Citizen 2 – Li, mariculture enterprise manager
The company has reached a milestone! We can now grow a range of different species through our improved knowledge of Integrated Multi Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA). The latest guidelines for IMTA have really helped us identify which species to grow together, and how best to work with our commercial partners to optimise both production and environmental benefits, not to mention the skills sharing and workforce stability benefits. This has made the regions where IMTA is practised much better places to live and work – and to get stable year round jobs. Our polyculture of shrimp and bivalve filter feeders, like oysters and clams, reduces the discharge of suspended organic matter and other pollutants from our shrimp culture ponds. We have overcome the problems associated with efficiency, high space requirements and bivalve deaths from the high concentration of nitrogen from nitrite and ammonia. The company is also now diversifying and investing in waste management to develop nutritional ingredients from previously waste products. A large amount of our products were ending up in side-streams, mostly used for low-value animal feed or disposed of, which was costly for us. Along with our animals, we now also produce high protein-based food ingredients, aromatic ingredients and mineral supplements for food and feed.
Pathway 4 - Collaboration for knowledge transfer
Co-production of knowledge on seafood sustainability and adaptation between traditional fishers, scientists and fisheries managers has resulted in wide-scale implementation of new technology, as well as the uptake of traditional management approaches (Norström et al. 2020). Co-production of environmentally sound knowledge and technologies has reduced inequalities in capability and improved the sustainability and productivity of fisheries and mariculture (Österblom et al. 2017; Stoll et al. 2019). There has been targeted engagement by managers, fishers and coastal communities around strategies for responding and adapting to change. Adaptive management frameworks have been implemented with a focus on strategic planning across sectors, and multisector approaches to ocean management that take into account the needs and trade-offs of a broad range of potential users across productive areas as well as sustainability of the environment (Allison et al. 2020).
National institutions have been strengthened through international cooperation, and capacity building has occurred at all levels. The ability of governments to make and implement coherent policies that account for social, economic and environmental goals has been enhanced through the building of pathways that facilitate a two-way exchange of information between society, science and policy makers (Posner and Cvitanovic 2019). Agreements have been established between small and large enterprises to make relevant information for decision making broadly available. Participation of indigenous peoples in planning, management and policy making has been supported (see for e.g. CAUL 2015), allowing for the inclusion of traditional knowledge and methods into new operational, feed and nutrition technologies (Groesbeck et al. 2014; Jackley et al. 2016; Neudorf et al. 2017) and diversification of management frameworks to recognise cultural values and approaches (Box 4). Associated research and developments have led to improvements in efficiency, environmental sustainability and human health benefits of mariculture systems (Stentiford et al. 2020). Increased sharing across researchers, industry, government and international organisations has increased transparency and equity across industries, providing for increased widespread understanding and associated support within broader society.