Food safety for the consumer and occupational health risks for aquaculture producers, especially those working in wastewater-fed systems, affect the future potential of growing fish and aquatic vegetables in cities. Deteriorating water quality and increased agrochemical use in order to boost production, have resulted in governments and consumers being increasingly concerned with the quality, food hygiene and safety of aquatic products.
Consumers should be provided information on the quality of wastewater-fed fish and aquatic plants (including overcoming misperceptions on the levels of contamination). Research is therefore needed to assess actual relative and absolute health risks from both producers’ and consumers’ perspectives. A risk assessment based approach as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), should be applied to mitigate food safety, occupational hazards and other risks.
Risks could also be reduced by promoting low-risk production systems, such as ornamental fish and plants, in specific areas or production conditions. Health risk reduction measures should however not only focus on improving water quality and production practices (see further Brief 5), but also ensure transport and market hygiene and avoid post-harvest contamination.
In many South-East Asian cities, urban and peri-urban aquaculture - including fish and aquatic vegetable production, processing and marketing - is widely practiced, historically with little regulation and government support.
Processes of urbanisation however, are putting increasing pressure on land and water-bodies used for aquatic production systems, resulting in the loss of livelihoods of many aquatic farming families. To reconcile the needs posed by urban growth with the need for activities of high economic and social value, urban aquaculture should be included and regulated in urban development plans and strategies.
National and local governments and community leaders should: - Recognise peri-urban aquaculture as a legitimate use of land and water bodies in and around their cities, - Target and incorporate aquatic production systems in their city development and land use plans, - Guarantee aquaculture producers access to land and safe water, - Set up and develop a programme or unit with the specific mandate to coordinate interventions related to peri-urban aquaculture development; and - Enhance support and further research leading to sustainable and safe forms of aquatic production and marketing systems.
Pham Anh Tuan Nguyen Thi Dieu Phuong Pham Van Trang Pham Bau
The Institutional Analyses in Hanoi was carried out by the RIA 1 team from April to August 2003. This involved interviewing key informants/individuals, institutions and organizations from national, city, district, commune right down to household level within the Hanoi periurban area. The resulting report describes the roles and inter-relationships between the wide range of these organisations relating to the management, administration, planning and policies involved in Peri-urban Aquatic Food Production Systems (PUAFPS).
The present investigation was carried out 1998/1999 in two mountainous provinces, Thainguyen and Yenbai. Information on households involved in culture-based fishery activities in small reservoirs was collected based on questionnaires and direct interview of farmers. Some waterquality parameters were also determined twice a year at stocking (March–April) and harvesting (March–June) periods. It is noted that aquaculture in the small-scale reservoirs started in the mid-1990s when reservoirs were leased to farmers or farmer groups for long-term use. Prior to that the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development or local authorities managed the reservoirs mainly for irrigation, and fishery activities were non-existent. Results show that water quality of small reservoirs in both provinces is clear (transparency range 60–80 cm; DO (dissolved oxygen) value 5.4–7.4 mg/L; pH value 7.6–8.3) and the nutrient content generally low. Average fish yield was 331 kg/ha in Thainguyen and 251 g/ha in Yenbai. The study also deals with current fishery activities, which can also be considered an extensive form of aquaculture. Present farming practices in the reservoirs including seed supply, stocking rate and species, input level and economic efficiency are discussed. Although there is great potential for extensive aquaculture in these reservoirs, the study also identified technical constraints and policy issues that should be addressed in future development.
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