by Lisa Pearce

Created on: January 21, 2009   Last Updated: March 22, 2012

Although this article is already closed, I'd like to share another take on the concept of factory farming. Commercial farming of fish, known as aquaculture, is the farming of marine and fresh water fish species in controlled environments (usually land-based tanks).

Fish (let's look at marine fish for the sake of this article) is a major global source of protein. Marine fish resources world-wide are under increasing pressure from over-fishing to satisfy the demand of the ever-expanding human population. In South Africa we have a quota system: five-year and annual quotas are determined for different fish species by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism: Marine and Coastal Management. Intensive research is done on fish populations to establish their reproduction success and population integrity, and harvesting quotas are based on the results of the research. Commercial fishermen and large fishing corporations are each awarded their piece of the pie' of the harvesting quotas.

Marine fish populations are not only threatened by over-fishing. Pollution, changing climate conditions and competition for resources all impact on fish populations. Certain species like Kob are at the high-end of the commercial spectrum, but have become very scarce due to environmental factors and harvesting. Harvesting of the species in the ocean is becoming more difficult and more costly not to mention that continued harvesting of an already stressed species is unsustainable.

Enter the concept of aquaculture. Commercial farming of marine fish species (this can also include such species as oysters) ensures a reliable, ongoing supply of fish for commercial use. Commercial availability will ensure stable prices for consumers since the seasonality' of the resource will be lessened, and should have a dampening effect on cost. In addition, the natural population is under less pressure from harvesting.

Aquaculture is strongly controlled to prevent disease and to maintain the genetic integrity of the farmed fish. Environmental impacts of aquaculture could include thermal pollution if heated water is returned to the sea and spread of disease from the farmed population to the natural population through waste water discharge. However, inland aquaculture that doesn't require any link with the ocean has also been successful. Over the long term, aquaculture is likely to be more environmentally beneficial and sustainable than the harvesting of natural fish populations.

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