WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • DECEMBER 21 producers to participate in markets for responsible aquaculture products. The FAO Aquaculture Service is preparing a worldwide overview and developing a database of codes of practice, codes of conduct, BMPs, and technical guidelines in aquaculture (www.fao. org/docrep/012/i1614e/i1614e08.pdf). However, we are not aware of any major projects for encouraging the adoption of BMPs by farmers in developing countries who produce low-value foodfish for domestic markets — the largest aquaculture sector. One of the authors (CEB) recently attended a FAO-sponsored meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam about reducing the risk of a new shrimp disease that is often called early mortality syndrome (EMS). In developing recommendations for reducing risks of EMS, the participants, who represented several major aquaculture countries, constantly referred to adoption of BMPs. The sources of these BMPs were several lists available to farmers, made for the purpose of reducing the negative environmental impacts of shrimp farming. BMPs were recognized by the aquaculture experts in the meeting as a means for improving production aspects of shrimp culture in ponds. The ideal approach in aquaculture should be to reduce negative inputs to acceptable levels thereby conserving resources and minimizing wastes. A system of BMPs incorporating the best production methodology available would reduce waste loads, leading to better water quality in culture systems, more cost-effective production, a smaller discharge of waste to the environment, and a reduction in negative impacts at the farm and in its surroundings. Procedures considered by the authors as the best available practices for conducting pond aquaculture operations were assessed with respect to expected benefits to both producers and the environment (Table 3). The assessment suggests that use of the best available practices will make production more efficient and also have a serendipitous environmental benefit. The BMPs listed in Table 3 are nearly identical to those recommended for minimizing negative environmental impacts of aquaculture. Because promotion of aquaculture BMPs currently focuses mainly on preventing the negative impacts of aquaculture, they are viewed by producers as an added cost that does not increase production. Even those producers participating in ecolabel certification do so to assure access to a market because there is little or no price differential for producing a certified product. Systems of BMPs promoted as the best methodology for greater efficiency and potentially greater profits provides a fortuitous environmental benefit without the need to change the environmental ethics of the producer. The development of such BMP systems would be a major undertaking, involving a wide range of stakeholder expertise and a large outreach effort. However, such BMP systems would likely be adopted by many producers unwilling to participate in responsible aquaculture programs or to voluntarily implement BMPs intended solely for environmental protection. Use of BMPs identified in Table 3 can be supported by research findings, but the benefits of their implementation on farms have not been validated. A database containing collections of BMPs for different types of aquaculture could be used by producers in identifying and adopting BMPs for particular species, localities, and farms. Also, it might be beneficial to have a means on the website by which producers could comment on problems and successes associated with the adoption of particular suites of BMPs. This information could be helpful in identifying BMPs that are effective and those that do not appear to have substantial results. Long-term outcomes can be tracked with such a system, BMPs that are outdated could be removed, new BMPs added and overall monetary benefits could be quantified. If such a system were to be used by government, inter-governmental and extension organizations, a more consistent and results-oriented resource would be available to collect, debate and synthesize approaches. Because the current BMP information is fragmented and extension and support personnel are not experts in all facets of aquaculture, the effort proposed above would maximize information-sharing to allow more direct support to producers. The effort to develop and promote systems of best production practices is an approach with great potential to improve the environmental performance of aquaculture on a much wider scale than currently. The profit motive is strong, and a program that would have promise for greater profits should incentivize almost all producers. Notes Claude E. Boyd, School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences Auburn University, Alabama 36849 USA Julio Queiroz, Embrapa Meio Ambiente, Rodovia SP-340 Km 127,5 13820-000 Jaguariúna, São Paulo, Brazil Aaron McNevin, Biology Department, Fisheries Mansfield University, Pennsylvania 16933 USA References Bardach, J. E., J. H. Ryther and W. O. McLarney. 1972. Aquaculture: the farming and husbandry of freshwater and marine organisms. Wiley-Interscience, New York, New York, USA. Bush, S. R., B. Belton, D. Hall, P. Vandergeest, F. J. Murray, S. Ponte, P. Oosterveer, M. S. Islam, A. P. J. Mol, M. Hatanaka, F. Kruijssen, T. T. T. Ha, D. C. Little, and R. Kusumawati. 2013. Certify sustainable aquaculture? Science 341(6 September):1067-1068. Federal Register. 2004. Effluent limitation guidelines and new source performance standards for the concentrated aquatic animal production point source category: final rule. Federal Register 69(162):51,892-51,930. 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