Sustainable

Aquaculture Practices
Part C: Organic Aquaculture

Prepared by:
Cherry Pilapil Aňasco
Institute of Aquaculture
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
University of the Philippines Visayas
Outline
1. Organic: What is it?
2. Organic Aquaculture: What is it?
3. The main principle of organic aquaculture standards
4. Conversion to Organic Aquaculture
5. Organic Certification and Standards
6. Global Organic Aquaculture Production and Markets
7. Organic Aquaculture in the Philippines
8. Organic Aquaculture: Way forward
Organic: What is it?
"Organic" in the context of food production
connotes standards and certification - a
verifiable claim for the production process
and production practices - as well as more
elusive characteristics such as consumer
expectation for food quality and safety and
general environmental, social and
economic benefits for farmers and for
society.
Photo: https://www.google.com

PNS, 2016; Dube & Chanu, 2012; RA 10068, 2010


Photo: https://www.123rf.com
It refers to the particular farming and processing
systems, described in the standards and not in
the classical chemical sense.
The term “organic” is synonymous in other
languages to “biological” or “ecological”.
It is also a labelling term that denotes products
considered organic based on the Philippine
National Standards for organic agriculture.
PNS, 2016; Dube & Chanu, 2012; RA 10068, 2010
Organic Aquaculture:
What is it?
 Organic Aquaculture: What is it?

• Organic aquaculture is the farming of aquatic animals like shrimp, fishes, bivalves etc., and aquatic
plants without using antibiotics, chemicals, and fertilizers by preserving the ecosystem and
biodiversity.
• Organic aquaculture practices would help in raising aquatic products in a human manner i.e.
sustainable and pollution free.
• Organic feed optimizes the health of the animal and to reduce in reliance on drugs, including
antibiotics.
• Traditional organic farming systems "rely on ecologically based practices, such as cultural and
biological pest management, and virtually exclude the use of synthetic chemicals in crop production
and prohibit the use of antibiotics and hormones in livestock production.“
• Sustainability, environmental stewardship, and holistic, integrated approaches to production are
hallmarks of organic systems.
• Standards for organic cropping and terrestrial livestock husbandry practices have existed for
decades.
Dube & Chanu, 2012
• Interpreting practices and standards developed for terrestrial
species into practices and standards relevant to aquatic
species, both animal and plant, remains a major challenge for
organic aquaculture.
• How can aquatic operations comply with the requirements for
an organic system plan, for obtaining acceptable stock, for
implementing health care monitoring and management, for
maintaining prescribed "living conditions," for development
and acceptance of allowed and prohibited substances lists, for
organic feed requirements, for controlled post-harvest
processing, for nutrient management, and for required animal
identification and record-keeping.
• Within the aquaculture there are also huge differences
between the species themselves.
Dube & Chanu, 2012
• Within the aquaculture there are also huge differences
between the species themselves.
• For instances rearing of mussels is vastly different from
rearing fish and crustaceans.
• Further, sea weeds and algal cultivation methods are totally
different.
• Hence there are more specific standards under each norm
that organic farmers must follow to raise the yield.
• The standards are group or species specific, so, it will be
possible to meet the diverse requirement of different
aquaculture species within these standards as many claim
that modern aquaculture practices (best management
practices) are already organic in principle, but do not meet
the strict legal interpretation of the standards
Dube & Chanu, 2012
The main principle of organic
aquaculture standards
 The main principle of organic aquaculture standards

1. Absence of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) in stocks and feed prime material : focusing on
vegetable feed ingredients (e.g. soy beans) and feed additives derived from bio-technology, as well as on
transgenic, triploid and all-female stock
2. Limitation of stocking density: considering ecological capacity of site and species specific behavior of
animals e.g. shrimps: 15 PL/ m3, resp. maximum 800kg/ha per production cycle.
3. Origin of natural feed and fertilizer from certified organic agriculture, no artificial feed ingredients and
networking of organic operations.
4. Criteria for fishmeal sources; in general, decreased protein and fishmeal content of diet: permitted are
trimmings of fish processed for human consumption or by-catches; no dedicated fishmeal harvesting
operations e.g. shrimps: maximum 20% fishmeal/ - oil and maximum 25% total protein.
5. No use of inorganic fertilizer: recycling of nutrients instead of intensive inputs.
6. No use of synthetic pesticides and herbicides: maintaining natural diversity on the farm area
Dube & Chanu, 2012
 The main principle of organic aquaculture standards

