REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

BATAAN PENINSULA STATE UNIVERSITY-ORANI CAMPUS

ORANI, BATAAN
2112

Agrometeorology for aquaculture

(Term Paper)

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the

Bachelor of Science in Fisheries III

by:

Manlulu, Darrel C.
Introduction

Fish and fish products account for almost 20% of global animal-based protein consumption, but
they are also critical sources of micronutrients necessary for human health, including iron, zinc,
vitamins A and B12, and essential fatty acids. Hundreds of millions of people rely on fish for
these nutrients, and are at risk of malnutrition if fish populations continue to decline
Meteorology plays an important role in fisheries because solar radiation and air temperature
influence water temperature, which in turn affects the natural productivity of inland and marine
waters and the growth of fisheries species (Kapetsky, 2000). Weather conditions also have a
tremendous effect on the abil-ity of fishermen to capture fish and other aquatic organisms, and
on the safety of fishermen. Nonetheless, fishing, like hunting and gathering, primarily involves
the exploitation of living resources from natural populations; the management of these resources
is limited largely to regulations on capture.
Aquaculture will soon surpass fisheries as the major source of aquatic protein, just as agriculture
surpassed hunting and gathering as a source of meat, grain and other foods. Agrometeorology
has become an important tool in agriculture and it can be equally useful in aquaculture.

Production

Employment in fishing and aquaculture has grown rapidly over the past few decades, in-creasing
more than threefold from 13 mil-lion people in 1970 to over 41 million in 2004 Employment in
the fisheries sector has grown more rapidly than both world popu-lation and employment in
agriculture. Most of this growth is in Asia, where over 85 percent of the world’s fisherfolk live,
and is largely due to the expansion of aquaculture in this period (FAO 2006, FAO 1999).While
the number of people employed in fisheries and aquaculture in developing countries has been
growing steadily, it has been stagnant or declining in most industrialised countries. This decline
has been most pronounced in capture fisheries, while employment in aquaculture has increased
in some industrialised countries.Millions of women in developing countries are employed in
fisheries and aquaculture, par-ticipating at all stages in both commercial and artisanal fisheries,
though most heavily in fish processing and marketing. In capture fisheries, women are
commonly involved in making and repairing nets, baskets and pots, baiting hooks, setting traps
and nets, fishing from small boats.
Economic Importance

Meteorology plays an important role in fisheries because solar radiation and air temperature
influence water temperature, which in turn affects the natural productivity of inland and marine
waters and the growth of fisheries species (Kapetsky, 2000).

Small-scale fisheries and aquaculture make critical contributions to development in the areas of
employment, with over 41 million people worldwide, the vast majority of whom live in
developing countries, working in fish production; food security and nutrition, with fish
constituting an important source of nutrients

Conclusion

Although many African countries can provide improved agrometeorological services for the
different users, they are still lagging behind. The flow of information is limited and
methodologies have to be improved; technology is in high demand.

The density of the observational network is low in many countries. Some countries have only
one or two agrometeorological stations, limiting agrometeorological activities.
Agrometeorological units are hampered by lack of trained personnel and limited budgets. Efforts
are needed to assist these countries.

The flow of data to users continues to be a high requirement. Users, especially the farming
community, usually request information on the onset of effective rains (to know when to plant),
the length of the cropping season (to decide what to plant), the behavior of the dry and wet spells
within the cropping season, and how likely an extreme event is likely to occur.

The provision of this information is currently very limited. Governments and farmers are greatly
interested in knowing how much grain yields and crop production are expected by the end of the
rain/crop season. This knowledge helps strategic planning. Genuine efforts are, therefore, needed
to improve agrometeorological services and make their products accessible to users.
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