Ecological aquaculture is a discipline that combines the social-ecological wisdom of aquafarming peoples with the science knowledge of aquatic ecosystems to provide economic, environmental, and social profit from seafoods to Humanity.
Ecological aquaculture is most important in areas of the world where aquatic foods are the most important sources of animal proteins; but is also vitally important to areas where commercial aquaculture is not historically important, but is expanding. Ecological aquaculture is an “alternative path” that demonstrates the profitability of planning for not only production, but for the multiple sources of revenue possible from aquaculture ecosystems.
Ecological aquaculture incorporates the knowledge – and power – of ecological design, ecological engineering, and ecological approaches to governance – to implement and then evolve – more sustainable aquaculture businesses and family farms. Social-ecological partnerships of scientists working with farmers and civil society are central to the success of ecological aquaculture.
Ecological aquaculture businesses, farms and industries are economically attractive since they not only produce high quality aquatic foods essential for human health and longevity; but also produce innovations and knowledge and build the “culture of aquaculture”.
The Blue Revolution? Ecological Aquaculture? These are not new concepts. There have been many “Blue Revolutions” throughout human history. Our aquaculture ancestors used the concepts of ecological aquaculture to develop many sustainable models of aquaculture ecosystems throughout human history (and, by the way, “her-story” – read gender issues in aquaculture – are just as important) (see 2010, Mar. Tech. Soc. Jor.).
Whenever the seafood demands of seafood-eating peoples have exceeded the ability of natural, aquatic ecosystems to provide adequate supplies of seafoods for them, they have developed aquaculture.
What is new is that we now have 7 billion people on Mother Earth with forecasts of 10 billion inhabitants here by 2050. Many of these people choose to eat seafoods as their major sources of animal protein. The real debate over the future of aquaculture is not whether aquaculture will grow, but how it will grow.
And we can direct this blue revolution to make aquaculture a global model of sustainable protein production, one that ties its destiny to the “triple bottom line” of producing not only economic, but also social and environmental profit.
We have to ask…
Can we accelerate the pace of transdisciplinary scholarship in aquaculture – fundamental to developing the ecosystems approach to aquaculture we are calling for – and then witness an expansion in the scope and numbers of profitable aquaculture businesses, at all scales of society, because this approach has expanded the “social contract” for aquaculture development?
Can we evolve alternative, ecological aquaculture development models for a crowded Planet that are not only more just, fair, and equitable such that they clearly benefit many segments of society, to the point that, societal entities identify themselves as “aquaculture communities”, who celebrate these innovative aquatic farming ecosystems, rather than denigrating their presence, and fighting every proposal for their expansion?
There are now a few thousand of us who are implementing ecological aquaculture to develop a new social contract for aquaculture. This “alternative path” of aquaculture is being used to evolve a whole new generation of aquaculture ecosystems that produce not only higher economic benefits, but also increased social and environmental profit due to the multiple benefits they provide to both ecosystems and societies.
Barry A. Costa-Pierce from his Keynote Talk opening The International Conference on Marine Resources and Beyond, IMARE GmbH, Bremerhaven, Germany, October 2011.
A Garden Combining Solar Algae Ponds that Irrigate Raised Bed Agriculture. This Simple but Elegant Aquaculture Ecosystem is a Modern Demonstration of the Ancient Wisdom of the Chinampas Aquaculture Ecosystems of Central and South America (visit Dr. Jason Turner’s work on the chinampas of Mexico)
A Family Rice-Fish Aquaculture Ecosystem in Africa. Rice-fish aquaculture ecosystems improve the livelihoods of farm families (click on image for a copy of the book “Rice-Fish Research and Development in Asia”)
An Ecological Design Model for a Sustainable Coastal Food and Water Ecosystem (click on image to view as *.pdf)
That aquaculture has a philosophical base in the East and a scientific base in the West has far-reaching implications. In the East, it is culture, it is life: culture to improve life by providing food and employment. It is embedded in the social and economic infrastructure. All that science can and must do is to make this culture more effective. In the West, aquaculture is science and technology, embodied in industry and providing profits: money. It has no social infrastructure. In this, the West has much to learn from the East.
Elizabeth Mann Borgese. 1980. Seafarm, The Story of Aquaculture. H.N. Abrams.
The goal of ecological aquaculture partnerships is to design, create and sustain economically viable and socially responsible aquaculture ecosystems that provide invaluable, nutrient dense, aquatic foods to seafood-eating peoples at all scales of society (nations, regions, businesses, communities and families).
NEW CONTACT
Barry A. Costa-Pierce, Ph.D. FAAAS aquaculture@une.edu bcp@ecologicalaquaculture.org
ALSO CONTACT Our Neighborhood
