Balancing economy and growth with biodiversity protection- An example from the Vietnamese aquaculture sector.

Transcription

1 Balancing economy and growth with biodiversity protection- An example from the Vietnamese aquaculture sector. Phan Thi Van

2 Content 1. Status of the aquaculture sector in Vietnam 2. The challenges to biodiversity in Vietnam 3. Is there an imbalance in the rapid development of aquaculture to gain economic growth in Vietnam? 4. Balancing Vision: economy and growth in aquaculture with biodiversity protection 5. Discussion point

3 I. Status of the aquaculture sector in Vietnam

4 Role of fisheries sector (2012) Vietnam a seaward and seafood country Total seafood production: 5,732,900 tons (among world top 10) Aquaculture: 3,110,700 tons Capture fisheries: 2,622,200 tons Seafood export value: USD 6.15 billion Source: NSO and DFish

5 Development of aquaculture area, production volume and export value of Vietnam during tons) Milion USD Fresh water Brackish water Farming area increased 1.9 times Ha Production volume increased 5.4 times Year Year Export value increased 4.1 times Source: NSO and DFish Year

6 Employment created by the fisheries sector Jobs for more than 4 million people Average increase of 150,000 jobs each year from Employment structure: - Capture fisheries: 30% - Aquaculture: 40% - Seafood processing: 19% - Services: 11% Source: DFish

7 Freshwater: Main aquaculture species Pangasius, carps, tilapia Brackish water: Black tiger shrimp, white leg shrimp, clams, blood cockles, seaweed Marine water: Groupers, Asian sea bass, pompano, cobia, red drum, snappers, lobsters, oysters, seaweed Cold (fresh)water: Sturgeon, rainbow trout

8 II. The challenges to biodiversity in Vietnam

9 The challenges to biodiversity in Vietnam The aquaculture sector impacts biodiversity through: Loss of ecosystems Use of exotic species Genetic pollution Use of aquatic resources

10 Loss of ecosystems (1) Shrimp farming has especially impacted ecosystems: Tidal area, wetlands and mangroves have been converted. - The mangrove area has decreased: In 1996: ha; In 2006: ha; In 2010: ha (D-fish) A major share of early lost mangrove was first used for poor yielding rice fields Recent production increase is mainly due to expansion of farming area (not in mangrove) and to a lesser degree due to use of exotic white leg shrimp and better technology.

11 Loss of ecosystems (2) Freshwater fish farming (excl. Pangasius) has also impacted ecosystems but likely by enriching. Farming area increased 1.5 times in 10 years from 294,000 ha to 358,000 ha (2010). By converting abandoned low rice productivity wetland into integrated VAC, ponds etc. Production increased 3 times in 10 years from 267,000 tons to 813,000 tons (2010) Very diverse in farming type, site, species, productivity Major role in household and village food security, employment and improved ecosystem diversity

12 Loss of ecosystems (3) The impact of Pangasius farming: Production increased 12 times from 1999 to 2010 from 86,000 tons to 1,100,000 tons and thus it is main contributor to increase of Vietnamese aquaculture production during last 5 years Only about 6000 ha in the whole Mekong Delta Productivity from tons/ha/crop Direct impact on a small geographic area of local ecosystems Through land use, waste and possible escapees with reduced genetic diversity (from hatchery)

13 Loss of ecosystems (4) The impact of marine fish farming: Total marine fish production in 2010 was only 12,000 tons against planned production of 200,000 tons (now in 2020) Not large areas - mainly family base cage culture in dense clusters in shallow bays (less than 10 m depth)

14 Loss of ecosystems (4) The impact of mollusk farming: Total clam production in 2010: 109,000 tons using 19,000 ha of intertidal mudflats in deltas and shallow bays area large but not impacted a lot apart from small fencing and increased seeding

15 Loss of ecosystems (5) The impact of the cold water aquaculture: In 2009: 12 farms/265 tons in 4 provinces, In 2010: 105 farms/1,380 tons employing about 750 people in 22 provinces Due to the farming sites being in resource restricted high mountain with limited cool stream water or highland reservoirs there is some impact

16 Use of exotic species (1) About 40 aquaculture species are exotics: Invertebrates: 4 species e.g. white leg shrimp, pacific oyster, bay scallop Fish: 34 species e.g. most carps, tilapia, red drum Amphibians: 1 species Reptiles: 1 species Purpose Food production: 32 species Ornamental: 6 species Others: 2 species

17 Use of exotic species (2) The impact of the 40 exotic species to local ecosystems has been estimated as: 9 species with no documented negative impact (white species) 23 species with no clear negative impact but in need for more assessments (grey species) 9 species with clear negative impact, with a need to be terminated from Vietnam (black species) (Source: L.T. Bình &N.V. Cuong, 2010)

