Annexe 2

COMMUNICATIONS PRESENTEES
PAR PHILIPPE FERLIN
COORDONATEUR DU PROJET - MEDRAP

MEDITERRANEAN AQUACULTURE

I INTRODUCTION

Marine aquaculture is not a new activity in the region : for 5 or 6 centuries, fish then shellfishculture was developped in selected areas, mostly in the Northwestern part of the Mediterranean.

Development of aquaculture depended on three factors:

-   hydrobiological factors
-   historical and socio-economical conditions
-   situation of fish production and consumption

1.1 Hydrobiological factors:

The Mediterranean is low in nutrients and is reported to be the most impoverished sea in the world. Scientists have observed that only those areas under Arctic ice or in certain tropical regions are less production than the Mediterranean as a whole. However, the waters in some portions of the Mediterranean are much more productive than other. Also, more than 1 million has a shallow brackishwater basins or lagoons occur along the Mediterranean coast and most of these are highly productive.

The temperature varies usually between 5°C winter and 30°C in summer, but the northern and western part of the Mediterranean are colder than the southern and eastern regions. Salinity is usually high, between 36 and 39 p.pt.

All these factors will limit marine aquaculture production, to selected species, excluding large development of such species like salmons for trouts (temperature and salinity are too high) or tilapias (temperature is too low), for example.

1.2 Historical and socio-economical conditions

Marine aquaculture development started in Italy many centuries ago through the progressive improvement of lagoon fisheries in which mullet, sea-bass, sea-bream and eels, that migrate actually into coastal lagoon in the spring, were kept and caught as they attempt to migrate back in the autumn. About one century ago, a shellfish culture was developped, in similar areas, in Italy, France and Spain.

These two activities were conducted by using the natural productivity of the most productive areas of the Mediterranean (lagoons, or semi-closed areas), on a private basis, mostly familial and very individualist. These conditions are to be compared to those prevailing in Japan, where aquaculture started in open sea, with intensive methods for fish culture (by using of feed), and was conducted by the cooperative companies of fishermen (KUMIAI): conditions were quite different in addition, prices also differ greatly from the usual Mediterranean prices, allowing more expensive technologies of production.

During the last 10 or 15 years, a new types of aquaculture was developped in the Mediterranean: “intensive” aquaculture: the difference between traditionnal aquaculture and “intensive” aquaculture, looks like the difference between agronomy and zootechny, in agriculture: in the first case you try to get the optimal production from a field, in the second one, you try to get the largest production of one selected species, even without a field. Like in agriculture, it seems that there are various intermediate solutions.

1.3 Situation of fish production and demand

Most of the Mediterranean countries are considered as “rich countries”, with regard to other areas (Africa, South-East Asia, etc…); all these countries are over a level of 500 US $ of G.N.P/inhabitant/near, and the food or proteins consumption per caput is usually high (with the exception of Egypt or Morocco); in the Mediterranean countries, the question is not, to produce proteins, but fish. Demand is very selective and usual coastal fish like sea-bass, sea-bream, mullet, etc… can fetch very high price; the present production of those species is not very important in volume (8%) but quite significative in respects to the value (15–20% of total production). UNfilled demand for the major aquaculture species is sufficient, to be sure that the projected increase of 20 or 30 000T during the next 10–15 years should not present major marketing difficulties within the Mediterranean region.

II STATE OF AQUACULTURE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION

2.1 Types of aquaculture:

Several methods of culture of fish, crustacean, or molluscs are used at present in the region or appear to have potential in the future.

2.1.1 Lagoon culture:

This system, traditional in the Mediterranean region, is based on the migration of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), sea bream (Sparus auratus), mullet (Mugil spp.), sole (Solea vulgaris), and other species into coastal lagoons in the spring and their return to the sea in the autumn. Eels (Anguilla anguilla) make a similar migration, but remain in the lagoons several years. The fish are captured in a simple trap when they attempt to return to the sea and all are sold regardless of size.

2.1.2 Valliculture:

This system, developed in the area of Comacchio and Venice, Italy, is an improvement over lagoon culture. Water level and salinity are controlled and fry collected in other areas stocked in embanked portions of lagoons, termed “valli arginata”. The fish are harvested in complex weir systems, called “lavorieri”. Undersized fish are held over winter in deep trenches with supplemental feeding and released into the valli to grow for a second summer. Progressively improved, by fertilization, is artifical fry restocking, etc… and valliculture is presently, the main type of commercial production of fishing. A new step of development will be reached with the change of valliculture into “integrated aquaculture”

2.1.3 Pond culture

Pond culture of fish is a recent development in the Mediterranean countries and is now practised on a large scale in Israel. Italy, Egypt and France. Experimental pond culture is underway in Tunisia and Spain in this system, earthen, ponds, provided with water at ambient temperature and salinity, are stocked with fish (fry or fingerlings) or shrimp (post-larvae or juveniles) collected from the wild or produced in hatcheries. In some cases, nursey ponds are used to rear the fish from fry to fingerling size, or shrimp from post-larvae to juveniles, before stocking in grow-out ponds. Supplemental feed is usually provided, but for some species, natural food is produced within the ponds by fertilization. When fish or shrimp reach marketable size, they are harvested by seining or draining the ponds.

