These practices include integrated planning, involving all stakeholders, coastal zone management to harmonize uses, restoration of coastal habitats, promotion of sustainable tourism and environmental monitoring to assess impacts and adjust policies accordingly. explained the speakers at this meeting organized under the theme “Marine aquaculture, the environment and coastal development”.
Discussions also focused on the importance of a sustainable approach to aquaculture, taking into account environmental and social impacts, as well as appropriate management practices to ensure healthy marine ecosystems.
Speaking on this occasion, the Head of the aquaculture projects engineering department at the National Agency for the Development of Aquaculture (ANDA), Abdelkadouss Morchid, affirmed that aquaculture is undeniably the most important food production sector. the fastest growing, and as global demand for fish increases, it has become clear that any future increases in consumption will have to come from aquaculture.
Mr. Morchid, however, noted that despite its potential, the sustainable development of aquaculture may be hampered by several challenges, including the identification of common indicators to assess the sustainable development of aquaculture.
Among these indicators, he continued, is the carbon footprint, an indicator which aims to measure the environmental impact of an activity, focusing particularly on the greenhouse gas emissions associated with this activity.
In addition to the carbon footprint, other factors such as space and water use as well as fish feed management are also crucial, Morchid said, adding that these aspects play a role. essential role in the overall sustainability of aquaculture and therefore, it is imperative to find ways to minimize the impact of aquaculture on the environment while ensuring adequate food production to meet the growing needs of the world’s population .
For his part, the president of the Moroccan Aquaculture Association (AMA), Mohamed Ali Eddadi, stressed that aquaculture is booming in Morocco, offering new economic opportunities, believing that to ensure its sustainability, it It is crucial to meet the environmental challenge by guaranteeing a clean and preserved environment.
To do this, continued Mr. Eddadi, raising awareness of the importance of aquaculture and its potential in terms of food security, job creation, reduction of pressure on marine resources and gradual replacement of fishing traditional maritime are essential elements.
For his part, Mohamed Salah Ben Romdhane, deputy director of Aquaculture in Tunisia, highlighted the weak integration and dependence on imports, explaining that despite a national production capacity of nearly 90,000 tonnes per year, only one third of this capacity is exploited, with imports representing more than 30% of the market.
Fish and fry imports remain major challenges for the Tunisian aquaculture industry, as demand far exceeds local supply, and in addition, the importation of artemia, essential for feeding fish larvae , remains a weak point, despite the presence of exploitable local sites, he noted, emphasizing the need to support aquaculture production throughout the region and the importance of in-depth analyzes of marine ecosystems.
Organized by the National Federation of Fishing Products Processing and Valorization Industries (FENIP) in partnership with the Swiss Import Promotion Program (SIPPO) and the General Commission for Mediterranean Fisheries (CGPM), this event aims to bring together not only government officials and private sector researchers, but also businesses and international partners.
2024-09-29 18:42:28