Aquaculture's potential impacts on conservation of wild stocks and biodiversity

Abstract

Anderson theorizes that development of the aquaculture of a fish species (also captured in an open‐access fishery) favours the conservation of its wild stocks, if competitive market conditions prevail. However, his theory is subject to significant limitations. While this is less so within his model, it is particularly so in an extended one outlined here. These other models allow for the possibility that aquaculture development can impact negatively on wild stocks thereby shifting the supply curve of the capture fishery, or raise the demand for the fish species subject both to aquaculture and capture. Such development can threaten wild fish stocks and their biodiversity. While aquaculture development could in principle have no impact on the biodiversity of wild stocks or even raise aquatic biodiversity overall, its impact in the long‐term probably will be one of reducing aquatic diversity both in the wild and overall. The development of aquaculture does not automatically ensure long‐term sustainability of fish and other aquatic supplies.