01/11/2016

1

Aquaculture Adaptation to Climate Change

Doris Soto (INCAR Chile)and

Pedro Bueno (FAO Consultant, Rome)

WHAT IS AT STAKE

The global output in 2014 of farmed food fish, molluscs, crustaceans and other aquatic animals has reached almost 74 million tonnes and cultured seaweed and other aquatic plants another 27.3 million tonnes valued at USD 160.2 and USD 5.6 billion, respectively.

01/11/2016

2

eighty-nine percent of aquaculture production takes place in asia most of it in the tropical and subtropical belts (sofia 2016)…and in freshwater

0

10000000

20000000

30000000

40000000

50000000

60000000

Africa Americas Europe Oceania Asia

Food fish production in 2014

Inland aquaculture mariculture

Aquaculture not only relevant for direct food production but also for livelihoods

Fish farming directly employs 18 million worldwideIn 2010 FAO had estimated that

117 million were dependent on aquaculture through its multiplier effects Specially relevant for women in

postharvest

01/11/2016

3

DIRECT AND INDIRECT IMPACTS ON AQUACULTURE

CC-RELATED DRIVERS

Drought and freshwater scarcity Changes in ocean circulation Changes in productivity of water

bodies Floods Loss of coastal land and other

ecosystems Acidification of the seas Extreme events/storms Changes in salinity and oxygen

content Algal blooms Expansion and retraction of

diseases and parasites

IMPACTS

Loss of production and infrastructure due to extreme events

Loss of production due to diseases, toxic algae and parasites

Shortage of wild seed Limited/No access to water for

farming Limited access to feeds (both

from marine and terrestrial sources)

Decrease productivity due to suboptimal farming conditions (>ToC, >%S, <pH, eutrophication etc.)

Short term events

Longer term changes/

trends

Long term vs short term changes

Long term changesTemperatureSalinitypHFreshwater availabilityIncrease storminessSea level rise-In some situations, effects on aquaculture could be positive- There is much room for genetic improvement and selection of alternative species

Short term changes

Increase climatic variabilityUnexpected changesIncrease magnitude/

frequency of events

- Improve planning and management

01/11/2016

4

CLIMATE VARIABILITY VS CLIMATE CHANGE

ICEM. 2013. USAID Mekong ARCC Climate Change Impact and Adaptation Study for the Lower Mekong Basin

Adaptation

A process that aims to generate resilience to external stressors and capacity to use potential opportunities in a sustainable and ethical manner

01/11/2016

5

Some generalizations on vulnerability of aquaculture

systemsMore vulnerable Less vulnerable (better adapted)Freshwater Marine waterShallow water Deep waterWild fry/seed collection Hatchery productionLong culture cycle Short culture cycleNarrow tolerance range Wide tolerance rangeHigh trophic level species Low trophic level speciesMonoculture systems More diverse systemsPoorly planned and Well planned and managedmanaged

Pullin and White (, FAO Circ), De Silva and Soto 2009, FAO FTP 530

01/11/2016

6

Aquaculture Vulnerability

Climate drivers Non climate drivers

AquacultureExposure

+To

-O2+ S%

Farmed fish overstressed

Reduce exposure to climate hazardsConserve natural fencing i.e. mangroveBuild artificial defences – seawall, embankmentAquaculture zoning and siting to less exposed areasBetter weather forecasting and improved environmental

monitoring and early warning systemImproved disease surveillance systemsShort cycle aquaculture techniquesClosed aquaculture production system i.e. recirculation

aquaculture, aquaponicsMove to more adapted speciesBuild deeper ponds and flexible cagesUpgrade pumps and sluicesAvoid stressing fish, e.g. ensure plenty of oxygenReduce feed conversion factors

From larger scale/Government support

infrastructure investment and planning to local

management and changing farming

behaviour and technologies

Farmers can do this

01/11/2016

7

Reduce Sensitivity

Farm more tolerant species to the important stressors i.e. temperature, salinity, acidificationReduce dependence on wild-caught seedsReduce dependence on fish meal and fish oilGive more attention to non fed speciesDiversify species or product rangeDiversify livelihoodsIntegrated farming systems

Appropriate policies are neededBut there is also a role for markets

and consumersP-P cooperation

Increase adaptive capacityInsurance for crops and farm physical assets Durable and reliable accessed assets i.e. roads,

power distribution system, water supply system, communications systemOrganize and professionalize farmers and women’s

associationsEstablish networks, societies, cooperatives -

strengthen social capital Establish Aquaculture Management AreasImprove access to training and improved

technologyPromulgate clear and policies and regulationsPay special attention to labour regulations

Appropriate policies are needed, public-private cooperation is

important

01/11/2016

8

Enablers/entry points to adaptation in aquacultureInstitutional and general governance aspects:

