Inland fisheries: a valuable resource

The value of small-scale inland fisheries lies in its ability to provide essential protein, micronutrients, vitamins and fats for millions of people, particularly in developing countries

Selection and characterisation of monepantel resistance in Teladorsagia circumcincta isolates

Monepantel (MPTL) is one of two new anthelmintic compounds introduced onto the sheep market to control gastro-intestinal nematodes. Resistance to this compound is rare but has been reported. In order to preserve the efficacy of this and other anthelmintics, it is essential to understand both (a) the mechanisms involved in the selection of resistance and (b) how the parasites evolve to deal with these compounds. To address these questions three MPTL-resistant Teladorsagia circumcincta isolates (MTci2-11, MTci5-13 and MTci7-12) have been artificially selected in vivo from phenotypically characterised parent isolates (MTci2, MTci5, MTci7 respectively). The selection process involved collecting and culturing eggs from surviving worms from sheep administered sub-optimal dosages of MPTL (Zolvix®) to provide infective larvae to infect further sheep until resistant isolates were generated (between 9 and 13 rounds of selection). A controlled efficacy test was conducted using the original parental isolates and the newly generated MPTL resistant isolates (n = 5 per group). Selected isolates were assessed both under anthelmintic stress (Zolvix®, 2.5 mg/kg bodyweight; MTci-MPTL) and at rest (untreated, MTci-CON). A number of life-history traits were assessed, namely, worm establishment rates, time to patency, faecal egg output, body length of adults and eggs in utero. The estimated resistance status of the selected isolates was confirmed with 48%, 28% and 9% reductions in worm burden at 7-days post Zolvix® administration for MTci2-11-MPTL, MTci5-13-MPTL and MTci7-12-MPTL, respectively, compared with untreated controls. One of the selected isolates MTci7-12-CON showed significantly greater total worm burden (p = 0.025), greater establishment rate (p = 0.033), decreased time to patency (p = 0.048), higher cumulative egg outputs (p = 0.002) compared with its parental derivative MTci7. The trial results suggest that anthelmintic selection in T. circumcincta, albeit under experimental conditions, can select for more prolific/fecund and quicker maturing populations. These data provide an insight into how parasites evolve in response to anthelmintic pressure

Freshwater fisheries harvest replacement estimates (Land and Water) for protein and the micronutrients contribution in the lower mekong river basin and related countries

International audienceFreshwater capture fisheries in the lower Mekong River basin (LMRB) contribute from 17% to 22% of the officially reported global inland capture fisheries catch. Several dams have been proposed on the Mekong River and its tributaries that will impact these fisheries. It has been estimated that the harvest from freshwater capture fisheries in the LMRB could decline by 880,000 metric tons in 2030 if all dam construction proceeds as planned. To reflect the consequences of lost fisheries in the LMRB, we reviewed existing data and calculated the contribution freshwater fisheries make to human protein, nutrient, and mineral requirements. We further calculated how much additional land and water would be required to replace lost fish protein in the LMRB with four other animal protein sources: beef, chicken, pork, and milk. Replacing fish with beef was found to be the most costly; to replace the fish harvest in the LMRB estimated to be lost due to dam construction with beef would require 3.6% of the total discharge of the Mekong River, which is equivalent to a 28% increase in water withdrawal compared to current levels. To replace all of the fish harvested in the LMRB with beef would require an additional 395,048 km(2) of land (equivalent to 65% of the total area of the Mekong River basin) and a 63% increase in water withdrawal. Replacing the fish with chicken would require the least additional land and water but still would require more than 36,000 km2 of land and an 8% increase in total water withdrawal from the Mekong River. The replacement analysis for the fish consumed in the four countries demonstrates that Cambodia would have the highest requirements in terms of increased use of land and water followed by Thailand and Vietnam, whereas Laos have lower requirements but would still need to increase its land use significantly. Overall, our analysis shows that freshwater fish is a highly valuable source of animal protein and micronutrients in LMRB. Replacing the fish protein with other sources of animal protein will require a substantially higher use of land and water

Farming the waters for people and food : proceedings of the global conference on aquaculture 2010

The Global Conference on Aquaculture 2010 brought together a wide range of experts and important stakeholders and reviewed the present status and trends in aquaculture development, evaluated the progress made in the implementation of the 2000 Bangkok Declaration and Strategy, addressed emerging issues relevant to aquaculture development, assessed opportunities and challenges for future aquaculture development and built consensus on advancing aquaculture as a global, sustainable and competitive food production sector. This volume, yet another joint effort of FAO and NACA, brings the outcome of the Global Conference on Aquaculture 2010, the much-needed clear and comprehensive technical information on how aquaculture could be mobilized to alleviate global poverty and improve food and nutrition security in the coming decades

Examining progress towards achieving the Ten Steps of the Rome Declaration on Responsible Inland Fisheries

Inland capture fisheries provide food for nearly a billion people and are important in the livelihoods of millions of households worldwide. Although there are limitations to evaluating many of the contributions made by inland capture fisheries, there is growing recognition by the international community that these services make critical contributions, most notably to food security and livelihoods in rural populations in those low-income countries with extensive freshwater resources. With the increasing appreciation of the key role of inland fisheries to the health and well-being of human populations globally, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Michigan State University convened the 2015 global conference, Freshwater, fish, and the future – cross-sectoral approaches to sustain livelihoods, food security, and aquatic ecosystems. What emerged from the interactions between inland fisheries’ scientists, resource managers, policymakers and community representatives from across the world was a forward-looking call to action culminating with the 2015 Rome Declaration “Ten Steps to Responsible Inland Fisheries” (FAO & MSU, Rome declaration on responsible inland fisheries: 5735E/1/06.16). Four years after this landmark conference and declaration, we seek to advance discussion on the “Ten Steps,” namely what successful implementation looks like, assess current examples of implementation, suggest potential signals of progress and provide some specific, indicative examples of progress for each step. While there are promising signs of progress, we conclude that there remains a strong need to galvanize momentum for sus