AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT
AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT
3. Genetic resource management
FAO
TECHNICAL
GUIDELINES FOR
RESPONSIBLE
FISHERIES
5
ISSN 1020-5292
These technical guidelines have been developed to support sections of FAO’s
Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries on aspects of genetic resource
management in aquaculture. Guidance is provided on broodstock management
and domestication, genetic improvement programmes, dissemination programmes
for genetically improved fish, economic considerations in genetic improvement
programmes, risk assessment and monitoring, culture-based fisheries, conservation
of fish genetic resources, gene banks, a precautionary approach and public relations.
The effective management of genetic resources, risk assessment and monitoring can
help promote responsible aquaculture by increasing production output and efficiency,
and help minimize adverse impacts on the environment. The benefits of the
responsible application of genetic principles to aquaculture should be
communicated to consumers, policy-makers, scientists and others
interested in responsible fisheries and aquaculture.

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TC/M/I0282E/1/08.08/1800
ISBN 978-92-5-106045-2 ISSN 1020-5292
Suppl. 3
3. Genetic resource management
Cover design, artwork and layout by Emanuela D'Antoni,
Devin M. Bartley and José Luis Castilla Civit.
AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT
3. Genetic resource management
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Rome, 2008
FAO
TECHNICAL
GUIDELINES FOR
RESPONSIBLE
FISHERIES
5
Suppl. 3
AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT
3. Genetic resource management



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©
FAO 2008
iii
PREPARATION OF THIS DOCUMENT
These Technical Guidelines have been prepared by the Fisheries and
Aquaculture Department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations (FAO) under the coordination of Devin M. Bartley (Senior



    
           
resource management contributed to individual chapters in the Guidelines:











iv
FAO. 2008. Aquaculture development. 3. Genetic resource management.
         

ABSTRACT
These Technical Guidelines have been developed to support sections of the
FAO’s Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries on aspects of genetic
resource management in aquaculture. 
     
      



        
help promote responsible aquaculture by increasing production output and



       

v
CONTENTS

 iii
Abstract iv
 
 
  
 
management 2
  
  7
 
 
  
  
  
  27
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
 
scenarios 50
vi
 
 52
  52
5.2 Transfer of an improved strain to another country 
  
5.2.2 Guidance on transfer 
  55
  55
 
part of a rational aquaculture development strategy 
  
 
 
 
  
 
technology 
  
  
 
ratio of genetic improvement programmes 
  
  
  

  
  70
  70
  
  
 72
vii
 
 
  
7.2 The Code of Conduct 75
  
  
  
  
  
  
7.7.2 Monitoring for presence and ecological effects of
 
7.8 Constraints and opportunities 85
  
  88
  88
  
 
 
 

local species 
 

is not meant to breed 
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
viii
 In situ conservation 
 Ex situ conservation 
  
  
  
  
 
In situ and ex situ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  

 
 
  
 
 
  
 
and international legislation 
 
Nairobi Declaration 



LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS
Devin M. Bartley
Fisheries and Aquaculture
Department
FAO



Malcolm C. M. Beveridge
The WorldFish Center




The WorldFish Center





W
orldFish Center

th
Floor




and Conservation Biology
University of Minnesota



United States of America

L.




Graham Mair
School of Biological Sciences
Flinders University


Australia



The WorldFish Center





FAO Consultant




Douglas Tave

Commission


United States of America



BACKGROUND
            
          

         



 






         



         

         



          
        


           
application.
        
        

            

  




 

priority be given to high seas issues and requested that proposals for the Code

 




conservation and management measures on the high seas. This resulted in the




          
          
    
          


         inter alia  


 
        

 
  
       









           
          
  
contains provisions that may be or have already been given binding effect



         

The same Resolution requested FAO inter alia to elaborate appropriate
technical guidelines in support of the implementation of the Code in



1 INTRODUCTION







been implicated in contributing to the endangerment of aquatic biodiversity.






sustainability of the sector and the effective management of aquatic genetic
resources can assist in addressing all of the above issues. Genetically improved

   

  





  



       
         



genetic diversity is the subject of these guidelines.
The purpose of these guidelines is to provide a succinct set of instructions

2







1.1 Value of genetic diversity and the need for genetic resource
management


       

        


One estimate made by a prominent geneticist indicated that the supply gap

        
        

Management of FiGR is necessary for more than just increased production.

          


  


       







actions.
The common carp has by far the longest history of domestication and genetic



success of these breeding programmes (i.e. changing the genetic structure of

        

           
to aquaculture. The aquaculture sector is in an advantageous position to


  
order to plan programmes and to judge success and impact. These objectives




genetic resources.
1.2 Relevant articles of the Code
These guidelines are organized by general subject areas that are important





are several articles of the Code that a particular chapter my help implement.

(relevant chapters are included).

