Research Article
Austin J Vet Sci & Anim Husb. 2015;2(1): 1007.
Risk Factors Associated With Poor Shrimp Aquaculture in Egypt
Waleed El-Said Abou El-Amaiem*
Aga district central veterinary hospital, Egypt
*Corresponding author: Waleed El-Said Abou El-Amaiem, Aga district central veterinary hospital, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt
Received: January 31, 2015; Accepted: April 08, 2015; Published: April 10, 2015
Abstract
Shrimp farming has been heralded as part of a 'Blue Revolution', capable of providing food whilst allowing wild stocks to recover from over-fishing. The industry has experienced spectacular growth in recent years. Today, farmed shrimp account for about one third of global consumption of shrimp, having a retail value of US$50-60 billion. Mounting evidence raises serious concerns over the environmental and economic sustainability, as well as social equity, of large parts of the shrimp farming industry.
The aim of this study was to assess the most prominent risk factors associated with poor shrimp aquaculture in Egypt. For this purpose 80 villages were selected randomly from different Dakahlia governorate districts where a questionnaire about the hypothesized risk factors was constructed.
The final multivariate logistic regression model showed, a significant association between poverty (p<0.05), aquaculture area tourism consideration (p<0.05), aquaculture area military consideration (p<0.05), availability of man power (p<0.05), carrying out individual interview for data collection (p<0.05), respond ability of governmental organizations in data collection (p<0.05) and poor shrimp aquaculture in Egypt.
According to our knowledge, this is the first paper discussing the most prominent risk factors regarding poor shrimp aquaculture in Egypt.
Keywords: Aquaculture; Egypt; Shrimp
Introduction
Large sections of Africa and the Middle East, with their rich natural heritage, high biodiversity and relatively unspoiled coastal environment, hold tremendous potential for the development of commercially viable shrimp aquaculture. More than a dozen countries in the two regions already have some 50-100 commercial shrimp aquaculture operations up and running. These operations range from tiny, extensive artisanal operations to quite large, intensive production systems [1].
In fact, given the problems of disease (and crashing production systems) and the over development of the industry in a number of other countries, investors have begun to look seriously at Africa and the Middle East as potential areas for investment. Environmental activists are interested in preventing the negative impacts of the industry in these regions. To date, however, the perceived advantages of these two regions have been insufficient to lure significant investments in shrimp aquaculture in either region. However, investments are increasing. Madagascar, Egypt and Iran already have small, but important shrimp aquaculture industries [2].
Aquaculture production is also skewed geographically with Asia producing over 90% of global products, dwarfing Africa and Latin America at less than 0.5% and 2%, respectively. In China, with 67% of global aquaculture production, inland aquaculture production has increased at least fivefold in the past decade; it has only doubled in the rest of the world, implying large potential in other developing countries if constraints to its expansion were removed [3].
By mid-1990s, when Egypt's catch of wild-caught shrimp began to decrease in size, the government began to encourage the private sector to develop shrimp farming. The goal was to create an industry capable of producing large commercially valuable shrimp [4].
The objective of this study was to discuss different risk factors associated with shrimp aquaculture in Egypt and through the beam on the most important ones.
Materials and Methods
Demography
This study was carried out during the period from October 2011 to July 2012 at the Dakahlia governorate, Egypt (N 29° and E 25.48°) according to GPS reading (Garmin's eTrex Legend personal navigator). Dakahlia governorate is present in the east of the Delta of the Nile and covers about 3.459 km. It locates in a very strategic location overlooking Damietta branch of the River Nile and the Mediterranean Sea coast and boarded with El- Sharkia governorate from the east, El-Kharbeya governorate from the west and Damietta governorate to the North West. The weather in this area is moderate throughout the year and the rate of rains is quite higher than that of Cairo.
