JIFAS talk

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Development of a Gulf of Mexico Offshore
Mariculture Industry
Gulf Marine Institute of Technology
National Resource Center for Cephalopods Marine
Biomedical Institute, UTMB Galveston, TX
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Aquaculture Planning
Market
Site
Species
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Slide 2 Caption

• Slide 2 shows the most important aspects of
  designing a profitable aquaculture venture. Our
  project has optimized these by identifying a
  growing market for cultured marine fish,
  identifying suitable species and locating and
  obtaining an ideal site. Hence we are in the
  yellow optimum area of the figure.

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Fisheries Production
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Slide 4 Caption

• Slide 4 shows that capture fisheries rose
  steadily during 1950-1980s but not in the
  1990s. The overall increase in fisheries has
  been due to the dramatic rise in aquaculture.
  Authorities believe that capture fisheries will
  decline or stabilize between 80-90 M mt/yr. All
  increase due to demand must be met from
  aquaculture.

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Aquaculture Production
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Slide 6 Caption

• Slide 6 show the dramatic increase in aquaculture
  production and value for the last 10 years. In
  1999, the value was expected to pass US50 B.

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Fisheries Product Consumption
13.5 kg 16 of animal protein
8 kg
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Slide 8 Caption

• Slide 8 shows the increase in world population
  and fisheries catches for the period from 1950 to
  mid-1990s. The pink line shows the increase in
  per caput consumption (excluding China). We see a
  60 increase in these 40 years. With China, the
  number is gt 15 or almost 90 increase in
  consumption. The trend is expected to continue
  for the next 25 years.

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Global Aquaculture Production- 1996
Production 34.1 M mt
Value US46.5 B
2
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Slide 10 Caption

• Slide 10 shows the quantity and value of all
  aquaculture products broken down by species.
  Marine fish represent a very small percent of
  production but 3.5 times as much for value,
  signaling its true potential. Many countries
  consume freshwater products but, given a choice,
  they would consume marine species instead and pay
  more too.

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Aquaculture Production by Region
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Slide 12 Caption

• Slide 12 shows the relative aquaculture
  production by region. This shows that North
  America produces very little, yet the US is the
  number one importing nation. Japan used to be the
  number one importing nation but their production
  is up and economy is down. We in the US must
  reverse this trend.

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Fisheries Product Consumption by RegionA
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Slide 14 Caption

• Slide 14 shows that consumption of fisheries
  products is increasing in all regions except
  Eastern Europe. This is because of the economic
  turmoil there and they are desperate to increase
  production and consumption. This increase in
  consumption is fueling the increase in market
  demand and should continue for the next 25 years.

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Aquaculture Production by Country
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Slide 16 Caption

• Slide 16 shows the dominance of freshwater fish
  production in China. The US has similar
  geographic resources but produces insignificant
  quantities despite increasing demand. This must
  change to offset US5 B trade deficit in
  fisheries products.

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Fishery Trends at the Millennium

• Global fisheries business was estimated to be
  US250 B in 1996
• Fishery exports were US52.5 B in 1996 and
  US51.4 B in 1997- approximately 11 of all
  agricultural exports
• Aquaculture is increasing 10/yr compared to
  3/yr for livestock (chicken 5.3, pork 3.4,
  lamb 1.4 and beef 0.9) and 1.6 capture
  fisheries (15 yr average annual rate)
• Fish is the most important product exported by
  developing countries. It comes before coffee,
  bananas and tea. FAO
• The US imported US8.1 B of fisheries products in
  1997, only behind Japans US15.5 import
• Capture fisheries declined 6 from 1997 to 1998
  due to El Nino
• 20 of future catch is discarded as by-catch and
  some are fishes in which stocks are declining
• Current capture fisheries are stable (lt0.1
  decrease in 1997) while aquaculture is increasing
  (6.7 increase in 1997)
• In US, there was a US9 B trade deficit in 1999

FAO 1999, Dar 1999, Rana Immink 1998, Tacon
1998, Pascoe 1997
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Fishery Trends at the Millennium

