[Thursday, September 28,1989
The Battalion
Page 5
-w . a r-w-'i
By Julie Myers “With the exception of petroleum
products, the No. 1 deficit in balance
Of The Battalion Staff of payments is fish and shellfish,”
Aquaculture has come to Texas, coming a net importing country.”
and in 10 more years could be a $1 The 1987 federal balance of pay-
duce its dependence on foreign fish
by about one half.
Besides providing extra income,
aquaculture will improve the quality
of fish products.
“Farm-raised fish can be har-
just barely. In addition, he said in
specting all the imported fish prod
ucts was very expensive.
From an environmental stand
point, aquaculture will benefit those
areas and animals of Texas that are
isdayi
Mm
ASES
39
ould bring in millions,
mprove fish products
billion industry.
Also known as fish farming, aqua
culture is the cultivation of plants
and animals for economic reasons
under controlled and semi-con-
trolled conditions.
Jim Davis, extension fisheries spe
cialist at Texas A&M, said that be
cause “wild-caught” fish and shellf
ish harvests have not kept pace with
the steadily increasing per capita
consumption, and the world’s oceans
are limited, aquaculture is the only
way to meet the supply.
That supply is currently being
met by importing fish from other
countries. For example, compared
to Japanese per capita shrimp con
sumption of 12 lbs., Davis estimates
the average United States per capita
consumption of shrimp to be about
5.2 lbs., 80 percent of which comes
from Japan.
ment deficit for fish and shellfish
was $17.4 billion, Davis said. In
other words, the United States im
ported $17.4 billion more of these
products than it sold.
Although Japan has a plentiful
supply of coastal salt water, Davis
said most of what Japan exports is
not wild-caught, but pond-grown
aquaculture products.
Furthermore, Davis said the Japa
nese are developing aquaculture in
other countries as well.
“They are the major force behind
the production of shrimp in Brazil,”
he said. “Their money is out devel
oping aquaculture all over the world.
We have got to develop aquaculture
if we’re ever going to get out of this
net importing situation.”
If aquaculture does in fact become
a $1 billion industry, Davis predicts
the United States will be able to re
vested at the peak of freshness, time,
and size resulting in a better, higher
quality product for the same price,”
Davis said.
In addition, Davis said unlike
wild-caught fish products, the pro
ducer is able to make changes in the
environment conducive to better
quality.
Feed, for example, can be altered
to produce bigger, better tasting fish
in much the same way cattle feed is
manipulated to provide leaner beef,
he said. With fish farms, however,
the specially formulated food is the
only thing for fish to eat.
Retail quality would also improve,
since the farm-raised product would
have to meet more stringent
U.S.D.A standards along the proc
ess, not just before sale.
Davis said the imported products
also met government standards, but
environmentally sensitive.
“Fears have been expressed that
aquaculture might in some way in
terfere with the wild fisheries of the
state,” Davis said. “However, be
cause the fish farmer can make
money only by keeping all of his fish
in his ponds, these fears are unfoun
ded.”
In actuality, Davis said the fish a
farmer raises in his pond take pres
sure off the wild catch.
From a coastal standpoint, Texas
is uniquely suited for aquaculture
production since it has the longest
shoreline of any other state in the
Gulf of Mexico with the exception of
Florida, where half the coastline is
on the Atlantic Ocean and not suita
ble for aquaculture use.
Davis also said Texas was blessed
with a mild climate and more shal
low, saltwater aquifers.
OFF
ALL SUTTON PLAZA,* 9-2-5.*
mushrooms,* raf^ertV;
glorius,' annadale;
WHISPER STEPS,* SO SOFT,
WORTHINGTON,* DIVERSITY
Dress shoes for women.
ro
lis-
al
20 % OFF
ALL GITANO,* CANDIES,*
NICOLE*
Casual shoes for women.
OC°/°
L-\J OFF
ALL WOMEN’S BOOTS
AND BOOTIES
20
%
OFF
ALL WOMEN’S COMFORT
AND DUTY SHOES
25 0/ ° OFF
ALL MEN’S
ST. JOHN’S BAY*
CASUAL SHOES
For example: Sale $30 Reg. $40. St.
boat shoe.
Sale 41.25 Reg. $55. Kiltie slip-on.
John’s Bay®
OC°/°
OFF
ALL MEN’S STACY
ADAMS* DRESS SHOES
For example: Sale 41.25 Reg. $55. Soft sole
leather dress shoes.
20 % OFF
ALL NIKE* ATHLETIC SHOES
FOR MEN AND WOMEN
For example: Sale 31.99 Reg. 39.99. Air waffle
runner for men.
Sale 51.99 Reg. 64.99. Delta lo-cut shoe for men.
Sale 23.99 Reg. 29.99. Bravo runner for women.
25 0/ ° OFF
ALL MEN’S PAR FOUR'
CASUAL SHOES
For example: Sale 37.50 Reg. $50 ea. Oxford or
slip-on style shoe.
2CP OFF
ALL MEN’S STREET
CARS* CASUAL SHOES
For example: Sale $52 Reg. $65. Main Street®
casual shoe.
25 % OFF
ALL CHILDREN’S
DRESS & CASUAL
SHOES
Save on girls’, boys’, infants’ and toddlers’ shoes.
\
20 ° OFF
ALL MEN’S CITY
STREETS’ CASUAL
SHOES
For example: Sale $28 Reg. $35. Tri-color shoe.
20°° OFF
ALL MEN’S WORK
SHOES
For example: Sale $36 Reg. $45. Big Mac® 6”
leather shoe.
SALE 19.99
KIDS’ FIFTH GEAR*
ATHLETIC SHOES
Reg. 24.99. Kids’ basketball shoe.
20 % -40 0 off
ALL WESTERN BOOTS
For example: Sale $64 Reg. $80. 12” deep dip
Dingo® boot.
Sale $60 Reg. $100. Rio Grande® leather boot.
2CPoff
ALL MEN’S RUGGED
OUTDOOR FOOTWEAR
For example: Sale $44 Reg. $55. St. John’s Bay®
sport boot.
SALE SQ.QQ
KIDS’ BRITISH
KNIGHTS' ATHLETIC
SHOES
Reg. 46.99. Kids’ basketball shoe.
19.99
ALL KEDS
Casual shoes for women.
20
%
OFF
20
%
ALL MEN’S STAFFORD
DRESS SHOES
For example: Sale S44 Reg. $55. Kidskin tubular
shoe.
Sale 63.20 Reg. $79. Comfort Plus* wing tip oxford.
OFF
ALL GIORGIO BRUTINI*
DRESS SHOES
For example: Sale $32 Reg. $40. Giorgio BrutinP
oxford shoes.
25
%
OFF
KIDS’ L.A. GEAR* AND
NIKE* ATHLETIC SHOES
You're looking smarter than ever at