2.1.4 Cage culture

Culture of sea bass and sea bream is a recent innovation in the region and is now being attempted on a semi-commercial basis in France, Yugoslavia and Israel, and on an experimental basis in Cyprus or Tunisia.

In this system of culture, floating cages or fenced enclosures, usually made of synthetic netting or wire screen, are placed in protected areas to grow fish to market size. Small fish, collected from the wild or produced in hatcheries, are held in the cages or enclosures and supplied with feed, usually floating or sinking pellets or chopped fish.

2.1.5 Controlled environment systems:

This is the most sophisticated and intensive aquaculture system in which fish, are kept in tanks or raceways and supplied with high-quality water of satisfactory salinity and optimum temperature for year-round growth. Some systems include reconditioning and re-use of water to reduce requirements for water or heating. In some cases, the tanks or raceways are insulated or enclosed in a building or greenhouse to maintain satisfactory temperatures. Artificiel feeding is required. Stoking is at high level to maximize production per unit of area, because of the high capital cost of these systems. France and Italy are the two countries in the region which have made some progress in the application of this technology, particularly for the culture of sea bream and sea bass, and in Italy for eels.

2.1.6 Mollusc culture systems:

Oysters and mussels traditionally are grown off-bottom in the Mediterranean region, where the tidal amplitude is slight. Spat or juveniles are suspended in various ways from fixed structures (platforms, tables, or racks) or from floats or rafts. Oyster and/or mussel farming is now carried out on a commercial or an experimental scale in several countries of the region, especially in Italy, France and Spain.

Clams are grown on-bottom in areas where the substrata and water currents are suitable. Clam culture is done on a small scale in France and on an experimental basis in Spain, Italy and Tunisia.

Mollux culture is the largest production of aquaculture in the Mediterranean, with a total production of about 80 000 T of oysters and mussels.

2.1.7 Polyculture or integrated aquaculture

New systems combining two basic systems, as for example, intensive raceways culture and semi-intensive pond-culture, or cage-culture and molluscs culture, are developped in several countries. The main advantages of such systems, are usually a best use of capital and land, a reuse of wastes from intensive culture, etc…

2.1.8 Other types of aquaculture

Two other types of aquaculture, combining one of the above systems and the use of effuents from external sources are developped in the Mediterranean.

-   use of heated effluents, mostly for hatcheries and first growing stages, in order to accelerate the growth of larvae or fingerlings, facilities are operated in Italy and France, either on a commercial basis (eel-culture), or on a semicommercial one.

-   use of epurated urban waste-water, which could produce without any supplementary feed, 2 or 3 tons of fish (mullets) per ha and per year. Such an experimental station (2 ha) is operated in Frances and new projects are studied in Algeria.

2.2 State of aquaculture for various species

Aquaculture ventures, at experimental and commercial levels, are found in most of the Mediterranean countries, but varied in the stage of development, species grown, and methods used.

2.2.1 Commercially viable aquaculture

At the present time, there are examples of economically successful lagoon management for sea bass, sea bream, sole, mullet and eel in several countries, including Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey.

Valliculture of sea bass, sea bream, sole, mullet and eel is commercially viable in Italy, the only country where with method has been applied.

Pond culture of eels has become economically successful in Italy and is being tried on a semi-commercial basis in France.

Pond culture of sea bass at a commercial level is being tried in France, Italy and Spain, but the economic viability has not yet been fully determined. Similar commercial ventures to grow sea bream have been started in Italy and Spain and experimental pond culture of sea bream has begun in France and Israel.

Mullet culture in ponds is reported to be economically successful in Egypt and Israel, where they are reared in polyculture systems with caro and tilapia. Commercial ventures for mullet farming have begun in Italy, but in Tunisia it is still in an experimental stage.

Sole culture in ponds is being studied in France, turbot culture is attempted on a commercial basis along the Atlantic coast. Pond culture of shrimp, Penaeus, Kerathurus and P. japonicus, using post-larvae reared in hatcheries was attempted on a semi-commercial level in France, but the profitability of the operation was not demonstrated. Experimental culture of shrimp in ponds is in progress in Israel, Italy and Spain, restocking experiments have begun in Italy.

