ECOSYSTEM

Ecosystem

Ecosystem

1.

Aquaculture is the farming of fish, shellfish and marine plants in coastal and inland waters. This sector is growing faster than any other in the field of animal production, including traditional marine fishing. Aquaculture represents the most effective and sustainable to ensure that there is enough protein pair feeding a world with a growing population. Aquaculture seeks sustainability of fisheries. 43% of fish consumed worldwide comes from fish farms. In other words, 45.5 million tonnes of fish annually with a value of about 63,000 million Euros. According to the Organization of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), world exports in 2005 were 95 million tonnes, of which 60 million were used for human consumption (Timmons & Ebeling, 2007). Despite this figure, Europe accounts for only three percent of global aquaculture production; it is the leader in species such as trout, sea bream, sea bass or salmon.

According to FAO, there are many barriers to the growth of aquaculture: the producers lack investment, shortage of land and fresh water, energy costs continues to rise and the environment to some extent is harmed. The shortage of room to develop aquaculture, something the industry slows, but in countries like Norway are excellent conditions: long coastline, fjords that protects against the forces of nature, good water quality, excellent rural infrastructure and large markets about (Fingerman & Nagabhushanam, 2000).

The challenge for aquaculture is its novelty. The image of a fish farm household faces entrenched patterns of thought in our minds for centuries. Despite studies supporting this practice, when done according to the correct parameters, many people decided against breeding of fish in general terms, without distinguishing between poor aquaculture practices and the benefits we all get when the things are done right.

Chile and Norway are, today, one of the major players in global aquaculture, controlling about 70% of salmonid production is traded internationally. If the world population continues to grow at the same rate so far and kept consumption rates, world catches in 2010 should reach 120 million tons of fish per year, 85 million more than in 1990, to meet demand. Thus, experts agree that there is only one solution: aquaculture or fish farming. How can cover the demand for fish if caught at sea remained virtually unchanged since 1980? The FAO report says there's little chance of occurrence of significant increases in catches from the sea. In addition, states that of the nearly 600 species of commercial value are analyzed, 52% are operated, 175% are overexploited, 7% sold or under 1% recovery. 

2.

The subsidies represent a ubiquitous phenomenon, directly or indirectly connected to most production activities of our daily lives. Several sectors are supported by national governments, which normally aim to achieve laudable goals, but often leads to harmful side effects to the environment, and often benefits powerful groups rather than groups in need. If subsidies are not bad in itself, the fact remains that both sustainability-oriented, they may find themselves competing with other unsustainable activities are also beneficiaries of public support, which could undermine their effectiveness (van Beers and de Moor, ...