two approaches to BYFF

Intensive: recirculation system – tank or small pond (up to 35000l) requiring active filtration

Extensive: large pond for rearing fish – (above 50m2)

Species which could be considered for growing in a BYFF system

Carp Tilapia Sturgeon Grass carp Tench Catfish Trout Eel Perch Zander

Small is beautiful

Will not fill the fish protein gap

Could be a valuable education tool to raise awareness of the issues & change behaviour?

Rising interest – courses at Upper Hayne – people wanting to do a wide range of projects, could this help to solve the problem?

Has the problem been solved? Not yet! For aquaculture in England to

develop sustainably, a holistic approach is needed in all the main spheres (e.g. social, economic, ecological etc.) and in addition, must be driven by committed effective networks – all for the benefit of our future generations

The aquaculture of the future will likely play an increasingly wider role – farming our still freshwaters or growing fish in our back garden are just two such examples!