Tilapia and Aquaculture: a Review of Management Concerns

The demand for seafood coupled with the decline of fisheries species worldwide due, in part, to overfishing and habitat degradation has resulted in an increase in land-based and offshore aquaculture facilities.  Globally, tilapia are very important aquaculture species with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia and Thailand responsible for nearly 76% of the total worldwide production.  The United States is a major importer of tilapia products and within the United States, tilapia production has continued to grow since the early 1990’s with Oreochromis aureus, O. mossambicus, O. niloticus and various hybrid combinations of the three being the primary aquaculture forms.  Thus the potential for the introduction and establishment of feral populations of tilapia has increased following this growth in aquaculture interests.  Wild-caught individuals of the primary aquaculture forms have been documented in 27 states (USGS NAS) with populations established in 14.  Similarly, commercial tilapia production has been reported in 20 states (2007 Census of Agriculture; American Tilapia Association, Fitzsimmons pers. comm.) with 10 of those (AZ, CA, CO, FL, ID, LA, MS, NC, PA and TX) also having established populations of feral tilapia.  Six states (AL, AR, MA, NM, NY and WI) have reports of wild-caught tilapia but no established populations and the remaining four states (IA, MN, MO and VA) have no reports of wild-caught tilapia.  National management recommendations and policies for regulating many non-native taxa exist; however in the case of tilapia and their ties to aquaculture, permitting requirements and regulatory jurisdiction varies among states such that unified management policies are unattainable.  Several states have imposed special restrictions on tilapia aquaculture facilities to minimize the potential of escape (screened effluent, sterilized effluent, culture ponds encircled by levees) while others force accountability for releases through monetary means (insurance bonding).  There are few if any requirements in place to provide protection against natural disasters (flooding, hurricanes) although emergency management plans are advocated by nearly all regional and national policy advocates.