Government policies and programs (e.g. mainstreaming climate change into national and regional adaptation/ development plans, integrated and risk based coastal zone management, community-based adaptation, disaster planning and preparedness. Laws and regulations (e.g. building standards,

defining property rights and tenure, protected areas, farming and fishing (for seed) quotas, ethical employment, appropriate incentives)Economic (e.g. financial incentives including taxes

and subsidies, payments for ecosystem services, insurance, microfinance),

NAPs should include

aquaculture

Enablers/entry points to adaptation in aquaculture

Structural/ Physical: Engineered and build environment (e.g. seawalls and coastal

protection),Technology (e.g. genetic diversification, new farming systems and

technologies, early detection and warning systems and technologies etc.),

Social (including resource management): Participation, Information and Education e.g. participatory

vulnerability mapping, early warning and adaptation planning and integration of awareness raising into education with appropriate gender focus,Services (e.g. emergency services, social safety nets and social

protection)Behavioural e.g. livelihood diversification, changing aquaculture

practices, integration with agricultureOrganizational, e.g. Aquaculture area management under the

Ecosystem approach to Aquaculture (EAA).

01/11/2016

9

A perspective from governments on aquaculture preparedness under climate change: 70 countries

responses (95% of global aquaculture) to the FAO CCRF global assessment

2015Scores1-5

Aquaculture zoning, including CC risks is absent or very weak at global

level

01/11/2016

10

What kind of policies to address long term changes risks and opportunities ?

Farming omnivorous vs carnivorous? non fed?Current trends are oppositeAquaculture diversification, is it a good idea to diversify?? When?? Where ?Current situation shows more species being farmed but monopolization

by a few, although strains substitution is happeningYet efforts are been made targeting well documented mid and long term scenarios e.g. a more saline tolerant catfish, higher temperature resistant salmon etc.

Integrated aquaculture, IMTANot happening enough but we also need to explore better C/B under CCAll the above is being driven by markets demand.

Consumers have a role!!!!

One of the most important factors shaping the adaptive capacity of farmers, households and communities is their access to, control over and ability to use productively the natural, human, social, physical and financial assets i.e. the livelihood capitals.

01/11/2016

11

The ecosystem approach to aquaculture (EAA)

“An Ecosystem Approach for Aquaculture is a strategy for the integration of the activity within the wider ecosystem such that it promotes sustainable development, equity, and resilience of interlinked social-ecological systems”.

The strategy can be implemented in a water body, in a country in a regionalthough ecological and social boundaries have to be considered

01/11/2016

12

Risk assessment

Cost/Benefit analysis

Agreement by stakeholders

Identification of issues looking in to Inputs, Resource use and Outputs.

Aquaculture

Inputs Resource use Outputs

Seed

Feeds

Energy

Water

Land, sea space

Food

Seed

Impacts

NutrientsGenes

DiseaseChemicals

Coastal habitats

EcologicalDimension

Social Dimension

InstitutionalDimension

Climate Change as a relevantExternal ForcingFactor

01/11/2016

13

Selection or design of adaptation option is participatory and gender balanced

Selected measures are compatible with the livelihood objectives, strategies and assets of the stakeholders;

Resources and actions needed are widely agreed on and clear

Not a rigid imposition so that it is reasonable to expect that participation is sustained.

= imparts equity, effectiveness and legitimacy

The EAA management plans are essentially based on the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach

Mangroves

Estero Real

Mangroves

Mangroves

NICARAGUA

HONDURAS

EL SALVADOR

FONSECA GULF, CENTRAL AMERICA

01/11/2016

14

Shrimp farming in large, semi-intensive farms andsmall scale cooperative farming taks place herewith different scales of environmental and social impacts (positive and negative). Farming veryvulnerable to climatic variability and climate change

The EAFA management plan in Estero Real has four components

01/11/2016

15

IMPROVING ADAPTATION: GEF LDCF AND SCCF APPROACHES (Bangladesh, Chile)

Strengthening governance at national and local levelsimproving the government and relevant stakeholders understanding of

CC impacts (- and +) on aquacultureImplementing/improving weather forecast, monitoring and EW systemsRisk based aquaculture zoningImproving adaptive capacity of local

communitiesImproving farming systems e.g. CC prof hatcheries, and management; e.g.

implementing AMAs

Communication and dissemination, lessons learned

01/11/2016

16

Research gaps and needs to improve adaptation approaches

Inland aquaculture needs more attention, focus needed on food security species; carp, catfish, tilapia,Invest more in understanding long term and

cumulative impacts More focus needed on impacts of multiple

stressors and synergies with CCEffective EAA implementation needed

01/11/2016

17

Thank you very much !

33Too bad they make cages so sturdy now,

I hear that in the past, good storms gave opportunitiesfor a good swim !