An activity that merits greater recognition

A distinctive feature of aquaculture in Central and Eastern Europe is that much of the sh is produced in earthen ponds, a tradition that goes back centuries. Today, however, this form of production also faces serious challenges.

Pond aquaculture is a key contributor to human nutrition even as the world population continues to grow. e sector plays an important role in the food supply due to the depletion of marine resources. However, to be sustainable in the long term, several factors need to be considered and appropriate measures and actions need to be taken.

A holistic approach is environmentally, socially, and economically responsible

e aquaculture sector is covered by the FAO’s 1999 summary of sustainable agriculture objectives: contribution to food security; employment, income generation in rural areas, with particular attention to poverty reduction; conservation of natural resources; and protection of the environment. It is noticeable that since 2015, the concept of sustainability has been used more and more widely in the assessment of di erent activities and forms of management, despite the fact that in many cases there is currently no de nition of the concept that can be applied to a given sector or sectoral area. Moreover, in most cases, sustainability is approached only from a narrow environmental perspective, whereas it should be understood in a sector-speci c way.

In de ning sustainability, the relevance of pond sh production to sustainability should be assessed from three perspectives: environmental, economic, and social. e intersection of these three aspects provides the basis for sustainable aquaculture.

Pond fish farms support a wide diversity of flora and fauna that live in and around the ponds. They also play an important role in water management and water quality by storing water, preventing flooding, and removing nutrients from the water.

Environmental elements of sustainability

e environmental elements of the sustainability of aquaculture in pond farming include factors that aim to minimise environmental impacts and conserve natural resources. ese environmental elements allow for the long-term sustainability of aquaculture pond farming.

I. Water management and water quality: the annual speci c water demand of Hungarian pond farms (approx. 26,000 ha) is 16-18,000 m3/ha, the annual water use is about 400 million m3, and the sh production is 05-0.15 kg/m3. e pond farmer is right to ask: is pond aquaculture watersaving or water-wasting? To answer this question, it is important to stress that, in addition to their productive activity, shponds play an important role in a) water retention - water storage; b) ooding - inland water protection; c) microclimatic impact; d) groundwater level; e) irrigation; f) freshwater supply - increasing water resources. It can therefore be concluded that the environmental impact of the utilisation of water from shponds is very positive, and its importance is increasing in the context of climate change, i.e., the speci c quantity of sh produced per cubic metre is irrelevant. Another key element of aquaculture sustainability is the maintenance of good water quality. is can be achieved through regular monitoring of water quality and making interventions where necessary.

II. Organic matter management and e uent treatment: e cient water treatment systems are needed to minimise the environmental impact of organic waste and pollutants from aquaculture. Recycling (freshwater IMTA (integrated multitrophic aquaculture) systems, pond-to-pond systems) and the use of environmentally friendly water treatment processes can help to reduce harmful emissions. Moreover, the micro- and macroinvertebrates, vertebrates and plants and their assemblages living in the ponds lter and purify the organic-rich water, i.e., the quality of the e uent water is often better than that of the in ow water.

III. Disease management and use of antibiotics: responses to sh diseases or preventive measures are key to the sustainability of pond aquaculture. For the Carpathian Basin, o cial surveys have con rmed that higher temperatures expose sh species farmed in various freshwater aquaculture systems to disease vectors that they have never been exposed to before. For sustainability, the preference for alternative disease management methods such as probiotics or vaccines needs to be reconsidered. Extremely low stocking density, the high natural food supply (benthic, planktonic) and genetic variance due to the high initial number of broods results in a healthy immune system and prevents the spread of diseases, so that the use of medicines in pond farms is currently negligible.

IV. Sustainability of feed sources: in pond sh farming the protein, as well as the vitamines, minerals, and trace elements, necessary for sh growth are provided by planktonic organisms. e consumption of certain zooplankton species also introduces into the digestive tract of carp an enzyme culture capable of breaking down the plant cell wall, thus helping to e ciently digest cereals given as supplementary feed. anks to this, the technology of feeding low trophic sh—carp produced purely on plankton and with a low grain coe cient without external protein sources (e.g., soy, shmeal)—is practically unique among farmed animals and is of course remarkable in terms of sustainability. e use of alternative protein sources, such as plant-based or algae-based feeds, or possibly insect protein-based feeds, shows potential but there is a need to develop sh species and age-speci c feeds.

Harvesting is typically in the fall and winter and involves using nets to collect the fish in a corner of the pond from where they are removed manually. The work is demanding and calls for a lot of manpower.

V. Preserving genetic diversity: preserving the genetic diversity of aquaculture species is also a key element of sustainability. A healthy genetic stock with xed value-added traits reduces the risk of disease and ecological disturbance, and makes feed conversion and other production indicators more e cient.

VI. Monitoring and mitigation of environmental impacts: the use of precision technology applications is currently underdeveloped in the majority of extensive pond farms in Hungary. Production security is based on the need to regularly monitor environmental changes, which are accelerating and becoming more extreme, to prepare for potential problems and to minimise negative impacts. To this end, modern equipment is available (e.g. water quality monitoring, smart buoys, robotic drones), which can increase production safety and security.

VII. Biodiversity protection: the spread of invasive and alien species in pond sh production is seen as a factor reducing the sustainability of production. Preventing the population growth of these species (silver carp, stone moroko, brown bullhead, Chinese sleeper etc.) and managing the stock is important to protect biodiversity.