Questionnaire
A questionnaire was carried out to collect data about the risk factors associated with poor shrimp aquaculture in Egypt where participatory disease surveillance was the applicable method. About 200 (fishermen, fish vendors, economists and coastguard) were requested to fulfill the questionnaire. Fishermen and fish vendors have many data and are good experience about the study.
Statistical analysis
All data analyses were performed by using statistical software program (SPSS for Windows, Version 15.0, SPSS Inc., and Chicago, USA). Association between the occurrence of poor shrimp aquaculture and the hypothesized risk factors was firstly carried out by univariate analysis using chi square (?2-test). Variables with significant association at P=0.1 (two-sided) were subjected to the multivariate logistic regression model. With multivariate logistic regression, Hosmer and Lemeshow's goodness of fit statistic test greater than 0.05 was used to imply that the model's estimates fit the data at an acceptable level in multivariate analysis. The results were each expressed as p value and Odds Ratio (OR) with a 95% Confidence Interval (CI 95%). On multivariate logistic regression model, variables are considered significant at p < 0.05.
Composition of the field teams
Field teams surveying each village were composed of two members from General Organization of Veterinary Services (GOVS). They were responsible for interviewing peoples and data collection.
Gathering and analysis of the questionnaires from the villages
The questionnaires used contained qualitative and quantitative information on the risk factors associated with poor shrimp aquaculture in Egypt.
Results
Variable
Levels
Number of visits to each village to collect data
One visit=1; two visits=2; three visits=3
Availability of land as feddan
Present=1; not present=0
Respond ability of nongovernmental organizations in data collection
Good response =1; poor response = 0
Respond ability of governmental organizations in data collection
Good response =1; poor response = 0
Number of interviews in each visit
One interview=1; two interviews=2; three interviews=3
Presence of key informants
Not present =0 ; present = 1
Carrying out individual interviews for data collection
Yes = 1; No=0
Carrying out group interviews for data collection
Yes =0; No =1
Suitability of agricultural seats
Present =1; not present =0
Presence of water supplies
Present =1; not present =0
Presence of high salinity
present =1 ; Not present =0
Aquaculture area tourism considerations
Not present =0; present =1
Aquaculture media
Present =1; not present=0
Season
Winter=1; summer=2; autumn=3; spring=4
Species
Small species=1 ; large sized species=2
Availability of hatcheries
Not present=0 ;Present=1
Education level of farm owners
Illiterate=1; primary=2; metric=3; graduate=4; post graduate=5
Presence of nursery farms
Not present=0; present=1
Presence of live planktons
Not present=0; present=1
Poverty
Not present=0; present=1
Contamination
Not present=0; present=1
High cost
Not present=0; present=1
Availability of environmental data
Not present=0; present=1
Availability of research
Not present=0; present=1
Competition and restrictions on coastal lands
Not present=0; present=1
Availability of manpower
Not present=0; present=1
Availability of specialized feed
Not present=0; present=1
Farming system
Extensive=0; semi-intensive=1; intensive=2
Table 1: Classification and levels of risk factors suggested to affect the prevalence of poor shrimp aquaculture in Egypt.
