Aquaculture/Mariculture/Tuna

About the Lesson

Title:	Farming Tuna
Objective:	To comprehend tuna farming around the world.
Length:	1 short period (10 minutes)
Level:	High School - Teens - College - Adult Education
References:	w:Aquaculture

Learning Material

Farming of Mediterranean tuna has exploded in recent years, however the practice is seen as a post-harvest process involving the fattening of wild-caught tuna in order to increase the fat content. One of the main species of tuna that is being farmed is the Bluefin tuna. This process makes it more suitable for the Japanese sushi market, which has driven the surging demand. The worlds first on-land Bluefin tuna farm was constructed in June of 2013 in Nagasaki. The starting point for the process is the catching of wild tuna and it is believed that the commercial success of this process is serving to put more pressure on the already stretched stocks of wild tuna. Tuna farming is a controversial practice. Viewed from economic perspective, it is a very lucrative practice. Other viewpoints may include ethical consideration, which has recently elicited strongly negative public comment. Some Web sites are devoted to educating the public about possible harm to non- Tuna species and reduced nutritional availability for those consuming the fattened Tuna.

Suggested Exercises

Do the following:

• On a sheet of paper list some pros and cons of tuna farming.

See also

• Introduction to aquaculture
• Aquaculture Project