The domestic fishery can no
longer supply additional landings of most wild-caught species
without endangering the resources. Increases in demand will have
to be met either through increased aquaculture production or
increased imports. Many species are currently being over-exploited
world-wide causing further need to look elsewhere for fishery
products to meet the ever- increasing global demand. Seafood
consumption has been steadily growing in the U.S. Even if consumption
remained unchanged in the 1990's, U.S. population growth alone
would add forty million pounds to the demand for seafood each
year. Shortfalls in domestic wild harvests of fish and shellfish
also draw in imports to fill demand. More than 60 percent of
the seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported resulting to trade
deficits in fisheries products. Economic benefits from aquaculture
production accrue not only to those directly involved in the
industry but contribute to increased employment and revenue of
the entire region. Recent analyses suggest output, income and
employment in the Mississippi catfish industry are multiplied
two to two and one-half times in the local economy. Aquaculture
can also supplement domestic fisheries, increase seafood production
and provide stability for the seafood industry. A successful
approach to many of these current domestic fishery problems is
through the development of an extensive aquaculture program in
the United States. Of particular interest is the success of the
farm-raised catfish industry, centered in the Mississippi Delta.
It stands as an example of what is possible in aquaculture.
Aquaculture has been established in the U.S. for over 100
years, but it remains relatively undeveloped in comparison to
the rest of the world. While farmed seafoods contribute over
20 percent by weight to world seafood production, U.S.
production is less than two percent of world aquaculture
production. In 2000, however, U.S. production
has grown to more than 370,000 metric tons or 823 million pounds
valued at $973 million. Coastal and offshore aquaculture frequently
involves new species, product forms or production technologies.
During the last decade, several species have been raised in the
Mississippi Gulf Coast including catfish,
baitfish, gamefish, crawfish,
soft-shell crab and crawfish, redfish,
hybrid striped bass, tilapia,
alligators, freshwater prawns, cultured
oysters and carp. Because research and development efforts have
been focused on production, little attention has been paid to
linking aquaculture with existing support services or to developing
needed infrastructure. Essential seafood services such as processing,
storage, transportation, financing, insurance and personnel training
already exist in the coastal region. A key constraint to development
is the lack of linkage between aquaculture and existing seafood
industries.