Cage culture of sea bream and sea bass is being, carried out in France, Israel and Yugoslavia. Similar ventures are in progress in Cyprus and with sea bass in Tunisia, Algeria and Cyprus

Controlled environnement systems, still in the experimental stage, are being developed for eel in Italy, sole in France, and shrimp in France Italia and Spain. Commercial ventures, using controlled environnement systems, are being tried for sea bass and sea bream in France and Italy, but it is too early to determine their profitability.

Oyster (Ostrea edulis and Crassostrea gigas) and mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) culture, using various off-bottom systems, is economically successful in France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Tunisia and Yugoslavia. Oyster culture is also economically successful in bays along the Atlantic coast of France, Morroco and Spain.

Although clams harvested from natural stocks, in several countries, aquaculture has been tried on a commercial basis only in France and experimentally in Italy and Spain.

2.3 Production by aquaculture

Total production of the mediterranean is estimated at 70000T. The production of various species of fish, including sea bass, sea bream, mullet, sole and eel, is largely from lagoon culture or in Italy from valliculture, with a sub-total of about 12 000T. Production of oysters and mussels is the mayor part of the regional supply of farmed products, with about 55 000T of oysters and mussels (or 95 000T if italian mussel production is estimated at 70 000T). Eel production (mostly in freshwater farms) is developped gradually especially in Italy.

Intensive or semi-intensive production of marine fish is not very important (a few hundred tons, mostly from Italy or France), but is expanding gradually for 3 or 4 years.

III THE REGIONAL MEDITERRANEAN AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT - MEDRAP -

The exchange of culture technology among the countries bordering the Mediterranean and the development and application of new methods could yield a significant increase in the production of certain species;

3.1 Preparatory phase

An expert Consultation on Aquaculture Development in the Mediterranean Region (Athens, March 1978), recommended the formulation of a regional cooperative project for coastal aquaculture development as a part of the United National Environment Programme (UNEP) Mediterranean Action Plan. In implementation of this recommendation, UNDP approved a "preparatory Assistance of a Regional Mediterranean Aquaculture Development Project (MEDRAP) for execution by FAO within the framework of the UNDP/FAO Aquaculture Development and Coordination Programme (ADCP). Under this project, a mission was fielded to investigate the feasibility, improvement and pilot-testing of techniques, and research and training.

The mission visited the 13 Mediterranean countries which expressed interest in a cooperative effort to develop aquaculture, and appraised the state of aquaculture, the potential for development and the organizational, technical and production input requirements for the expansion or introduction of coastal aquaculture. The survey showed that there are many common needs, problems and opportunities for the development of aquaculture, that could best be handled by a regional project. Consequently, the mission prepared a project document describing such a project, which has been submitted by UNDP to the participating countries for endorsement. To facilate implementation of the project, UNDP approved advance recruitment of the Project Coordinator, who took up his duties in June 1980.

The project is implemented by the Food Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). It is aimed at providing essential support services for a region-wide development programme through assisting participating countries in implementing a series of coordinated national development activities of regional significance, including field testing, demonstration and regional training. The main emphasis will be on the transfer of existing technology within the region. One way accomplishing this will be to initiate types of aquaculture which have proven economically successful in one country in other countries where conditions are suitable. Another way is to combine techniques which have been developed traditionally or through research in several countries or institutions, and to conduct pilot projects to test their technical and economic viability, or to strengthen support services.

The project has headquarters with a core staff of international experts : The international staff assist the participating countries in planning, coordinating and monitoring of staff, with technical support from MEDRAP. The technical support is in the form of expert advice, training and specialized equipment. Expert advice through the expatriate staff and the assignment of short-term consultants to work at individual project. Training will, for the most part, take the form of short-term visits to selected commercial farms and research institutions. There will also one or two workshop scheduled every year.

MEDRAP will also be involved in the definition of environmental and human health aspects which effec aquaculture. Close cooperation will be maintained with UNEP. in the context of the Mediterranean Action Plan, and with who as an Associated Agency, with regard to the planning and implementation of the Environmental Health Impact Assesment, aimed at preventing health hazardus associated with the production and consumption of aquaculture products.

The work executed during these two years of the preparatory phase consisted of :

-   identification of field activities of interest for regional development
-   commencement of the initial activities
-   initiation of training
-   establishment of the Project Headquarters at Tunis,
-   a search for additional financing from the countries of the region

3.2 Field activities

The project Coordinators made one or more visits in all the participating countries in order to determine regional priority needs and the pilot field activities that could be conducted in each country and could have a regional interest as a technical or economic point of reference.

Some projects are already in execution: a hatchery and floating cages for European sea bass in Yugoslavia, an experimental station at Cyprus, an integrated aquaculture centre in Tunisia, shellfish farming in Algeria. Because of MEDRAP's limited ressources during the preparatory phase (coming solely from to the Arab Countries Bureau since January 1982) support could only be provided to the projects in Tunisia and Algeria until June 1982, but was extended again during these last 6 months to other countries pilot-projects.