• Per caput consumption of fish has risen from 8 kg
  in 1950 to 13.3 kg in 1996 (excluding China)
• 1 in 4 fish consumed is from aquaculture
• Capture fishery contributed 10.8 kg per caput in
  1984 and 10.9 kg in 1995 (1 increase) while the
  aquaculture contribution rose 250 from 1.4 to
  4.9 kg
• 40 and 70 increase in aquaculture production
  needed by 2010 and 2025, respectively
• Aquaculture increasing 10/yr compared to 3/yr
  for livestock (chicken 5.3, pork 3.4, lamb 1.4
  and beef 0.9) and 1.6 capture fisheries (15 yr
  mean annual rate)
• Mariculture expanded 15/yr from 1990-1996
  accounting for 51 of total aquaculture
  production
• A key factor in the rapid production of some
  finfish and crustaceans is the increasing
  availability of hatchery produced seed
• The US consumes 14 of aquaculture production but
  US produces only 2 (second largest seafood
  importing nation)

FAO 1999, Dar 1999, Rana Immink 1998, Tacon
1998, Pascoe 1997
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US Department of Commerce Plans- A mission of
DOC is to create sustainable economic
opportunities in aquaculture in a manner that is
environmentally sound and consistent with
applicable laws and policy, DOC Secretary

• Reduce US9 B fisheries trade deficit (1999)
• Increase production of US industry from US900 M
  to US5 B
• Increase the number of jobs from 180,000 to
  600,000
• Enhance depleted natural stocks
• Increase fisheries exports 5-fold
• Focus efforts on offshore and recirculating
  system technologies
• Offshore priorities include-
• re-use of existing offshore structures
• subsurface cage systems

USDOC Aquaculture Policy 8/99
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Issues and Challenges- FAO 1999

• Establish an enabling environment
• Adopt integrated planning and management
• Increase efficiency of resource use and
  productivity
• Reduce externalities and avoid irreversible
  damage
• Establish reliable databases and information
  management
• Maximize positive sustainability attributes
• FAO, Shehadeh Pedini 1999

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Critical Issues Facing Open Ocean Aquaculture

• Siting
• mooring
• regulations
• effects on navigation
• capital costs
• Operating Costs
• automation
• transportation
• Seedstock Production
• Maturation- biosecurity
• Species Selection

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Net Pen Culture
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GMIT Platform Specifications
Permitted Site- 500 acres Main platform- 2-decks,
40 m X 24 m Main deck 25 m above water Water
depth on legs 24 m 2-250 kW diesel
generators Sleeping quarters for 20
men Galley and office Satellite platforms (3)- 2
decks, 14 m X 18 m
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3-Satellites
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Satellite Upper Deck
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Main Platform
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Superstructure
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Main Deck
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Crew Quarters
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Galley
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UTMB Site Survey

• Water quality good
• Water column well mixed
• Sediment loose and shifting
• Structure covered with biofouling
• Many fish in the area
• Depth adequate for pens
• Platform capable of supporting hatchery and
  grow-out crew
• Logistics excellent

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Next Line of Rigs
Not in Texas waters
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Seedstock Production

• Requires massive amounts of fry
• Requires even greater amounts of larval diets
• algae
• micro-invertebrate prey
• Requires development of new larval feeds
• Requires selective breeding programs
• Biosecurity and health related issues

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World Hatchery Capacity

• Seabass, Sea Bream, Yellowtail Flatfish
• Production in 1990 225,000 mt
• approximately 2.7 B fry
• Estimated production in 2000 350,000 mt
• approximately 3.9 B fry
• New species
• dolphin, snapper, cobia, grouper

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First Feeding
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Algae Production
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Rotifer Culture
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World Production of Marine Fish Fry
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Recommendations

• Construction and funding of a government/industry
  network of mariculture hatcheries (2-4) modeled
  on the prefectural aquaculture stations found in
  Japan.
• Development and application of improved hatchery
  technologies, especially for large scale
  production of algae and micro-invertebrate prey.
  Automation of as many hatchery functions as is
  possible.
• Identification of ideal species for culture,
  focusing first on egg and hatching size, second
  on prey/food selection, and third the species
  must also be amenable to out-of-season spawning
  techniques.
• Once optimal candidate species are identified,
  genetic selection programs must be instituted to
  develop biosecure, domesticated stocks,
  optimizing hatching size, disease resistance,
  conversion efficiencies and growth rate.