7. Restriction on energy consumption (e.g. regarding aeration) as a general trend; de-intensification of

operations, lowering of input.
8. Preference for natural medicines, no prophylactic use of antibiotics and chemotherapeutics, no use of such
substances in invertebrate aquaculture or live feed culture or live feed culture.
9. Intensive monitoring of environmental impact, protection of surrounding ecosystems and integration of
natural plant communities in farm management, focusing on the effluents of farms and the design of pond
farms.
10. Processing according to organic principle basic requirement for a final product to be certified as organic.
Dube & Chanu, 2012
 Conversion to
Organic Aquaculture
 Conversion to organic aquaculture

Conversion to organic aquaculture is a process of developing farming practices that encourage and maintain a
viable and sustainable aquatic ecosystem.
The time between the start of organic management and certification of the production is known as the
conversion period.
Aquaculture production methods can vary widely according to biology of the organisms, technology used,
geographical conditions, ownership structure, time span, etc.
These aspects should be considered when the length of conversion is specified.
The minimum conversion period set for the aquaculture production system is two years.

Dube & Chanu, 2012

Organic Certification
and Standards
Certified "Organic" assures that products were produced and/or
processed under conditions required by National Standards
and/or International standards for Organic Production.

Standards are guidelines for the management of the whole

production process, including post-harvest and sometimes social
aspects. Standards can also serve as information for the
consumer.

Standards should be based on scientific knowledge or at least

not in opposition to it.

The FAO's food standards body, the "Codex Alimentarius

Commission" has finalized organic crop, live stock, processing,
labelling, inspection and certifications guidelines.
Dube & Chanu, 2012

• The International Federation of Organic
Agricultural movement (IFOAM) is a global
umbrella body for organic food and farming.
• IFOAM's goals are the worldwide adoption of
ecologically, socially and economically sound
systems that are based on the Principles of
Organic Agriculture.
• IFOAM's Organic Guarantee System (OGS) is
designed to facilitate the development of organic
standards and third-party certification. IFOAM
Certification bodies are accredited by the
International Organic Accreditation Service Inc.
(IOAS) on the contract base.
Dube & Chanu, 2012
Principle of Organic Agriculture
The Principle of Health - Organic farming should
sustain and enhance the health of soil, plant,
animal and planet as one and indivisible.
The Principle of Ecology - Organic farming
should be based on living ecological systems
and cycles, work within them, emulate them
and help sustain them.
The Principle of Fairness - Organic farming
should build relationships that ensure
fairness with regard to the common
environment and life opportunities.
The Principle of Care - Organic farming should
be managed in a precautionary and
responsibilities manner to protect the health
and well-being of current and future
generations and the environment.
Global Organic Aquaculture
Production and Markets
• Most of the certified organic aquaculture operations are located in Europe.

• In 2009, there are 240 certified organic aquaculture operations (including the production of micro
algae) in 29 different countries.

• These operations, however, are mostly in small scale carp or trout farms with less than one
hectare pond surface, typically run on a part time basis.

• In China, 72 operations have received organic certification under the national Chinese regulation..

Dube & Chanu, 2012

• In Europe, the lead product in organic aquaculture is Atlantic Salmon, followed by the
Mediterranean species Seabass and Seabream, freshwater salmonids (Rainbow and Brown
Trout, and charr species), and carp.

• In Latin America, there is a strong dominance of organic western white shrimp operations in
Ecuador, Peru and Brazil.

• Most common in China is carp production in polyculture (in combination with shrimps or other
local species); but there are also certified operations producing turtles or sea cucumbers.

• In other Asian countries, there is an increasing organic production of Black Tiger Shrimp (e.g.
Bangladesh, India, Thailand, and Vietnam), Pangasius catfish (e.g. Vietnam) and micro-algae
(e.g. India).
Dube & Chanu, 2012
• The lion's share of market growth is occurring among a limited number of countries (including France,
Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom), market regions and fish species (including Atlantic
salmon and shrimps).

• In Asia too, the market is evolving, though changes are harder to keep track of.

• China seems to be experiencing a strong organic fish production, but fish products labelled organic are
not readily visible in stores, and market data are not available.

• Except in a few countries, the market for organic seafood is still in its infancy with all the associated
problems of high costs, low sales volumes, little or no competition, and the need to invest in marketing
and create consumer awareness of products.

• The introduction of organic aquaculture production rules in the European Union is expected to support
further market growth in Europe.

