Aquafarming: Master switch to solve all the problems?
October 31, 2008 · Print This Article
Remote controlled aquafarms?
As human population goes up, fish consumption follows the trend. One gets fish one of two ways these days: either by dragging a net throgh 93% of the ocean, which is what is happening now, or through aquafarming. Conventional fishing is no bridge to the future, as it will wipe out all commercial fish stocks by 2050. Farming on the other hand offers a great (and only) way to protect the wild stocks – without having to abstain from eating fish. Today up to 40% of worldwide fish consumption derives from aquafarms.
Unfortunately, fish farming has its environmental problems too. Fish waste could degrade seabeds, high concentration of fishes makes them more susceptible to deseases and weather storms challenge anchoring cages. But the main problem lies in the fish pellets, which is a by product of conventional (human) fishing. Therefore, aquafarming relies on the very same resource (fish stocks in the open sea) that it actually wants to protect.
This is where scientist Cliff Goudey from the MIT steps in. He is researching in a remote controlled fish cage. Yes, that’s right. His vision: in the future will exist hundreds and thousands of floating fish cages that are equipped with a diesel engine, GPS receivers and route-planning software, so that the fish farmer can keep track of his fishes and perhaps programm the fish cage in a way, so that it steers itself back to shore when it is time for harvesting. Until then theses cages would never stay in one place long enough to damage local wildlife and could drift with storm waves to avoid feeling their full force.
The first tests of the wandering cages have just taken place in Puerto Rico. But before this project can set sail there are some challenges that needs to be solved, like communication with and control over the cages from big distances, providing protection of the fishes (‘kidnapping’), energy supply (diesel engines run out too) and ecological problems (diesel pollutes the sea). Solar technology could be a solution to the energy supply issue. But what happens when a storm arrives? Without the sun being able to load the solar cells, the sea would literally ‘kidnap’ its very own fruits…
Related articles/videos:
- Spiegel.de (German article)
- Youtube
As stated in the Living Planet 2008 report we have accumulated so much ecological debt, that if we don’t return sustainability in 20 years, we will need the resources of 2 planets to keep our current lifestyles.
[...] all about remote control! Previously I posted an article about remote controlled fish cages and it’s [...]