AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT IN MEXICO. REPORT OF A REVIEW MISSION 1978
| AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT IN MEXICO. REPORT OF A REVIEW MISSION 1978 |
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2. STATUS OF FISH PRODUCTION, MARKETING AND DEMAND
2.1 Production and marketing
2.2 Demand
3. BACKGROUND OF AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT
4. PRESENT STATUS OF MOLLUSC CULTURE
4.1.1 Status
4.1.2 Development programme
4.1.3 Costs and returns of oyster culture
4.1.4 Demand for oyster
5.1 Status and general observations
5.2 Development programme
5.3 Conclusions and recommendations
5.4 Pilot project proposal
5.4.1 Site
5.4.2 Layout and construction
5.4.3 Personnel
5.4.4 Costs and returns
6.1 Stocking of open waters
6.2 Commercial farming
6.2.1 Catfish culture (Ictalurus punctatus)
6.2.2 Freshwater prawn culture
6.2.3 Trout culture
6.2.4 White fish culture
7. EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS
1 Projected aquaculture production by 1982 in the revised national Aquaculture Development Plan
2 Itinerary of Economist and Mission Leader
3 Itinerary of Aquaculturist (Molluscs)
4 Itinerary of Aquaculturist (Brackishwater Fish Farming)
5 Itinerary of Aquaculturist (Freshwater Fish Farming)
6 Fishery Production by Major Species 1967–76
7 Expected Oyster Production by 1982, as projected by the Directorate-General of Aquaculture
8A Estimated costs and returns (per raft) of oyster culture (seed settling on rack and growing on raft) in the State of Nayarit
8B Estimated costs and returns of a 1.2 ha oyster farm (seed settling on racks and growing on the bottom) in the State of Veracruz
8C Estimated costs and returns (per ha) of oyster culture (seed settling on racks and growing both on racks and on the bottom) in the State of Tabasco
9 Price and consumption of oyster
10 Major feed mills and their capacities
11 Cost of the major fish feeds/ton produced locally
12 Estimated costs and returns of a 25-ha shrimp farm, San Blas, Nayarit
13 Government hatcheries and their production
14 Production and average price of Macrobrachium for the period 1968–77
15 Estimated costs and returns of 1 ha farm of Machrobrachium rosenbergii
16 Estimated costs and returns of large-scale (100 ha) tilapia farm
17 Estimated costs and returns of small-scale (1 ha) tilapia farm
Mexico has one of the highest rates of population growth - for the past 15 years increasing annually at the rate of 3.4 percent - and the present domestic food production is insufficient to meet the ever-increasing demand. In order to bridge the gap between production and demand of fishery products and to overcome nutritional deficiencies of the people, particularly in rural areas, the Government of Mexico proposes to increase production through the expansion of capture fisheries and aquaculture. The National Plan of Fishery Development (1977–1982) of Mexico lays considerable stress on aquaculture, also as a significant means of generating employment and income in the rural sector. The plan envisages a nine-fold increase in production from aquaculture in a five-year period. During discussions regarding external assistance for aquaculture development in the country, it was decided that the Plan should be reviewed by a multidisciplinary team in the light of the state of technology, sites available, manpower and markets. This report contains the findings of a four-man mission that undertook this review.
Oyster farming is one of the more developed forms of aquaculture in Mexico. The principal oyster species cultivated are Crassostrea virginica on the Atlantic coast, and Ostrea corteziensis on the Pacific coast. There are potential areas suitable for extending oyster production in the country, and an expanding domestic market exists for oysters. The exclusive fishing rights granted to cooperatives have restricted investment by private enterprises in this industry. The lack of depuration and controlled temperature storage facilities may also be limiting factors for increased production. The oyster development programme, prepared by the Government, envisages a seven-fold increase in production between 1977 and 1982. While such a target might appear technically feasible, its attainment will require effective and sustained support through appropriate infrastructure, training of personnel and demonstration, which will take considerable time to organize. The mission, therefore, felt that the target (210 000 t) set by the Government was too optimistic and such a production could not be attained during a span of five years. A more realistic estimate would be a 5 percent annual increase derived from natural oyster beds, a 20 percent annual increase resulting from semi-cultivation methods, and a 35–40 percent increase from culture methods. At such rates the oyster production by 1982 would reach the level of about 65 000 t.