18 Use of exotic species (3) Examples of clear impact issues: Carps in the rivers and lakes Mozambique tilapia in waterways including brackish Pacific oyster spawning in the open Ornamental cleaner catfish/plecos becoming main fish biomass in southern (extensive) ponds Golden snail in the rice field

19 Genetic pollution (1) Especially marine fish farming depends for a large part on imported juveniles Even it is native species they originate from other regions and thus likely with a genome not belonging to Vietnamese ecosystems Fish species in question: groupers; cobia; pompano from China incl. Taiwan Others: clams (mainland China) and tiger shrimp (wild brood stock) At present no comprehensive genetic selection programs on native species apart from tiger shrimp broodstock from Hawaii

20 Genetic pollution (2) Initiatives to avoid genetic pollution: 6 government broodstock centers in northern, central and southern regions for marine and freshwater keeping large broodstocks to preserve genetic diversity and avoid genetic drift But also conservation of indigenous (and exotic species) for broodstock development through establishing of a gene bank. e.g. 19 species in Northern including: Freshwater 6 indigenous and 8 exotic species Marine - 4 species (incl. Giant/King Grouper) (Source: Son, 2012)

21 Use of aquatic resources (1) Impact of aquaculture on exploitation of aquatic resources Vs capture fisheries Aquaculture accounts for 55% of production However aquaculture still uses trash/food fish Direct use for feeding: 90% of marine fish farms still use fresh trash fish 20% of the fish meal used in feed pellets originate from local sources Aquaculture still uses some wild/natural seed/juveniles/brood stock Lobsters, clams and tiger shrimp

22 Use of aquatic resources (2) Vietnamese use of World resources and contribution to food security: Vietnam depends on World supply of ingredients for aquaculture pellet feeds etc. Fish meal (80% imported), fish oils (100% imported), soya bean Some seed/juvenile imports But Vietnam is a major contributor of supplying the World with seafood Exports to 161 countries Exports millions tons

23 III. Is there an imbalance in the rapid development of aquaculture to gain economic growth in Vietnam?

24 Is there an imbalance in the rapid development of aquaculture to gain economic growth in VN? (1) Positive impact on macro economy Food security Employment Trade balance/foreign currency Tourism

25 Is there an imbalance in the rapid development of aquaculture to gain economic growth in VN? (2) Negative impact on biodiversity Ecosystem level: Loss of mangrove forest and tidal flats: 400,000 ha converted into shrimp ponds Loss of wetland: 50,000 ha converted into ponds for fish farms Reduced environment quality of area due to occupation, waste discharge, chemical and drug use

26 Is there an imbalance in the rapid development of aquaculture to gain economic growth in VN? (3) Negative impact on biodiversity: Species level 32 out of 40 exotic species have negative impact or a need for further impact assessment Many native species may have been depleted or replaced due to competition with exotic species, exploitation for seed or feed. Some diseases may have been introduced due to import seed, broodstock.

27 Is there an imbalance in the rapid development of aquaculture to gain economic growth in VN? (3) Negative impact on biodiversity:. Genetic level Exotic strains (and escapees) may have reduced the local gene pool of natural populations of tiger shrimp, cobia, clams, catfish

28 IV. Balancing Vision: economy and growth in aquaculture with Biodiversity protection

29 Balancing economy and growth of the aquaculture sector with biodiversity in VN (1) Development Goal: Food security Trade balance/foreign currency Target objective: Area: 1,200,000 ha; of which 740,000 ha brackish and 460,000 ha freshwater Production: 4,500,00 tons of which 1,550,000 tons from brackish water and 2,950,000 tons from freshwater Export earnings: 7.2 billion USD Jobs for 2,5 million people in aquaculture

30 Balancing economy and growth of the aquaculture sector with biodiversity in VN (2) Economic target by 2020 Biodiversity considerations No increase in farming area 1.2 million ha Involve 2.5 million people Production increase 1.5 time (4.5 million tons) Export value increase 1.5 time (USD 7.2 billions) Balance freshwater and brackish water. More farming of marine finfish and mollusks Labor or capital intensive technology Increased productivity, more intensive/resource efficient farming where appropriate Improve value chain, higher economic valued species, efficiency of scale Responsible Aquaculture: Climate Change impact; environment protection, disease prevention and food safety.

31 V. Discussion point

32 Discussion point It has been widely accepted that the agriculture sector has changed large land-based ecosystems for food production/security. Furthermore most of the land based agriculture food production comes from exotic and/or highly genetic selected species. Do we put unrealistic, restrictive expectations on aquaculture development while we at the same time expect aquaculture to take an important role in food security and economic development?

33 Thank you