Maine scientist says marine aquaculture future looks bright

Tor-Eddie Fossbakk Brown told listeners at a lecture last week that the worldwide consumption of seafood is growing. According to an article in The Ellsworth American online, Brown said that aquaculture has grown at a rate of 8.8 percent since the ’70s. During the same time, beef production was up 2.8 percent. The total production of aquaculture product is 25 million tons with 70 percent of that coming from China. In 2005, aquaculture seafood was 45 percent of the total seafood consumed. Brown’s presentation was part of the Bay Ecology Series at the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratories. The estimated growth rate of wild seafood stocks was approximately 1.2 percent since the 1970s, with the rate being .7 percent in 10 years. Some 80 percent of the seafood in the United States is imported, which puts the country at an approximate USD 8 billion trade deficit. Brown said that aquaculture would fill the growing seafood gap. The goals of the Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research include improving the aquaculture industry in Maine in order to provide economic development for the state. The center believes raising diversified species such as worms, sea urchins, cod, halibut and salmon will provide more opportunities for success. Developing and integrating sustainable fish farming policies also is at the top of the center’s checklist to protect the ecosystem while growing aquaculture products.