Seaweed the answer?

Consultants say export earnings from seaweed could be high

A report by Consultants who assessed the Marine Aquaculture (Mariculture) potential in five Pacific nations, including the Cook Islands, was carried out between July and November 2011, completed in November 2011 and released on 1 March 2012.
Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic plant, invertebrate and vertebrate species, and covers a wide range of technologies applied to cultivation in freshwater, brackish water and seawater.
Mariculture is a subset of aquaculture, and refers to the cultivation of species in brackish and seawater.
Hambrey Consulting in association with Nautilus Consulting carried out the project for the Secretariat of the Pacific Community ‘s (SPC) Marine Resources Division, in the Cook Islands, PNG, Fiji, Solomons and Marshall Islands. The study was funded by Aus Aid under the Fisheries for Food Security programme.
In the Cook Islands, Hambrey assessed the potential opportunities, development costs and earnings potential for Pearls, Giant Clams, Marine Shrimps, Prawns, Seaweed (trialed in Penrhyn and Palmerston), Coral and Fin Fish (Milk Fish).
Surprisingly, the Consultants concluded that potential export earnings from Seaweed and Pearls was high and for Marine Shrimp, medium.
The consultants also commented on other possibilities including; Tropical Fish, Tilapia, Pacific Oysters, Farming Coconut Crabs and Tupa, and Trochus.
Recommendations
The Consultants recommendations for our government to consider were;
• Continue to explore and facilitate options for increased production efficiency, niche marketing and value added in the pearl subsector.
• Beware direct or indirect subsidy to ailing pearl farms, which, in the absence of appropriate incentives, may slow the necessary readjustment.
• Undertake more thorough understanding of giant clam market: price paid for different sizes; time taken to reach different sizes; premium associated with different species and colours; likely market volume and opportunities for expansion.
• Explore more seriously options for government–private sector partnerships to exploit track record in giant clam production, and human, biological and physical assets associated with government hatcheries
• Explore more efficient approaches to ocean nursery grow out and maintenance, including possible out of water maintenance of clam cages.
• Undertake thorough analysis of the domestic finfish market before promoting finfish mariculture of any kind. Consider shrimp farming as alternative use of marine/brackish water ponds.
Careful consideration
Why must government consider Mariculture very carefully? According to the Consultants, Mariculture comes with its own peculiar characteristics which are;
- Mariculture is more risky than most forms of economic activity. Most marine organisms are highly sensitive to water quality, salinity and temperature, and are vulnerable to disease, predation, theft and cyclones. Many species require significant investment and working capital, and have long cropping cycles, compounding the risk profile.
-Many species/systems require expensive feed – typically more expensive than animal feed, mostly due to limited production quantities and high quality raw materials required (carnivorous feeding habits).
- Many species are demanding in terms of husbandry and may not be suited to part time attention. It is harder to keep a general eye on organisms growing beneath the water.
-Per unit production costs in mariculture are usually higher than those in well managed capture fisheries.
-Many mariculture products are perishable and costly to deliver to market, especially from remote island locations
-Mariculture is highly competitive with very efficient production already established in other parts of the world. In a global economy this competition has to be taken into account.
-Some forms of intensive aquaculture can be seriously polluting, and most forms will require environmental regulation and management given the sensitivity of tropical coastal ecosystems.
A word of caution
In its recommendations concerning Mariculture, the SPC is urging caution. In a media release issued last Tuesday, the SPC says;
The report urges Pacific nations to think twice before embarking on sea-farming enterprises.
Many Mariculture projects have been undertaken in the past without proper economic studies, particularly of the costs involved and the potential markets for fish products.
The Pacific has a 30-year history of failed attempts at Mariculture.
“According to the SPC, the lessons from these failures have not been learned. Mariculture is not easy and it’s not cheap. Pacific Island nations should think of it as one possible option, rather than something to be promoted at all costs. Potential difficulties include expensive feed, long cropping cycles, competitive markets, expensive transportation and products requiring high labour inputs. The report describes Mariculture as a risky activity.
It calls for more thorough market appraisals and estimates of production, distribution and marketing costs of any proposed new venture. The involvement of private industry at an early stage in research and development helps add a dose of realism.
The report is available on the internet at: www.spc.int/DigitalLibrary/Doc/FAME/Reports/HambreyConsulting_12_MaricultureReport.pdf

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