Climate change implications for aquaculture

sectoral practices. However, it must be recognized that the expansion of aquaculture in different regions may indeed be modified by climate change, particularly in areas and regions where aquaculture itself may provide adaptation opportunities for other sectors.

At present, the contribution of aquaculture to the supply of fishery products for human consumption is reflected in the growing share of fisheries in the gross domestic product (GDP) of some of the major producing countries. Given the growing human population and the stagnating growth of capture fisheries, it is expected that the supply of food from aquaculture will have to increase to meet future demand.

Aquaculture is a predominant activity in tropical and subtropical climatic regions, and in order to address and mitigate the impacts of climate change in these regions, it has been necessary, for the time being, to adopt an approach focused on the development of adaptation strategies, especially if the aim is to reduce the gap between fish supply and demand through aquaculture. However, the potential for aquaculture growth in other regions cannot be ignored.

Based on the development potential of aquaculture and the potential impact of climate change, it can be assumed that fisheries are one of the most important sources of inputs, providing food and, to a lesser extent, seeds, and that the changes resulting from global climate change will be felt in aquaculture systems. It is particularly important to note that the identification of the different areas suitable for farming will be affected, both in terms of space and seasonality, but also in terms of the availability and prices of resources such as fish protein for food production.

There is a great deal of information available on this subject, but the following aspects of the impact of climate change in aquaculture should be assessed:

9 Disease impacts, which may affect the selection of different features of the biological cycle and affect the transmission of parasites and possibly their virulence.

9 Social impacts, in particular changes in migratory routes and the biogeography of populations and their impact on fishing efforts.

Therefore, taking into account resilience and adaptability as well as the diversity of species or species groups cultivated, aquaculture can respond positively to climate impacts. For this to be possible, appropriate policies and socio-economic changes must be in place, supported and complemented by appropriate technological developments. A holistic, bottomup approach is preferred, rather than the other way around. The latter is crucial because the majority of aquaculture activities are small-scale, farmer-owned, farmer-operated and farmer-managed, especially in Asia, the epicenter of global aquaculture. Adaptive changes can only be implemented effectively and in a timely manner if local knowledge is incorporated and grassroots cooperation is ensured.