Aquaculture in arid climates

Over $9.6 billion worth of fish and fishery products were imported into the US in 1989. The global catch of 98.4 million metric tons of fish in 1988, the most recent year for which data are available, was not adequate to meet current and projected demands. FAO estimates that industrialized nations will need an additional 22.5 million metric tons and non-industrialized nations 5.9 million metric tons of fish and fisheries products by the year 2000. Aquaculture has been expanding globally, but present aquaculture production will not satisfy the projected demands for fish and fishery products. Increasing salinization of freshwater supplies limits traditional agricultural production in many arid and semi-arid regions. Saline water unsuitable for traditional crops can be used to culture marine or brackish water algae and fish. These aquaculture products may be marketed as food, bait, or recreational species or serve as the source for high value pharmaceutical and other biochemical products. -from Authors