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Logistics of using fish from UBC Farm integrated aquaculture on campus

University of British Columbia. Campus and Community Planning

A rise in global of seafood demand has elicited intensive fishing practices of marine wildlife. Intensive fishing of marine wildlife threatens the ecological sustainability of our aquatic ecosystems. In aspiring to sustain the ecological integrity of our marine ecosystems, we are encouraged to consider alternative methods of fish production. Aquaponics is a land-based, closed fish production system, which is widely regarded as sustainable. Harvesting fish through the use of an aquaponics system is deemed sustainable as the outputs of one biological entity become the inputs of another. This project’s objective was to qualitatively assess the fish demand by UBC food outlets and to determine as whether the fish demanded of UBC food outlets could be met by the UBC Farm’s aquaponics system. Gathering the demand of UBC food outlets considered seafood purchasing patterns, the type of seafood purchased, as well as the logistical aspects of processing fish. To complete these goals, our team organized interviews with key informants, including purchasing managers at UBC, chefs, licensing officers, and other aquaculture producers. Gathering the demand of UBC food outlets facilitated in qualitatively assessing whether the demand for fish existed. Literature reviews were conducted to determine the requirements of a fish processing facility. The correspondence with chefs and purchasing managers at UBC indicated that there is a demand for local and farm-raised fish. Chefs and purchasing mangers at UBC prioritized food safety and Ocean Wise licensing as their major concerns of fish from the UBC Farm. Scenarios for selling seafood products to UBC food outlets and processing fish were discussed to provide feasible options that the UBC Farm could consider for their future operations. This project aimed to provide a framework that the UBC Farm could reference, in furthering their endeavours of an aquaponics initiative. The UBC Farm does have a fish market among UBC food outlets, which we have determined are logistically feasible. Disclaimer: “UBC SEEDS provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Coordinator about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report.”

Text

University of British Columbia. LFS 450; UBC Social Ecological Economic Development Studies (SEEDS) Student Report

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0108537

Land and Food Systems, Faculty of

Unreviewed

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ca/