1. Introduction 5 1.1 Problem Description Awareness of environmental problems in aquaculture has increased significantly in recent years.According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (2010), 11 of the world’s 15 major fishing areas and 69 % of the world’s major fish species are declining and in urgent need of attention. The greatest challenge involves finding sustainable ways to maintain and increase the scale of fish production in order to meet the increasing demand of a growing global population. According to estimates, the world population is expected to increase to nine billion by 2050, with 60 % of all of these people living within 60 km of the sea (FAO, 2010). The demand for products from the sea (e.g. food, feed and fuel) will increase accordingly. At present, the amount of fish retrieved from the sea has already reached to its ecological limits. The world’s major fishing areas and 69% of its major fish species are in decline. Although onshore aquaculture is currently increasing as well, space limitations prevent it from becoming sustainable. Furthermore, the transition from an oil-based economy to a bio-based economy will increase the demand for biomass, including biomass from aquatic origin (e.g. seaweed). Fulfilling these demands sustainably and with respect for environmental capacity will require new concepts of production for seafood and aquatic biomass. Against this background, InnovationNetwork launched the concept of marine parks in 2004. This concept entails the production of various forms of aquatic food and biomass (e.g. fish, shellfish, mussels, seaweeds) at sea, combined in clusters and using the present infrastructure (i.e. wind farms, oil and gas platforms). The Pagina 15

Pagina 17

Interactieve digitale reisgids, deze drukwerk of flyer is levensecht online geplaatst met Online Touch en bied het van papier naar online converteren van web weekbladen.

470 Lees publicatie 158Home


You need flash player to view this online publication