ARTICLE 2 – OBJECTIVES OF THE CODE

2e facilitate and promote technical, nancial and other cooperation in
conservation of sheries (including aquaculture) resources and sheries
management and development 
2g promote protection of living aquatic resources and their environments
and coastal areas
ARTICLE 6 – GENERAL PRINCIPLES
6.2 Fisheries management should promote the maintenance of the quality,
diversity and availability of shery resources in sufcient quantities for present
and future generations in the context of food security, poverty alleviation and
sustainable development. Management measures should not only ensure the
conservation target species but also of species belonging to the same ecosystem
or associated with or dependent upon the target species 

6.8 All critical sheries habitats in marine and fresh water ecosystems,
such as wetlands, mangroves, reefs, lagoons, nursery and spawning areas,
should be protected and rehabilitated as far as possible and where necessary.
Particular effort should be made to protect such habitats from destruction,
degradation, pollution and other signicant impacts resulting from human
activities that threaten the health and viability of the shery resources

6.12 States should, within their respective competences and in accordance
with international law, cooperate at subregional, regional and global levels
through sheries management organizations, other international agreements
or other arrangements to promote conservation and management, ensure

responsible shing and ensure effective conservation and protection of living
aquatic resources throughout their range of distribution, taking into account
the need for compatible measures in areas within and beyond national
jurisdiction 
ARTICLE 7 – FISHERIES MANAGEMENT
7.2.2.d biodiversity of aquatic habitats and ecosystems is conserved and
endangered species are protected
5
7.4 Data gathering and management advice (Chapters 9 and 10)
7.5.1 States should apply the precautionary approach widely to
conservation, management and exploitation of living aquatic resources in
order to protect them and preserve the aquatic environment. The absence of
adequate scientic information should not be used as a reason for postponing
or failing to take conservation and management measures
7.6.8 The efcacy of conservation and management measures and their
possible interactions should be kept under continuous review. Such measures
should, as appropriate, be revised or abolished in the light of new information

ARTICLE 9 – AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT
9.1.2 States should promote responsible development and management of
aquaculture, including an advance evaluation of the effects of aquaculture
development on genetic diversity and ecosystem integrity, based on best
available scientic information (All chapters).
9.1.3 States should produce and regularly update aquaculture development
strategies and plans, as required, to ensure that aquaculture development
is ecologically sustainable and to allow the rational use of resources by
aquaculture and other activities 
9.3.1 States should conserve genetic diversity and maintain integrity
of aquatic communities and ecosystems by appropriate management. In
particular, efforts should be undertaken to minimize the harmful effects

of introducing non-native species or genetically altered stocks used for
aquaculture including culture-based sheries into waters, especially where
there is a signicant potential for the spread of such non-native species
or genetically altered stocks into waters under the jurisdiction of other
States, as well as waters under the jurisdiction of the State of origin. States
should, whenever possible, promote steps to minimize adverse genetic,
disease and other effects of escaped farmed sh on wild stocks. (Chapters

9.3.3 States should, in order to minimize risks of disease transfer and
other adverse effects on wild and cultured stocks, encourage adoption
of appropriate practices in the genetic improvement of broodstocks, the
introduction of non-native species, and in the production, sale and transport

of eggs, larvae or fry, broodstock or other live materials. States should
facilitate the preparation and implementation of appropriate national codes
of practice and procedures to this effect. 
9.3.5 States should, where appropriate, promote research and, when
feasible, the development of culture techniques for endangered species to
protect, rehabilitate and enhance their stocks, taking into account the critical
need to conserve genetic diversity of endangered species
7
2 INTERNATIONAL SETTING
The Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF) and the international

         
        
developed. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

arose from



conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity (including genetic
  


       

2
a set of binding
        
       

the need to use and to conserve biodiversity.
The precautionary approach to development is an essential attribute of both
the CBD and the CCRF. Aside from agreement to be cautious and use the best


         
          


      
      
 Scleropages formosus
must ensure that the species being traded actually come from licensed farms






 
2
 
being produced for human consumption.
8
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands mandates countries to identify
          

 

 

   

eventually lead to their domestication and genetic alteration through natural
selection to farm environments and breed improvement programmes.

indirectly to the management of FiGR. Technical Guidelines on Aquaculture
have been developed for general issues relating to FiGR.



on recommendations for importing genetically improved tilapia into Africa.


in aquaculture.
Fish health concerns play a major role in the trade and movement of aquatic


transboundary pathogens. Technical guidelines have been established

5
that are




  
  
          
genetic resources.
        
Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture recognized the importance

  

 

5
 
live aquatic animals. FAO Technical Guidelines for Responsible Fisheries. No. 5. Suppl. 2.


Box 1. Terminology
The terminology used to describe organisms that are genetically different
  

         


           

 
licenses or trade permits. Aquaculturists and government regulators must

Fish produced through aquaculture have the potential to become genetically

        


          

        
         


genetic technologies being used and the changes those technologies
impart on the farmed organism.
  




          

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 
      
