Aquaculture

The SA government does not provide adequate support or information to rural people who want to start a fish farm.

There are four key aspects of filtration, all of which are non-negotiable and integral to running a successful system.

The efficacy of any recirculating system must be based on solid evidence and statistics over a full season.

Sweeping claims about toxins contained in farmed fish, which are supposedly dangerous to human health, are unsubstantiated and false.

Local aquaculture is hampered by misguided policies, over-regulation and government interference – all of which serve to stifle what could otherwise be a highly productive and lucrative industry.

Any viable tilapia grow-out system is dependent on adequate oxygen levels. As stocking rates and fish size increase, so too does demand for oxygen, and it is important to ensure adequate supply at all times.

An increase in water temperature means a depletion in oxygen levels. How do tunnel-based fish farms cope with extreme heat and ensure that fish receive their required oxygen levels?

The South African aquaculture industry continues to experience difficulty with the import and farming of certain species. In neighbouring countries, by contrast, the industry is flourishing.

The SA government’s misdirected approach towards aquaculture is clear, especially when compared with the situation in neighbouring countries.

The traditional aquaponics single-unit system disadvantages the fish, the plants or both. Now might be the right time to rethink the design.

Government’s draconian treatment of the aquaculture industry is hypocritical – what is it actually doing to conserve our endemic tilapia species?

The refusal by authorities to issue permits in parts of SA for the red Mozambique tilapia based purely on its skin colour is like a bizarre form of environmental segregation. It is unscientific and unfair.