Applied research in aquaculture — An industry pespective

Technological systems advances have shifted emphasis in aquaculture research to intensive culture, while biological understanding of pond ecosystems has not advanced commensurately. World aquaculture production will be dominated by earthen pond systems for some years to come, suggesting increased emphasis in this area. Transfer of research findings into commercial operations is hampered by differences in goods and priorities between the research and industrial sectors, and improved communications can help focus research on critical areas and improve the transfer of research results to operations. Neglected areas inviting further research include biological and chemical processes in the pond ecosystem, innovative harvesting techniques for earthen ponds, evaluation of new species for culture, utilization of processing wastes, and new nutrient input strategies to utilize local feedstuffs or cheaper nutrient sources.