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Fish Hatchery Development
Ibaraki Prefecture- 3 M/yr. Flounder
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Lower Deck
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Platform Hatchery
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Gulf Marine Institute of TechnologyBusiness
Statistics

• GMIT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research institute
• GMIT owns a US6.2 M oil production platform 15
  km off Texas coast
• GMIT owns a 115 ft powered barge with 7.5 ton
  crane and 2 service vessels- 27 32 ft
• GMIT is partnered with UTMBs Biomedical
  Institute, Galveston, TX
• GMIT has guarantees for US10 M funding from an
  investment company, is insured for losses and
  platform removal, and is pursuing a partner to
  manage hatchery production

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Gulf Marine Institute of TechnologyAdvanced
Technology

• GMITs goal is to establish cage culture of
  finfish and a shellfish relay cleansing system
  for oysters
• GMIT holds patents to these technologies
• GMIT operates a large platform in the Gulf from
  which both projects can be initiated
• GMIT is collaborating with UTMBs Marine
  Biomedical Institute, Galveston, TX to create a
  regional technology base and expertise

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Gulf Marine Institute of TechnologyCurrent
Accomplishments

• Platform acquisition and site survey
• Vessel acquisition
• Technological innovations
• Sea Star Oyster relay system
• Sea Trek barrel cage system
• Permits
• US Army Corps of Engineers
• Texas TNRCC (EPA)
• Capitalization
• Funded by private and public donations

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GMIT Platform Farming Goals

• Phase I- 2000
• 1. Install net pen system- Ocean Spar SeaStation
• 2. Construct a small maturation and hatchery
  facility on the platform
• 3. Install oyster relay system- Sea Star
• 4. Stock sea cage with fingerlings
• 5. Establish baseline environmental data
• 6. Grow-out of finfish in sea cage- roundup
• 7. Develop marketing program

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GMIT Platform Farming Goals

• Phase II- 2001
• 1. Full-scale production in net pens
• 2. Evaluate feeding methods
• 3. Evaluate harvesting and transporting
  mechanisms
• 4. Evaluate processing technologies
• 5. Continue oyster relaying program
• 6. Continue environmental monitoring program

Phase III- 2002 Commercialization
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Gulf of Mexico Candidate Species

• Name Species Feasibility
  Potential
• Red Drum Sciaenops ocellatus
  Commercial Excellent
• Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus
  Technological Excellent
• Mutton snapper Lutjanus analis
  Technological Excellent
• So. Flounder Paralicthys lethostigma
  Technological Very good
• Cobia or Ling Rachycentron canadum
  Technological Very good
• Dolphin Coryphaena hippurus
  Technological Good
• Amberjack Seriola dumerili
  Experimental Excellent
• Yellowfin Tuna Thunnus albacares
  Experimental Very good
• Gulf Flounder Paralicthys albigutta
  Experimental Very good
• Pompano Trchinotus carolinus
  Experimental Very good
• Nassau grouper Epinephelus spp.
  Experimental Very good
• Yellowtail Snapper Ocyrus chrysurus
  Experimental Good
• Red Porgy Pagrus pagrus
  Experimental Good

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Gulf of Mexico Candidate Species

• Cobia- Rachycentron canadum
• extremely high growth rate
• spawning and hatchery knowledge both limited but
  Taiwanese have recently produced commercially
• attracted to platforms
• strong market in Southern US and Orient

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Gulf of Mexico Candidate Species

• Red Snapper- Lutjanus campechanus
• strong market
• spawning technology known
• hatchery success low
• strong government and sport fishing interest in
  stock enhancement
• current growth rates lower than other species

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Gulf of Mexico Candidate Species

• Red Porgy- Pagurus pagurus
• Selonda Aquaculture of Athens, Greece, has
  developed hatchery and grow-out technology
• good growth rate
• strong foreign market but limited in US

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Gulf of Mexico Candidate Species

• Red Drum- Sciaenops ocellatus
• commercially produced
• good growth rate and FCR
• market may not be as strong as other species

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Gulf of Mexico Candidate Species

• Dolphin- Coryphaena hippurus
• spawning and hatchery knowledge excellent
• extremely high growth rate
• strong domestic and foreign market
• FCR a problem

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Gulf of Mexico Candidate Species

• Southern Flounder- Paralicthys lethostigma
• spawning and hatchery knowledge is good
• extremely strong domestic and foreign market
• diverse culture technologies, net pens vs
  recirculating seawater vs freshwater
• coloration and runt problems require extensive
  grading