Dube & Chanu, 2012

Organic Aquaculture
in the Philippines
 https://www.pressreader.com/philippines/sunstar-pampanga

Example of organic aquaculture introduction in the Philippines in 2014 which show that this type of
aquaculture is still new in the country.
• The enactment of Republic Act 10068 (Organic Agriculture Act of 2013) provides the legal
framework to promote the use of feasible ecological, social and economical and technical
production means that reduces the use of pesticides, chemicals and other genetically modified
organism and gives authority to Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS) to come
up with Philippine National Standard (PNS) for organic aquaculture.

• PNS defines Organic Aquaculture as a strategic approach to develop and manage farms in a
manner that conforms to the ecosystem approach by integrating aquaculture within the wider
ecosystem to promote sustainability
PNS, 2016
• Organic Aquaculture is carried out in such a manner that
produces the least effect on local biological and Photo: https://www.manilatimes.net/
ecological processes and promotes environmental
integrity

• It complies with all fishery and related environmental

laws, such as FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible
Fisheries, FAO Aquaculture Certification Guidelines, EU
Commission Regulation (EC) No. 710/2009 and other
related international guidelines, Code of Aquaculture
Practices (BFAR FAO 214) and social/ ethical standards
including but not limited to applicable HACCP principles
in aquaculture.
PNS, 2016
Another call of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources (BFAR) in 2020 for organic aquaculture
 Requirement for Organic Aquaculture Certification

In the Philippines, to certified for organic aquaculture, an “Organic Aquaculture Management Plan” is required
with the following content:

1. Suitability of the site, site description, health condition of immediate marine habitats and available
information on ecological footprint and carrying capacity of the resource system;
2. Farm size, design and layout and source of water;
3. Water management;
4. Location of adjacent conventional fish farms and potential sources of contaminants;
5. Biodiversity conservation;
6. Pre-production and production system (broodstock and fry selection, production calendar, pond preparation,
fertilization, control of predators, etc.);
7. Production targets;
 Requirement for Organic Aquaculture Certification

8. Inputs used, quantity and sources applied per unit area or volume;
9. Management of aquaculture stock per production cycle as determined by the competent authority for every
production unit:

10. Management of aquaculture stock per production cycle as determined by the competent authority for every
production unit:
a. Stocking and harvest [stocking density based on species and culture system (Annex 1), average body
weight, survival rate and volume of production per unit area or volume];
b. Feed type and feeding management [frequency, rate and target feed conversion ratio (FCR)];
c. Record and probable cause of mortality during the culture period; and
d. Cleaning agents and disinfectants used (chemical type, product name, quantity and duration/frequency
of use).
 Requirement for Organic Aquaculture Certification

11. Fish health management (disease occurring in the locality and disease management practice employed);
12. Biosecurity measures to insulate the organic system from contamination risks;
13. Harvest and post-harvest practices;
14. Transport, storage facilities and storage practices;
15. Past use of the site with respect to waste, sediments and water quality; and
16. Applicable laws and existing regulations especially those pertaining to mangrove protection and
reforestation and fisheries conservation.
Organic Aquaculture:
Way forward
• Organic aquaculture is still an emerging sector.

• The quantity of organic aquaculture output remains small.

• It is in the beginning stage of the life cycle with marketing trials, but there are forecasts that by 2030 total
output could reach 1.2 million tonnes, compared with 5 000 tonnes in 2000.

• Some of the reasons for the low output of organic aquaculture include the absence of common certification
of what constitutes organic aquaculture, the issue of feed for carnivorous farmed fish, and high costs to
meet standards.

FAO, 2014
• These higher costs are illustrated with farmed salmon, which is the species with the largest organic output.
Feed must comprise organic cereals. Organic cereals are about 30 percent more expensive than regular
cereals, labour requirements are also about 20 times higher than in conventional farms; and stocking
density in cages is only 5–10 kg/m3 compared with 20–30 kg/m3 for conventional farms.

• These higher costs must be reflected in prices, which limit demand.

• Given its price premium, almost all organic output is sold in the United States of America, Europe and,
increasingly, in Japan.

• Producers in developing countries like the Philippines may have a comparative advantage producing
organic fish because of lower labor costs. They may also partially meet requirements with integrated
production techniques.

FAO, 2014
You just reached the end of Part C Lecture notes.

Move on to Part D of Module 4 to learn the

environmental and social responsibility, animal
welfare, food safety and traceability in the context
of sustainable aquaculture.
Thank
You!