In addition, with MEDRAP or outside financing (EEC, FAO Technical Cooperation Programme), feasibility studies were undertaken in other countries (Syria, Morocco) prior to the establishment of projects set in the regional framework and completing those already in execution.

Lastly, an effort has been undertaken on one hand to set up a network of hatcheries covering the Mediterranean and, on the other hand, to promote the exchange of fry between the participating countries.

Together with these field activities the MEDRAP Project has tried to work out methodologies and obtain technical data for specific aspects of the region which make it possible to supply technical documents. An initial operation on lagoon fish farming management in currently in execution: construction and management of “graus” (canals linking coastal ponds to the sea) and “bordigues” (fishingtraps on these canals), study and practical monitoring of productivity, etc.

3.3 Training and information

Two training operations took place during the six first months of 1982: exchange of specialists for short periods (Tunisian mission in France, Algerian mission in Tunisia, Franco-Yugoslavian mission in Algeria), and participation of trainees in a three-week training session on hatchery technology for marine fish at SETE, FRANCE; this training session included eleven participants from seven countries in addition to French participants.

With increased ressources, operations of the same type are already planned for the end of 1982 and the beginning of 1983 since training should become one of the priorities.

An information section will be added to the training in the form of a quarterly bulletin which should start publication during the second half of 1982. In 1983, if the ressources requested from UNDP are obtained, a regional computerized technical data bank will be established at Project Headquarters.

3.4 Establishment of Project Headquarters

The Tunisian Government offered to act as host to the Project Headquarters at Tunis. Headquarters was transferred there in September 1981.

The project has a large building containing offices, a documentation room and a meeting hall. Local personnel was made available while the basic international team is beinh set up progressively with the arrival of international experts. The complete basic team is expected to become operational at the beginning of 1983.

IV CONCLUSION

The Mediterranean region is offering favorable conditions for the development of aquaculture:

-   good hydrological or geographical conditions: large areas of lagoons, good temperature, protected areas, etc…

-    a large scientific and technical support: there are about 30 scientific institutions dealing with aquaculture all around the Mediterranean and several technical or extension services.

-   and financial ressources: the Medriterranean countries are generally already well developped, with skilled people and financial ressources, either from their own source, or from neighbouring countries (Arab States).

-   marketing conditions: the Mediterranean region imports two third of its own fish-consumption; potential for expanding aquaculture with regard to these marketing conditions is high, even if a large part of these imports is not composed of high-prized species.

During the last 3 or 4 years, new projects, new companies, new entrepreneurs appeared in so different countries as Italy, Tunisia, France, Yugoslavia, Algeria, etc…. These ventures show how attractive aquaculture is in the Mediterranean. However, such a development, to be successful, requires a great attention to risks encountered : environmental factors, diseases, lack of planning lack of training etc… The main objective of such a meeting, as this one is to review all these positive and negative factors, and to prepare action plans, at each level, to achieve realistic objectives, and get profitability from aquaculture development.

TABLE - 2-

ESTIMATED AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION IN MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES

0: is less than 5T/year
(1) Finish production from lagoon production
(2) 5700 T from valliculture
(3) Estimated à 70 000 T by other sources.

FISH AND FISHERY PRODUCTS PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES

(3) Mediterranean + Black Sea

FISH AND FISHERY PRODUCTS PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION IN THE MEDITERRAEAN COUNTRIES

(1) Gaza Strip excluded ( population : 660 000: Fisheries : 4700 T)
(2) Mussels included : 10 000 T - Other estimates : 70 000 T

ELEVAGE DES MOLLUSQUES

I. RAPPELS BIOLOGIQUES

-   Reproduction
-   Phase larvaire
-   Fixation
-   Grossissement

II. COLLECTE DU NAISSAIN OU CAPTAGE - AUTRES APPROVISIONNEMENTS

III. TECHNIQUES D'ELEVAGE EN MEDITERRANEE

IV. COMMERCIALISATION

-   Tris
-   Nettoyages
-   Trompage
-   Dégorgement
-   Epuration
-   Conditionnement

V. RESULTATS ECONOMIQUES

-   Exemple de tables
-           "      de radeaux

VI. PROBLEMES ACTUELS

-   Pollutions
-   Impact sur l'environnement
-   Travail des coquillages
-   Compétition avec la pêche
-   Marchés

VII. AUTRES MOLLUSQUES

-   Coquilles St Jacques
-   Palourdes

VIII. CONCLUSION

-   Intérét de la conchyliculture en Méditerranée
-   Importance actuelle
-   Condition de développement