Community opportunities in aquaculture, What are the possibilities and limits?

Aquaculture now contributes 47% of fish available for human consumption – up from 9% in 1980. This shift to aquaculture offsets the stagnation in the production from capture fisheries (FAO 2012). By 2030, demand for fish is expected to reach 261 million tonnes, but fish production is only expected to rise to 210 million tonnes; demand will therefore exceed supply by 50 million tonnes. Africa is likely to produce 11 million tonnes by 2030, but the demand will be as high as 18 million tonnes (FAO 2013). Developing countries are more likely to feel the fish shortfall as cheap and accessible fish protein becomes less available (HLPE 2014; Delgado et al 2003). Increased aquaculture production could be critical in bridging the gap. However, despite huge advances in aquaculture in China, Southeast Asia and other regions, Africa’s contribution to global aquaculture production was still less than 3% in 2012 (FAO 2014). Africa’s low aquaculture productivity is mirrored in South Africa where less than 5 000 tonnes of fish per year comes from aquaculture, while over 600 000 tonnes is from capture fisheries (Britz 2007; George Warman Publications 2007). Even at continental level, South Africa contributes less than 1% to Africa’s aquaculture production (FAO 2014). Nevertheless, aquaculture has great potential to increase fish production in South Africa and Africa (DAFF 2012)