Generating knowledge and providing technical assistance
A woman works in a Moroccan sardine factory. (FAO/Giuseppe Bizzarri)FAO’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Department supports and promotes responsible and sustainable development in capture fisheries and aquaculture, in post-harvest processes and in distribution, markets and trade. It does this by generating knowledge and information, providing a global neutral forum for negotiations on key issues, and offering technical assistance at national and regional levels.
The importance of energy issues in fisheries has long been recognized. The Department developed the first standardized surveys of fishing fleet fuel use in the 1980s. The associated methodologies for fuel use and costs have also been important in estimating the scale of global subsidies in capture fishing and for making the case for strategic reforms. Energy and fuel use has continued to be an important technical theme with the development of a wider review on global use and possible reduction strategies and technical guidelines on practical means of reducing fuel use in fishing vessels. A review of these activities identified key mitigation routes for the sector in energy consumption, through fuel and raw material use. As with other food sectors, the sound management of distribution, packaging and other supply chain components was also recognized as contributing significantly to decreasing the sector’s carbon footprint.
Capture fishing
Many forms of capture fishing have become highly energy-intensive, with fuel costs typically representing 30-50 percent of operating costs.
• The global fishing fleet is made up of about 4.3 million vessels, about 60 percent of which are powered by internal combustion engines.
With no practical energy alternative in sight in the short or medium term, FAO’s work has focused on generating knowledge and information on energy efficiency in conventional fishing. This includes identifying practical and technical areas affecting energy efficiency and options to address them. Recent FAO activities include a review of key capture technologies and the identification of gaps, constraints and opportunities in the development of ‘Low Impact and Fuel Efficient’ (LIFE) fishing. The review also looked at the transfer and adaptation of technologies from fisheries that have demonstrated commercial potential for similar species. Review findings also include examples of potential energy saving techniques and operational adaptations to reduce fuel consumption and the environmental impacts of demersal trawling (Suuronen et. al, 2012). The options for fuel and energy reduction vary widely depending on the fleet, fishing techniques, management and market conditions. In many cases, there is the potential to reduce fuel use per capture output. However, the means for tapping this potential, perhaps through incentives and support for small-scale fishing fleets, still need to be addressed.
Aquaculture
The use of fuel and energy in aquaculture is more indirect than in capture fisheries. Aquaculture production systems are diverse, ranging from low-intensity subsistence operations to high-intensity industrial models. The rapid growth of aquaculture production has been accomplished in part through intensification.
• Global feed production for farmed fish and crustaceans is estimated at about 6 million tonnes.
• Along with the energy costs of capturing the feedstocks, the production of fish meal and fish oil requires significant amounts of energy for cooking, drying and evaporation.
• Energy consumption in fish meal production is estimated at 32 kilowatt-hours (kWh) plus 32 litres of fuel oil per tonne of raw materials processed.
Substantial parts of the aquaculture sector are now reducing their dependence on fishmeal and oil, but the energy required to produce terrestrially sourced raw materials is also significant. Water exchange and treatment, boats, vehicles and handling systems create additional energy demands in aquaculture. However, these demands are usually less important than feeds and fertilizers. Growth in the aquaculture sector will depend on improving feeding efficiency and increasing land or water-based productivity. Information on energy options and strategies for feeding and practical advice for producers will be important in supporting the aquaculture sector and ensuring that it provides sustainable benefits for producers and consumers.
