The Darwin Initiative and the whitefish Chirostoma estor estor: A link between aquaculture, biodiversity and rural livelihoods
Lindsay G. Ross1, Carlos A. Martínez-Palacios2, Maria Luisa Rodríguez De Sousa3 and Antonio Campos-Mendoza2
1 Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA. UK.
2 Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia, Michoacán, México.
3 Universidade de Maringa, Maringa, Parana, Brazil.
Address correspondence to: Lindsay G. Ross. Institute of
Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK.
E-mail: lgr1@stir.ac.uk
Key words: Chirostoma. México. Biodiversity. Rural livelihoods. Darwin Initiative
World aquaculture is undergoing a massive expansion,
both in quantity and quality of products and this is
set to increase over the next few decades especially if
aquaculture is to satisfy the world demand for fish products
in the face of dwindling fisheries (FAO, 2002).
Clearly, the industry needs to be sustainable in the medium
to long term and considerable efforts are being
made into understanding growing systems so as to
achieve this. One aspect of sustainable use of resources
is the use of such resources while maintaining
biodiversity and a number of concerns have been voiced
regarding the effects of aquaculture on aquatic diversity.
While there are examples of the negative impact
that aquaculture could have on biodiversity, there are
fewer examples of its positive effects. This project seeks
to link aquaculture development with maintenance of
livelihoods and biodiversity.
The Darwin Initiative is a programme financed by
the British Government designed to assist conservation
work and maintain biodiversity in countries which do
not have sufficient resources of their own to support
this type of programme. The Darwin Initiative is a flexible
programme based on the principles of the Convention
on Biodiversity (CBD) which is an international
agreement intended to avoid loss of species of plant and
animal and to protect biodiversity. The objectives of the
CBD and of the Darwin Initiative are wide and include
inventory of species, development of systems of conservation,
training in biodiversity management, establishment
of reserves, etc. The most important overarching
feature of these initiatives is to contribute to the management
and use of resources in a responsible and sustainable
manner, involving communities with managing
their own flora and fauna so as to improve
exploitation and at the same time ensure conservation
of biotic resources.
In México the national biodiversity strategy is the
responsibility of the National Commission for the understanding
and use of Biodiversity (CONABIO) which
was established in 1997 specifically to implement national
strategy. CONABIO has identified and prioritised
four themes: a) Protection and Conservation b) Evaluation
of Biodiversity, c) Planning and management of
information and d) Diversification of use of resources.
The components of the latter are: a) Diversification of
production, b) Criteria and Indicators for use of resources and c) Promotion and commercialization of
sustainable "green markets" which favour the natural
environment and rural communities.
With the support of the Darwin Initiative from the
British Government, we are currently working with the "pescado blanco" (C. estor estor), which for decades has
been the basis of an artesanal fishery. This species is a
member of a genus derived from a migratory stock which
was isolated geographically relatively recently. This stock
has radiated into the 18 known species which are endemic
in the lakes of the Mexican altiplano. C. estor estor is
presently endangered because of various factors such as
over-fishing, environmental degradation and introduction
of exotic ichthyofauna. In the last five years we have made
considerable advances towards cultivation of the species,
including optimum temperature (Martinez-Palacios et al.,
2002a) and salinity regimes for production and growth
of juveniles (Martinez Palacios et al., 2004), control of
early feeding and achievement of a controlled, closed
reproductive cycle independent of wild stocks (Martinez
Palacios et al., 2002b).
Based on these developments, the Darwin Initiative
project is designed to increase the training of indigenous
communities in the region and to transfer the culture technology
for pescado blanco, principally based upon small
scale on-growing systems working with campesinos and
semi-intensive hatchery schemes working with small
businesses. Currently, we are working with indigenous
communities to extend the technology into the field, initially
through semi-intensive pond culture. One aspect
of great importance is the focus on training programmes
designed to improve the sustainability of this activity for
the future. This involves not only indigenous communities
but also groups from technical support institutions
and government departments who have legislative and
regulatory responsibility for these activities. To assist this
process, we have developed field training manuals specifically
for the species and target communities which
use highly graphical content and address issues of indigenous
language as well as potential illiteracy.
Participative rural appraisal techniques are helping
us to understand the social and economic functioning
of target fishing communities so that the effects and
benefits of introduction of aquaculture can be continuously
monitored. As well as introducing aquaculture, a
number of parallel projects have been developed to introduce
value-added activities such as production of fish
leather, smoking of fillets and ensiling of waste fish
products. This not only ensures full use of the resources
but generates additional income and helps increase and
maintain interest in aquaculture.
Alongside the transfer of various technologies, an
important aspect of the Project is environmental education
at a number of levels to impart ideas and concepts
of biodiversity conservation and the problems which
exist with management of natural resources. Work has
focused on publication of articles in popular periodicals
as well as articles in newspapers. Local and international
TV articles have also been important in spreading
the concepts and benefits of the programme. In
parallel with these activities, consultative and advisory
work is in progress with state and national governmental
bodies so as to contribute to the development of a
strategy for conservation of resources in conjunction
with their fair and sustainable use.
The Darwin Initiative project is developing smallscale
aquaculture in the riparian communities of altiplano
lakes which will introduce a new production activity,
generate additional income and produce a high quality
protein source, while simultaneously reducing pressure
on wild fish populations. The objectives of the project
comply with the CBD objectives, and especially those
prioritized by CONABIO which are to develop a "green" use for resources while assuring a future for the species.
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs of the British Government for project support under the Darwin Initiative. We are also grateful to many Mexican agencies (CONACyT, SAGARPA, Produce-Michoacan) for substantial financial support for the underlying science and technology.
References
FAO (2002). State of the World Fisheries and Aquaculture. FAO,
Rome.
Martínez Palacios CA, Barriga Tovar E, Taylor JF, Ríos Durán G,
Ross LG (2002a). Effect of temperature on growth and survival
of Chirostoma estor estor, Jordan 1879, monitored using
a simple video technique for remote measurement of length
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369-377.
Martínez-Palacios VA, Ríos-Durán MG, Campos Mendoza A, Toledo
Cuevas M, Aguilar-Valdez MC, Ross LG (2002b).
Progresos en el cultivo del pescado blanco de Pátzcuaro Chirostoma estor estor. Ciencia Nicolaita 32: 73-90.
Martínez-Palacios CA, Comas Morte J, Tello-Ballinas JA, Toledo-Cuevas M, Ross LG (2004). The effects of saline environments
on survival and growth of eggs and larvae of Chirostoma
estor estor Jordan 1879. (Pisces: Atherinidae). Aquaculture
238: 509-522.
Received on February 2, 2005.
Accepted on June 1, 2005.