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Annual Southern African conference wants to drive sustainable aquaculture development
January 2, 2025 By Bob Atwiine
The event brought together industry leaders, experts, researchers and students from around Africa with a major focus on advancing aquaculture in Southern Africa through sustainable practices
Photo: Aquaculture Association of Southern Africa The recently concluded 15th Aquaculture Association of Southern Africa (AASA) Conference, held in Stellenbosch, South Africa was a key event for the region’s aquaculture industry.
The conference was held under the theme “sustainable development of aquaculture in Southern Africa, a critical issue as the global demand for seafood continues to rise while traditional fishing industries face environmental and economic challenges”.
In partnership with All Atlantic Ocean Sustainable, Profitable & Resilient Aquaculture (ASTRAL), the event brought together industry leaders, experts, researchers and students from around Africa with a major focus on advancing aquaculture in Southern Africa through sustainable practices, new technologies and research-driven solutions.
The sessions emphasized how the region can leverage its aquatic resources to position itself as a significant player in global aquaculture while ensuring sustainability.
Key discussions explored enhancing production capacity, improving fish health management, and protecting the environment.
Industry leaders, along with delegates from South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment (DFFE), engaged in important conversations that support sustainable aquaculture growth.
One of the most highlighted concepts during the event was Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture (IMTA), a system that involves farming multiple species at different trophic levels in the same ecosystem.
IMTA is seen as a solution for balancing production with environmental health. It allows for a symbiotic relationship between species such as fish, seaweed, and shellfish, where one species’ waste becomes a resource for another.
The ASTRAL project focused on the implementation of IMTA to boost production while minimizing the environmental impact of traditional aquaculture practices.
Industry experts also shared insights on how to overcome the region’s challenges, such as limited infrastructure, capital access, market access and regulatory hurdles.
Companies like Sea Harvest Group presented their aquaculture graduate program to students at the conference and associations such as Tilapia Farmers Association of South Africa presented the state of the tilapia sector and challenges faced by farmers in the field.
The conference underscored the need for stronger collaboration between government bodies and the private sector to create policies that enable growth in the aquaculture industry.
The delegates also called for the urgent need for investment in research and infrastructure to help small-scale fish farmers scale their operations sustainably.
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