Urban Aquaculture Blog Revisited
“Aquaculture,
not the Internet, represents the most promising investment opportunity of the
21st Century,”
Peter Drucker, Economist and
Nobel Laureate
Sea Port’s Prediction: By 2050, cities will be producing aquatic
animals, plants, and algae for food by integrating intensive aquaculture
production systems into their water/waste management infrastructures.
In revisiting this blog, it has occurred to me that since
2012, several developments both environmentally and technologically may have
added support to this ongoing prediction.
·
Atmospheric CO2 concentrations have surpassed
the 400 ppm mark and our oceans are becoming more acidic which may harm wild
fisheries and bring even greater pressure on closed system aquaculture to
provide us with seafood.
·
RAS, Recirculating Aquaculture Systems, are
advancing rapidly with success stories emerging every day for species such as
salmon, shrimp, and tilapia. In
addition, the field of aquaponics is making great strides as well as the development
of highly nutritious and sustainable aquaculture feed formulations.
·
Predictions of rising sea levels and increases
in severe weather patterns may favor inland RAS aquaculture over the harvest of
wild fisheries that may become more dangerous to the fishers and their
vessels. In addition, the costs to
maintain port infrastructures could soar with rising sea levels.
·
The warming of our oceans and the resulting
change in existing ocean current patterns and phytoplankton productivity/composition
could severely curtail our ability to predictively manage wild fisheries. This would further drive us to RAS
aquaculture where we could better control inputs, outputs, and the finished
edible products.
Peter Drucker’s prediction at the beginning of this blog
should be modified to say that aquaculture would also be a necessity
for the 21st Century. This is Sea Port’s
perspective and we continue to believe that urban aquaculture will eventually play
a critical role in providing healthy seafood in a world that is constantly
changing environmentally, economically, and technologically.
Sincerely,
David Glaubke, Director of Sustainability Initiatives
