Abstract

A recent publication by Belton et al. raises points for policy-makers and scientists to consider with respect to the future of aquaculture making recommendations on policies and investments in systems and areas of the world where aquaculture can contribute most. Belton et al. take an ‘us versus them’ approach separating aquaculture by economics, livelihood choices, and water salinity. They conclude “that marine finfish aquaculture in offshore environments will confront economic, biophysical, and technological limitations that hinder its growth and prevent it from contributing significantly to global food and nutrition security.” They argue that land-based freshwater aquaculture is a more favorable production strategy than ocean/marine aquaculture; they disagree with government and non-governmental organizations spatial planning efforts that add new aquaculture to existing ocean uses; they advocate for open commons for wild fisheries as opposed to aquaculture; and they oppose ‘open ocean’ aquaculture and other types of industrial, capital-intensive, ‘carnivorous’ fish aquaculture. They discredit marine aquaculture rather than explain how all aquaculture sectors are significantly more efficient and sustainable for the future of food than nearly all land-based animal protein alternatives. As an interdisciplinary group of scientists who work in marine aquaculture, we disagree with both the biased analyses and the advocacy presented by Belton et al. Marine aquaculture is growing and is already making a significant contribution to economies and peoples worldwide. None of the concerns Belton et al. raise are new, but their stark statement that farming fish in the sea cannot ‘nourish the world’ misses the mark, and policy-makers would be wrong to follow their misinformed recommendations.

摘要

贝尔顿等人最近发表的一篇文章。就水产养殖的未来提出政策制定者和科学家考虑的要点，就世界水产养殖可以做出最大贡献的系统和领域的政策和投资提出建议。贝尔顿等人。采取“我们与他们”的方法，通过经济、生计选择和水盐度来区分水产养殖。他们得出的结论是：“近海环境中的海洋有鳍鱼类养殖将面临经济、生物物理和技术限制，这些限制会阻碍其发展，并阻止其对全球粮食和营养安全做出重大贡献。” 他们认为陆基淡水水产养殖是比海洋/海洋水产养殖更有利的生产策略；他们不同意政府和非政府组织在现有海洋利用中增加新的水产养殖的空间规划努力；他们提倡野生渔业而不是水产养殖的开放公地；他们反对“远洋”水产养殖和其他类型的工业化、资本密集型、“肉食性”鱼类水产养殖。他们诋毁海洋水产养殖，而不是解释所有水产养殖部门如何比几乎所有陆基动物蛋白替代品更高效、更可持续。作为从事海洋水产养殖工作的跨学科科学家小组，我们不同意贝尔顿等人提出的有偏见的分析和倡导。海洋水产养殖正在发展，并且已经为全世界的经济和人民做出了重大贡献。没有人担心贝尔顿等人。raise 是新的，但他们关于在海中养殖鱼类不能“滋养世界”的直截了当的声明没有抓住重点，政策制定者遵循他们的错误建议是错误的。