MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Project for the development of aquaculture in the Falklands

Scientis Dan Fowler, Aquaculture Project Manager

Falkland Islands aquaculture project and research on species with potential to help develop a local industry was underlined in a piece released in the Fishupdate.com portal. Development of the aquaculture and marine farming project are part of a major review of the Falklands fisheries policy, adds the article.

“Revenue from the sale of fishing licenses has been as high as £20-25 million. Falklands’ waters are noted for their squid production and the fisheries have been very successful since the first fishing zone around the Falklands was declared in October 1986 and a fishing license regime was introduced in February 1987. A recent major review of fisheries policy concluded with the agreement on three significant policy initiatives, including the development of aquaculture and marine farming.

The Falkland Islands Development Corporation, responsible for encouraging the economic development of the Islands, outlined a three-year program of development for the Aquaculture Project. Its aim was to enable the Falkland Islands to develop the foundations for an aquaculture industry, specifically infrastructure and local expertise. Candidate species were selected on the basis of realistic opportunity for the Falkland Islands; market potential; fit with the environment and current freight logistics; and the potential to provide training and shared infrastructure.

Candidate species include sea trout and polychaete worms, but the Project has other work strands that aim to increase understanding of other species, such as mussels and a native fish species. The Aquaculture Project also supports local industry in its attempt to develop aquaculture projects.

The project is set to run until the end of 2009 and by then an exit strategy will have been put in place to ensure the best use of the information and expertise that have been developed. The Project’s aims in the coming months is to establish, with the private sector in the Falklands, whether anything truly has sufficient commercial traction to warrant further development, and how those with a keen interest in aquaculture can best be supported.

Dan Fowler, Aquaculture Project Manager, commented: “Having spoken to representatives of the fishing industry here I believe people would be keen to get involved with aquaculture if they felt there was a decent case and sufficient support for the industry from the Falkland Islands Government and Development Corporation.”