Ancestors of human beings were great hunters in the
very past. They searched every possible part on the earth for food. Ancient people left no stone unturned in the
search of food. They collected food from land and water. There was one Chinese
proverb that if you give a fish to someone
s/he will get food for one day but if you teach someone how to fish then
s/he will get food for ever. This proverb showed that there are enormous amount
of food on the earth. Contrary to this, Malthus proposed the
principle that human populations grow exponentially (i.e., doubling with each
cycle) while food production grows at an arithmetic rate (i.e. by the repeated
addition of a uniform increment in each uniform interval of time). Malthus is of opinion
that on this earth there is always lack of food and there is competition for
food among members of same species or different species. Influenced by the
essay of Malthus, Charles Robert Darwin propounded The Theory of Natural
Selection to this world in 1858 A.D. This scarcity of food from time to time
forced people for exploration of aquaculture.
Aquaculture is also known as aqua farming. Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) defined Aquaculture as
it is now understood to mean the farming of aquatic organisms including
fish, mollusk, crustaceans and aquatic plant. We have no exact time period
actually when people started aquaculture on the earth but involved them in cultivating freshwater and saltwater
populations under controlled conditions, and can be contrasted with commercial
fishing, which is the harvesting of wild fish. The sources of wild aquatic
animals are in always in limited supply. So, harvesting of wild sources of
fish, crustaceans and other aquatic species cannot keep up with the demand
presented by the growing human population. The growth of human population is
rather faster which is exponential. Also if we try to match demand
through commercial fishing, interests would eventually result in
over-fishing and the loss of those species entirely. Therefore, while
aquaculture is required to meet the human demand, it also relieves the strain
on wild species and allows them to continue to be a significant source in
nature. This signified the role of Aquaculture. Aquaculture can stand both in quality and
quantity.
The qualitative role of aquaculture in ensuring a
consistent supply of aquatic species for human consumption cannot be
overstated. Medical research into the health benefits of frequently eating fish
and other products are plentiful. This clarified that the nutrient contents of
such products are highly beneficial from the point of view of health. There is
one popular buzz word within the healthy eating movement is Omega-3 fatty
acids, which are typically found in most fish and other aquatic animals. Multiple
research studies indicated that these fatty acids help in reducing many forms
of cancer and promoting healthy brain tissue. Similarly eating fish regularly
has also been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease through reducing the
probability of clot formation, lowering blood pressure and increasing the good
cholesterol levels in the blood stream. Some studies also suggested that
inclusion of fish into a healthy diet can have a positive impact. The development of Alzheimer’s disease in
elderly persons are delayed or prevented. Not only is this, the blood sugar
levels in diabetics also maintained. Fish
and aquatic species in general are a much healthier source of protein and fat
compared to livestock commonly consumed. Mutton, pork and chicken all have
their positive attributes, but none stand up to the positive attributes of
fish. The protein and fat content of fish and aquatic species are considered as
of first grade quality.
Land
dedicated to fish ponds will produce ten times or more consumable product than
the same land used to raise cattle or pork, while requiring significantly less
input. This can also be used according to quantity needed for human consumption. Because of this, many countries of the world
both developed and developing have started practicing Aquaculture from hundreds
of years back. At present, Aquaculture is an especially important economic
activity in China. Between 1980 and 1997, the Chinese Bureau of Fisheries
reports, aquaculture harvests grew at an annual rate of 16.7 percent, jumping
from 1.9 million tones to nearly 23 million tones. In 2005, China accounted for
70% of world production (Wikipedia). Aquaculture is also currently one of the
fastest growing areas of food production in the U.S. Approximately 90% of all U.S. shrimp
consumption is farmed and imported. In recent years salmon aquaculture
has become a major export in southern Chile, especially in Puerto Montt,
Chile's fastest-growing city. In 2012,
aquaculture production globally reached a record high of more than 90 million
tons. A United Nation’s report
titled The State of the World Fisheries and Aquaculture released
in May 2014 maintained fisheries and aquaculture support the livelihoods of
some 60 million people in Asia and Africa.
But aquaculture does not exist without drawbacks. High concentrations of aquatic species can alter
or destroy existing wild habitat, increase local pollution levels or negatively
impact local species genetic makeup. Besides food, there are other products
like pearl formation. Pearl formation is very much tedious work and takes long
time about five to seven years for production.
Aquaculture is
fairly a new activity in Nepal.
It began in the 1940s with pond culture of Indian major carps. Nepal being
second richest country in the world in water resources after Brazil, rich in
fresh water fishes inhabiting rivers in hills and ponds in terai region. The
aquatic ecosystem of Nepal provides excellent habitat for both cold water and
warm fishes. There are about 217 indigenous and 15 exotic fish species. In Nepal, Fisheries Research Division was
established in 1983 under Nepal Agriculture Research Council. With Fisheries
Research Division, Godavari, Fisheries Research Centers, Pokhara, Trishuli,
Tarahara and Parwanipur have come up with farmers for production. The total
production in 2006/07 was 45425 MT with 20016 MT from natural water bodies and
25409 MT from ponds and aquaculture (DoFD 2006/07). The possibility of Prawn
culture and mollusk culture are yet to be tested in Nepalese ponds. There is,
however, considerable scope for expansion of Aquaculture development to increase production of fish and
other aquatic animals to feed the growing population of Nepal.
Writers:
Anjali Shrestha
Associate Professor
Mahendra Ratna Campus, Kathmandu
Raghubar Shrestha
Associate Professor
Tri Chandra Multiple Campus, Kathmandu
Nepal Aquaculture Society, Kathmandu (Secretary)
Published Date: 2017 Jan 15
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