A GEOSPATIAL ANALYSIS OF THE SOCIAL AND ECOLOGICAL TRADEOFFS OF AIR-BREATHING FISH AQUACULTURE FOR DECISION MAKING IN A CHANGING CLIMATE

Stephanie Ichien, Jenna Borberg, and Hillary Egna
The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Fisheries & Aquaculture
(AquaFish Innovation Lab)
ichiens@oregonstate.edu
 

Climate change has profound implications for freshwater aquaculture-based production of finfish, especially at small- to medium-enterprise (SME) scales.  Many interrelated changes are compounded by the needs of growing urban populations, resulting in complex tradeoffs between human demands and preservation of the natural world.  A geospatial analysis can help producers and planners determine the best ways to adapt freshwater finfish aquaculture practices through species diversification and site suitability, providing predictive information and climate resilient management options.  The overall goal of this work is to model the complex social and ecological tradeoffs associated with the culture of climate-resilient air-breathing fish species under a changing climate.  The model will inform an interdisciplinary decision framework that explicitly considers human dimension with environmental conservation in a landscape setting for helping to improve the climate resilience of freshwater finfish production.  With a focus on the air-breathing pangasius catfish (Pangasius hypophthalmus) industry in the Mekong Delta, this study employs the use of open-source data and data models to characterize the landscape in terms of suitability and tradeoffs for pangasius catfish farms.  Considering the market potential for increased income and impacts on the receiving environment, the model developed will incorporate variables such as degree-growing days, connectivity, and flood potential to provide policy makers, business owners, and other stakeholders with decision-making foresight into the associated social and ecological tradeoffs of various production priorities.  Field studies in the region and physiological limits of the pangasius catfish will be used to parameterize the model, providing place-based and species specific information.  Ultimately, this work serves as the basis for a map-based decision-support system focused on the cultivation of air-breathing fish to provide data-driven management and policy options.