Principles of Sustainable Aquaculture: Promoting Social, Economic and Environmental Resilience

Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms, principally fish, molluscs, crustaceans and marine algae. It has seen phenomenal worldwide growth in the past fifty years and many people view it as the best solution for the provision of high quality protein to feed the world's growing population, particularly with the rapid decline in wild marine fish populations. Aquaculture now contributes approximately one third of the world's fish production, and has increased by about 8 per cent annually over the last 30 years, while wild capture fishery production has remained static.

Focused on developing more sustainable aquaculture practices, Principles of Sustainable Aquaculture provides an ideal advanced-level textbook. It is based on extensive evidence and knowledge of best practices, with guidance on appropriate adaptation and uptake in a variety of environmental, geographic, socio-economic and political settings. The author concentrates on low-impact aquaculture systems and approaches, which have minimal adverse effects on the environment. He also emphasizes socially responsible and equitable aquaculture development; to enhance the natural resource base and livelihoods.

Drawing on a range of case-studies from around the world, the objective is to show where progress in terms of developing ecologically sound and socially responsible forms of aquaculture has been made. A tool-box of approaches to support widespread adoption and appropriate adaptation of regenerating aquaculture strategies is provided, ensuring Principles of Sustainable Aquaculture will have practical relevance for both students and professionals.

1. Introduction
2. Resource Conserving and Enhancing Aquaculture
3. Equitable Aquaculture Development
4. Sustainable Coastal Aquaculture
5. Sustainable Rural Aquaculture
6. Sustainable Urban and Peri-urban Aquaculture
7. Prospects for Sustainable Aquaculture Development
8. Promoting an Enabling Environment
9. Conclusions

"A synthesis dealing with the social, economic and environmental resilience aspects of this most important food production sector is long overdue. Stuart Bunting has the experience and insights needed to ground the work in field evidence and distil the principles on which future sustainable development of the sector can be based."
– Dr. Malcolm Beveridge, Director of Aquaculture and Genetics at the WorldFish Center, Zambia

"Principles of Sustainable Aquaculture is a timely and monumental review of what is required for aquaculture to fulfil its potential to contribute to socially and environmentally sustainable development. It covers the diversity of systems of both developed and developing countries, the theory of and practice for planning and management of the sector, and is replete with real world case studies."
– Dr Peter Edwards, Emeritus Professor, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, and Advisor, Sustainable Farming Systems Program, Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific

"Principles of Sustainable Aquaculture presents a valuable landscape of trends in the World's fastest growing food production sector. Giving a systems perspective, it is a timely balance to the host of recent books on the technological challenges in this dynamic sector, and will support practitioners and policy makers to better understand both the basic underlying concepts and emerging best practices."
– Professor David Little, Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, UK

Stuart Bunting completed his doctoral studies at the World renowned Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, UK in 2001 and continued working at the Institute on various aquaculture development projects in Europe and Asia. Since 2005 he has been based within the interdisciplinary Centre for Environment and Society, University of Essex, UK where he coordinates a wide-range of research, development and conservation projects focused on sustainable aquaculture, livelihoods and aquatic resources management.