November 13, 2007

 

Thailand urged to develop sustainable aquaculture

 

 

Thailand has a significant advantage in aquaculture and should capitalise on this growing sector, a senior bank executive said.

 

Thailand, with a coastline stretching more than 3,000 kilometres teeming with marine life, has become one of the largest seafood producers and exporters in the world.

 

However, with supply diminishing in the face of growing demand, the country is being urged to turn to sustainable fishing by promoting aquaculture. 

 

Goh Chong Theng, general manager of the Singapore branch of Rabobank International said centralised planning and resource management are required for this potential to be realised

 

According to a study by the bank, Thailand's total seafood production is nearly four million tonnes a year, mainly shrimp and canned tuna.

 

With huge global demand, the country faces the challenge of maintaining its marine resources to sustain the industry.

 

This is not a problem unique to Thailand as major exporters like Vietnam, Indonesia and China are also facing the same problem.

 

In fact, growth in seafood production in the region has slowed from 7 percent a year from 1990 and 1995 to 5 percent from 1995 to 2000. Now, it is growing at a little over one percent during 2000-2005.

 

In the face of a growing supply shortage, fishing companies have resorted to harmful practices such as overfishing, blast-fishing and trawling, which degrade the marine environment, the bank noted.

 

Aquaculture would alleviate pressure for increased seafood production and help control food safety, which is a growing concern, said Patrick Vizzone, Rabobank's regional head for Asian food and agribusiness.

 

Freshwater aquaculture now accounts for 43 per cent of total worldwide seafood production. Moreover, the sector is growing by 5.2 percent a year, compared with just 2.1 per cent for seawater production.