Basics
Commercial Facility Based on the University of the Virgin Island’s Aquaponic System
2009-10-02
Since the 1980s, the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) Agricultural Experiment Station in St. Croix has been conducting research on recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). Much of the UVI research is conducted using a commercial-size RAS that incorporates aquaponics. Aquaponics is the practice of growing herbs and vegetables in water from a RAS system that has fish growing ina connected tank. Through years of research, the staff at UVI has established an aquaponics RAS that is made of easily procured material and is simple and efficient to run. Using an eighth of an acre for production, the staff raises fish and produce that is sold at a farm store located on campus. The system includes four fish tanks, six hydroponic tanks and filtration tanks to support good water quality and growth for both the fish and plants.
Kona Blue’s Ocean Aquaculture: Marketing the Myth of Sustainability
2009-06-09
Kona Blue Water Farms, LLC is an open ocean aquaculture operation that was founded in 2001 off the coast of Kona on Hawaii’s big island. Since its inception, Kona Blue has promoted itself as an environmental leader. Its Web site refers to farmed fish that are “sustainable from hatch to harvest” and an “environmentally friendly alternative” produced “without depleting wild fish stocks or harming the ocean environment.” In 2005, after several years of research and development, the company began producing a sushi-grade Hawaiian yellowtail which the locals call kahala, and is sold nationally as “Kona Kampachi.” It now bills itself as the “first integrated hatchery and fish farm in the country.” The farm produces around 25,000,pounds of kahala per week (as of March 2009) at about $17 per filleted pound when purchased directly. The majority of the product is destined for consumption on the American mainland.
Standards Needed for Organic Aquaculture
2008-12-10
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) has been working for several years to establish organic standards for aquaculture products (farmed fish) and will be voting on a set of proposed standards after their meeting November 17-20, 2008. Although organic standards will likely never be applicable to wild fish, which in many cases may be a better choice for consumers than farmed fish, the development of USDA organic aquaculture standards could be instrumental in giving fish farmers a market they need to sustainably produce fish and shellfish. However, it is crucial that the standards be more stringent than those currently proposed, in order to protect the credibility of the “organic” label and live up to the principles of organic production intended to protect the environment and consumer health.
Seafood Buying Guide
2008-08-29
With so many different seafood options in markets and restaurants, how can you make choices that are best for your health, the environment and the communities that bring fish to your table? There are so many different factors to consider, choosing the right seafood can be a challenge. By asking questions and knowing what to look for and what to avoid, you can better choose seafood that is clean, green and safe. Check out Food & Water Watch’s new Seafood Substitutes Card that lists better alternatives to common, but potentially harmful, seafood choices. This guide can explain why certain choices are recommended and help you ask the right questions to make informed decisions.
Ocean Fish Farming Can Hurt Recreational Fishing
2008-07-11
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service are federal bodies that make decisions about fishing in U.S. waters. Right now they are finishing a plan to allow the growing of fish in huge floating cages out in our Gulf waters. This is called “ocean fish farming,” “open ocean aquaculture” or “offshore aquaculture.” Whatever the name, it could cause serious problems for recreational fishermen.
A Fishy Story
2008-07-11
For centuries, Alaskan fishermen have caught salmon. Their communities thrived along with the abundant seasonal runs of healthy fish. It was exciting to be a salmon fisherman, making a living spending days on the water and enjoying the competition with the fish.
Ocean Fish Farming Can Hurt Consumers and the Environment
2008-07-10
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service are federal bodies that make decisions about fishing in U.S. waters. Right now they are finishing a plan to allow the growing of fish in huge floating cages out in our Gulf waters. This is called “ocean fish farming,” “open ocean aquaculture,” or “offshore aquaculture.” Whatever the name, it could cause serious problems for both consumers and the environment.
Ocean Fish Farming Can Hurt Commercial Fishing
2008-07-09
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service are federal bodies that make decisions about fishing in U.S. waters. Right now they are finishing a plan to allow the growing of fish in huge floating cages out in our Gulf waters. This is called “ocean fish farming,” “open ocean aquaculture,” or “offshore aquaculture.” Whatever the name, it could cause serious problems for commercial fishermen.
Yuck! Harmful Aquaculture Chemicals and Waste
2008-05-15
Yuck! Weak Regulatory Structure Allows Harmful Aquaculture Chemicals and Waste to Slip Through, May 2008.
Ocean Fish Farming
2008-05-01
Ocean fish farming is also called open ocean aquaculture or offshore aquaculture. It is the practice of growing finfish in huge, often over–crowded cages out in open ocean waters. Before any regional or federal plan for ocean fish farming moves forward, we need to better understand how these intensive fish farms affect human health, the economies of local fishing communities, wild fish populations, marine mammals, endangered species, birds, and essential fish habitat.
Fact Sheets
Reports
- Fish Story — After a series of safety scares about imported sea ...
- Fishy Farms — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administratio ...
- Offshore Aquaculture: Bad News for the Gulf — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administratio ...
- Import Alert — The Food and Drug Administration oversees the safe ...