Mariculture

Mariculture of fish, shellfish, seaweed and other marine products is seeing explosive growth. Farming the sea holds the promise of producing the food and the livelihoods that growing populations require but unplanned and unregulated operations can lead to the loss and degradation of critical habitats, declines in water quality, disease and user conflicts. Beginning in 1985, CRC has worked to address the problems and opportunities posed by shrimp mariculture in many tropical nations.

Cross Portfolio Learning Topics

General Approaches to Addressing Mariculture as an Element of Integrated Coastal Management Programs

Mariculture of fish, shellfish, seaweed and other marine products is seeing explosive growth. Farming the sea holds the promise of producing the food and the livelihoods that growing populations require but unplanned and unregulated operations can lead to the loss and degradation of critical habitats, declines in water quality, disease and user conflicts. Coastal resource management programs can make an important contribution to wise management and sustainability of the activity.  Beginning in 1985, CRC has worked to address the problems and opportunities posed by many forms of mariculture in tropical nations.

The experience on this topic is organized as follows:

1. Issue Identification and Analysis at the national, regional and local levels
2. Approaches and Options for Management
3. Adoption and Implementation
4. Monitoring and Evaluation
   Place -based experience (Ecuador, Hawai'i, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Tanzania)
   References and resources

The materials and examples illustrate comprehensive or general approaches and options to mariculture.  The sections on pond and open-water  based mariculture provide more detail and focus on the issues and management methods related to each of those forms.

Managing Pond-Based Mariculture Systems in the Coast (Shrimp, Fish)

Pond-based mariculture is seeing explosive growth in coastal nations. Beginning in 1985, CRC has worked to address the problems and opportunities posed by shrimp mariculture in many tropical nations and since 2005 has been engaged in helping address the coastal management challenges and potential of fin fish species in brackish water ponds.

The experience on this topic is organized as follows:

1. Issue Identification and Analysis at the national, regional and local levels
2. Approaches and Options for Management
3. Adoption and Implementation
4. Monitoring and Evaluation
Place -based experience (Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Tanzania)
References and resources

Managing Open-Water Mariculture Systems in the Coast and Ocean (Seaweed, Molluscs)

Open-water mariculture including shellfish and seaweed production and harvesting is increasing in some coastal nations.  Oyster culture has been historically important in Rhode Island's coastal lagoons and Narrgansett Bay for nearly a century. CRC has helped address the issues and opportunities of shellfish culture from a coastal management perspective in Rhode Island since the 1970s. Beginning in the 1990s, CRC has worked to address the problems and opportunities posed by small-scale shellfish mariculture in tropical nations and in the past decade has been engaged in helping address the coastal management challenges and potential of seaweed species and systems in Tanzania.

The experience on this topic is organized as follows:

1. Issue Identification and Analysis at the national, regional and local levels
2. Approaches and Options for Management
3. Adoption and Implementation
4. Monitoring and Evaluation
Place -based experience (' Marshall Islands,  Tanzania, Zanzibar)
References and resources