Mussel culture, a new system of aquaculture in Mexico, has been proposed as another means of increasing shellfish production. Attempts have been made recently to obtain basic information on growth rates, mortalities, etc. of the local species from small-scale trials conducted on the Pacific coast of Baja California, where the natural resources of mussel are located. It is felt that prior to planning mussel culture on a large scale, it is necessary to evaluate the data obtained, not only from pilot-scale raft operations proposed by the Directorate General of Aquaculture, but also experiments in other mussel culture systems. The mission found it difficult to make any projections of production, pending the completion of experimental and pilot-scale operations. The necessary experiments should be undertaken as soon as possible and based on the results obtained, further activities should be planned.
To off-set the marked decrease in scallop (Aequipecten (Plagioctenium) circularis) landings, studies and trials were initiated a few years ago for the culture of this species in the Bay of La Paz. The mission found it impossible to estimate the projected production by 1982, before the results of the pilot project proposed by the Directorate General of Aquaculture are known.
The brackish waters of Mexico include lagoons, estuaries, tidal flats and swamps on the Gulf of Mexico and in the east of the Gulf of California and along the Pacific coast. The Ministry of Hydraulic Resources has been implementing a programme of engineering work to maintain and increase communication with the sea. Artificial canals have been constructed and sand bars opened to create direct access to the sea. The habitat improvement has become a major activity and about 60 development projects of this nature are under execution or study. Natural productivity of the lagoons, however, is not unlimited and, as any plans for increasing their yield through culture technology still to be developed will take some time, further increases resulting from current and planned experiments cannot be expected immediately.
Fish farming in brackish water is still in its experimental phase in the country. The Department of Fisheries has identified culture systems for trials based mainly on knowledge of the biology of the species or of farming systems in other countries, but some time will elapse before even the stage of pilot scale operations for these systems is reached. The mission identified some brackishwater areas suitable for aquaculture. The area with the greatest potential appeared to be the swamps located between the towns of San Blaz and Teacapán in the State of Nayarit. The mission propose that a pilot project be established in this area to undertake shrimp pond farming and, if found economically feasible, to grow also mullet and milkfish. It is suggested that a 25-ha area be developed initially, with sufficient land set aside for expansion to 100 ha at a later date. This project will serve as a model for development of other areas and training ground for technicians and farmers.
Freshwater fish culture in Mexico can be broadly classified into two categories: stocking of open waters, such as lakes, reservoirs and dams; and commercial farming in ponds or other confinements. The Government has paid considerable attention to improving the fish production in open waters through seeding or stocking. There are 20 government owned hatcheries which produce about 46.5 million fingerlings per annum, the main species produced being carp, tilapia and black bass. All the fingerlings produced are stocked into lakes, dams and reservoirs. Most of these open waters are already stocked and in most of them breeding fish populations are well established. The policy of continued stocking of these open waters has to be re-examined as, from available information, it would appear that natural recruitment is adequate to maintain the fisheries at economic levels. Further stocking would only be justified for unoccupied niches in these bodies of water. The aquaculture development plan envisages a seven-fold increase in production from open waters between 1977 and 1982, which appears too optimistic. It is felt that a significant increase in production is more likely to result from fish culture than from continued stocking. In view of the fact that intensive culture of tilapia and carp in ponds can contribute more in achieving speedy results in food production and conform to the national development objectives, the mission suggests that tilapia and carp should be considered as the major freshwater species for farming.
The other major freshwater species proposed for commercial farming in the Government Plan are catfish, freshwater prawn, trout and white fish. The culture of these species is either in the early stages of development, or in the pilot operation stage in the country. The farming techniques suited to local conditions and market potentials have to be studied in greater detail before large-scale expansion in production is planned.
The implementation of the various aquaculture programmes elaborated by the Department of Fisheries and included in the National Plan of Fishery Development, or those proposed by the mission, would entail substantial investments of money and effort and support from qualified personnel at all levels. With regard to investment, the mission feels that as oyster farming and the culture of the freshwater prawn have reached the stage of commercial operation, investment assistance for these two sectors could be obtained from national and international financial institutions. For the implementation of large-scale production and pilot projects, the services of aquaculturists with multidisciplinary training in different aspects concerned with the establishment and operation of aquaculture enterprises would be needed. The mission suggests, therefore, that senior personnel required be trained at the Latin American Regional Centre for Aquaculture to be established in Brazil, and technicians and extension workers be trained locally at the training centres to be established in selected areas; one for training on coastal aquaculture and the other in inland aquaculture. Technical assistance for organizing training programmes may be obtained from external sources.