Offshore aquaculture and Polyculture 

The concept of open offshore aquaculture was introduced into Korea after the 1st Korea-U.S. Joint Coordination Meeting for Aquaculture Cooperation held in Busan, Republic of Korea, April 15-16, 2002 and the ensuing meeting, the Korea-U.S and Meeting for Scientific and Technical Cooperation convened in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, October 9-12, 2002. The concept of polyculture is not new for Korean aquaculturists. In reality, trials have been made for higher productivity from a given area where two different species which are different in trophic level are cultured. The previous trials, however, have focused on the higher production in a area rather than on the practice of environmentally sound aquaculture.

        Size grading requirements followed by selective harvesting
        Biofouling control (including anti-foulants; net cleaner (robotics))
        Divers health management
        Monitoring systems (including environment, facility security/management)
        Containment
        Fish transport and acclimation
        Logistical support and vessel design
        Large scale demonstration
 

3. Biological considerations
        Species selection and diversity
        Genetic management
        Stock identification and tagging development
        Stocking sizes and technologies
        Nutrition/feed requirements
           - fish meal reduction
           - diversification
           - by-product utilization

        Fish health management/fish disease diagnosis and control Fish quality
        Human health  feed health assurance/positive components Hatchery technology
        and species availability Polyculture Reproductive management
        Biological interactions/habitat enrichment/optimization
        Species behavior and modification and cage design to optimize

 4. Environmental considerations
        Nutrient enrichment of water column (pros and cons)
        Organic enrichment of sediment
        Biological interactions

              -fish aggregating devices (FADs), marine mammals, as habitat enhancement

        Ecological interactions (escapees and disease transfer)
        Impacts of human origin
        Feed composition (raw feeds vs. extruded feeds)
        Seed stock source
        Medications and vaccines
        Development of a Code of Conduct and a best management plan (BMP)

5. Risk assessment  

6. Markets and economics

        Exchange of production statistics in fisheries and aquaculture
        Market size/product selection/species
        Value-added/product form
        Consumer preference
        Scale of production 

7. Regulatory considerations

        Size of fish regulated by wild harvests