VIII. Reducing the ecological footprint: although the energy consumption of sh farms is already very low, it can be further optimised. To reduce the ecological footprint of pond aquaculture, farms need to switch to energy-e cient technologies and use renewable energy sources where possible.

The social components of sustainability

e social sustainability of pond aquaculture focuses on the relationships and impacts between local and regional communities and aquaculture farms.

i. Supporting local communities: shponds were mainly established in rural areas, often in underdeveloped regions. Often the pond farm is one of the main employers in the area, so it is important to work closely with local communities and support their development.

is can include job creation, providing educational opportunities (further education and practical training) and supporting community development programmes.

ii. Taking cultural and social aspects into account: aquaculture enterprises should support local cultural and social values and traditional shing and sh farming practices. In the design and operation of new shponds and service facilities, it is important that the architectural traditions and character of the area are respected, and that the views of local communities are considered.

iii. Workers’ rights and safety at work: farms must ensure workers’ rights and good working conditions. Respect for human rights, a safe working environment, and fair wages contribute to social sustainability.

iv. Training and education: pond enterprises should provide training and education opportunities for workers and local communities. is will contribute to the development of the workforce and promote social mobility. In Hungary, there is a serious shortage of skilled labour in the sector and one of the solutions to this is through adult education programmes.

v. Communication and transparency: sh farms must maintain open communication with local communities and other stakeholders who regulate work and economic activity. Transparency can help prevent potential conicts and strengthen support from local society.

vi. Social justice: the sustainability of aquaculture in ponds involves promoting social justice. Businesses must avoid discrimination and social exclusion and contribute to the well-being of local communities and workers and help minorities to nd work. vii. Local markets and food security: pond farms contribute to local food security by ensuring the availability of fresh and sustainable food in local markets, meeting the needs of the local population. viii. Community participation: farms should provide opportunities for local communities to participate in the planning and decision-making processes of business developments. Community participation increases the level of sustainability and social acceptance.

The economics of sustainability

e economic elements of the sustainability of pond aquaculture aim to balance economic interest with long-term sustainability.

i. Economic e ciency: Increasing productivity, reducing costs, and increasing income (pro t) are important objectives that can be achieved through precision nutrient and feed management and related technical innovation.

ii. Market readiness : businesses must meet consumer needs and market expectations. Demand for sustainable products (certified conditions of production) will strengthen a company’s position. A key challenge in this context is to use social media to provide consumers with relevant information. iii. Product quality: producing quality products is key to retaining (expanding) markets and pricing. Pond aquaculture products must be fresh, healthy, and tasty in terms of quality. iv. Water use e ciency: ecient water management and treatment and properly maintained infrastructure (canals, monks, structures, etc.) helps to reduce water use and thus costs. v. Diversification of production : the production of several species of fish in each pond (polyculture) contributes to economic sustainability. This can reduce the production risks associated with certain species (e.g., species-specific diseases) and create opportunities to serve a wider range of markets. vi. Innovation and technology: the use of novel technologies can help increase productivity. It is a sad fact that pond farms have seen few production-enhancing innovations over the past 100 years. Mechanisation of the sector has accelerated signi cantly over the last 15-20 years, thanks in part to EU support, but high-tech is still rarely applied in the sector. Better exploitation of knowledge and cooperation with universities and research institutes could increase the innovation in the sector. vii. Value chain management : pond aquaculture farms need to pay attention to the whole value chain, including fish production, fish processing, and fish trade. Value chain management helps maximise revenue and minimise losses, reducing the exposure of pond farmers to economic reversals.

The challenges facing pond aquaculture

e impact of climate change with water scarcity, ood damage, extreme pond water temperatures and the resulting lack of oxygen emphasise the need for wise and rational water management and treatment. EU support schemes do not weigh the environmental and conservation value of a shpond ecosystem and a terrestrial ecosystem equally. Maintaining the agroecological value of shponds results in a signi cant loss of income, but the level of support associated with this is still far below the level of support for agricultural sectors. In addition, the aquaculture sector is excluded from many other forms of support under the agricultural and rural development programmes placing aquaculture products at a competitive disadvantage in the market compared to other agricultural sectors.

Increasing energy costs and rising feed prices also call for the introduction of new technologies, modernisation, and the importance of natural feed (plankton and algae biomass). Organic fertilisation of ponds to maintain plankton and algae stocks is part of the technology of pond production, and this technological element is slowly being lost to farmers: in the absence of livestock, organic fertiliser is not produced. The issue of predation by cormorants is a problem that goes back decades and for which pond owners receive no financial compensation. Solutions involving all the concerned EU Member States need to be developed to be effective. Finally, the sector is also affected by the lack of labour. This needs to be addressed with a reform of the education system and by exploiting the opportunities offered by adult education.

Pond farmers are deserving of special attention for the ecosystem benefits they deliver

Pond sh production ts the EU’s sustainability criteria. e sh produced by the sector are produced in an environmentally friendly way and meet the criteria of a circular economy based on the input and output elements of the sh production system. Pond farms play an important role in rural development. A holistic approach to the sector shows that modernisation and improvements are essential and cannot be postponed, but the potential of the sector suggests that pond sh producers should receive special attention for their value-adding and sustainable activities.

Nándor Puskás, Biharugra Fish Farm, 5538 Biharugra, Halas utca 1., Hungary

Béla Urbányi, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Department of Aquaculture, 2100 Gödöll , Páter K. u. 1., Hungary, Urbanyi.Bela@uni-mate.hu

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A winning formula for Hungary’s leading sh producers