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Farming fish

Freelance science writer Jim Kling reports:

At a Tuesday afternoon session on biotechnology in aquaculture, a representative from HQ Sustainable Maritime Industries described a decidedly non-biotech method for raising exclusively male tilapia fish.

The females carry their eggs in their mouths and so aren't as productive as males. One approach to ensuring that you only raise males is to use hormones. HQ took a different approach. It added to the ponds a predator fish that grows at the same rate as male tilapia. It ate the slower-growing females as well as runts. It's an example of Biomimicry; taking inspiration from nature.

Another presenter pointed out that humans continue to be hunter/gatherers with respect to one protein source -- fish. Interesting point, I thought. Why is that we've embraced farming everywhere but the ocean?

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