Coastal Aquaculture Development in Eastern Africa and the Western Indian Ocean: Prospects and Problems for Food Security and Local Economies

Abstract

This paper reviews the experience and status of coastal aquaculture of seaweeds, mollusks, fish and crustaceans in eastern Africa and the islands of the western Indian Ocean. In many respects, coastal aquaculture is still in its infancy in the region, and there is a pressing need to formulate development strategies aimed at improving the income and assuring the availability of affordable protein to coastal communities. This paper also draws from positive and negative experiences in other parts of the world. The requirements of feed and fry, and the conversion of mangroves are used to illustrate how some aquaculture activities constitute a net loss to global seafood production. The paper presents both general and specific sustainability guidelines based on the acknowledgement of aquaculture as an ecological process. It is concluded that without clear recognition of its dependence on natural ecosystems, the aquaculture industry is unlikely to develop to its full potential in the region.

Abundance and Spread of the Invasive Red Algae, Kappaphycus spp., in Kane’ohe Bay, Hawai’i and an Experimental Assessment of Management Options

“…New introductions continue to occur with recent farm development and expansion occurring in the Marshall Islands, Kiribati (Teitelbaum 2002) and Eastern Africa (Ronnback et al 2002). At present, there are no risk assessment or environmental impact procedures in place for intentional introduction of Kappaphycus or Eucheuma, and in only a few occasions have scientists examined areas adjacent to farms to determine if the populations have established on the benthos.…”

Environmental impacts and implications of tropical carrageenophyte seaweed farming

“…Seaweed mariculture is also considered more environmentally benign than aquaculture of fish or crustaceans because cultivated seaweed neither requires feed nor produces organic or inorganic waste (Bryceson 2002; Rönnbäck et al. 2002).…”

Review of valuation methods for mangrove ecosystem services

“…This has most widely been attempted with mangrove replanting in Asia, although only a fraction of deforested mangroves have been replaced (Rönnbäck, 2007). Rönnbäck et al (2003) argue that rehabilitation of coastal ecosystems is inevitably more expensive than preservation of existing habitats. Rönnbäck (2007) found that coastal dwellers in Kenya derived significantly more ES from natural mangroves than from replanted mangroves.…”