Good aquaculture
Poor aquaculture
Variable
Number (20)
%
Number(60)
%
Number of visits to each village to collect data
1
0
0
39
65
2
0
0
16
26.66
3
20
100
5
8.334
Availability of land as feddan
0
0
0
26
43.333
1
20
100
34
56.667
Respond ability of nongovernmental organizations in data collection
0
0
0
0
0
1
20
100
60
100
Respond ability of governmental organizations in data collection
0
5
25
33
55
1
15
75
27
45
Number of interviews in each visit
1
0
0
34
56.667
2
0
0
26
43.333
3
20
100
0
0
Presence of key informants
0
0
0
21
35
1
20
100
39
65
Carrying out individual interviews for data collection
0
6
30
7
11.67
1
14
70
53
88.33
Carrying out group interviews for data collection
0
4
20
0
0
1
16
80
60
100
Suitability of agricultural seats
0
0
0
0
0
1
20
100
60
100
Presence of water supplies
0
0
0
0
0
1
20
100
60
60
Presence of high salinity
0
4
20
10
17.67
1
16
80
50
83.33
Aquaculture area tourism considerations
0
17
85
51
85
1
3
15
9
15
Aquaculture area military considerations
0
16
80
10
17.67
1
4
20
50
83.33
Aquaculture area environmental considerations
0
12
60
7
11.667
1
8
40
53
88.333
Aquaculture media
0
12
60
7
11.667
1
8
40
53
88.333
Season
1
0
0
27
45
2
0
0
6
10
3
14
70
27
45
4
6
30
0
0
Species
1
0
0
21
35
2
20
100
39
65
Availability of hatcheries
0
1
0
20
0
100
40
20
66.667
33.333
Education level of farm owners
1
7
35
11
18.333
2
9
45
30
50
3
4
20
16
26.557
4
0
0
3
5
5
0
0
0
0
Presence of nursery farms
0
0
0
0
0
1
20
100
60
100
Presence of live plankton
0
0
0
0
0
1
20
100
60
100
Poverty
0
0
0
25
41.666
1
20
100
35
58.334
Contamination
0
0
0
0
0
1
20
100
60
100
High cost
0
0
0
0
0
1
20
100
60
100
Availability of environmental data
0
0
0
21
35
1
20
100
39
65
Availability of research
0
0
0
0
0
1
20
100
60
100
Competition and restrictions on coastal lands
0
20
100
30
50
1
0
0
30
50
Availability of man power
0
0
0
17
28.333
1
20
100
43
71.67
Availability of specialized feed
0
20
100
57
95
1
0
0
3
5
Farming system
0
13
65
32
53.333
1
6
30
18
30
2
1
5
10
46.667
Table 2: Distribution of risk factors in poor shrimp aquaculture and good aquaculture.
Variable
1ß
2SE
Odds
P
3CI
Respond ability of governmental organizations in data collection
1.299
.578
5.054
.025
3.667
Carrying out individual interviews for data collection
-2.097-
.767
7.467
.006
.123
Poverty
1.686
.432
15.208
.000
5.399
Aquaculture area tourism considerations
-2.430-
.608
15.955
.000
.088
Aquaculture area military considerations
-1.573-
.427
13.572
.000
.207
Aquaculture area military considerations
-1.009-
.470
4.605
.032
.365
1ß: Regression coefficient
2SE: Standard Error
3CI: Confidence Interval at 95%
Table 3: Final multivariate logistic regression model for risk factors associated with poor shrimp aquaculture in Egypt.
Discussion
Shrimp aquaculture is an industry that has undergone more advance with relatively little planning and regulation. As a result, the expansion of shrimp aquaculture has come at a considerable cost to the natural environment. Indeed, there exist real concerns about the sustainability of shrimp aquaculture as conducted under most current systems of production [5].
Data collection from governmental organizations has a leading role through both, sharing information in a timely, open and transparent manner and building existing mechanisms of cooperation and strengthening [6].
In order to collect valuable, appropriate and detailed information; Individual interview is considered as a pioneer method especially, when there is an expected verities of different stories and where the topic to be discussed is sensitive where a respondent may be unable to tell his experience in presence of others, or where there is a possibility that the story told could contaminate other participants stories [7].
In Egypt, poverty plays a great role in shrimp aquaculture development as the majority of shrimp farmers, operators, caretakers or laborers engaged in Aquaculture are poor. The poor are often characterized by low risk bearing ability, lack of rights to reach and use the resources and weak entitlements to convert available resources into outcomes where they have access [8].
Marine protected areas in Egypt such as military and tourism areas could be a conflict in shrimp aquaculture. Many circumstances in different aquaculture areas may play this role such as bioecological, territorial and socio-economic considerations [9].
Shortage of technical manpower exists in the shrimp aquaculture industry. This includes in shrimp breeding, culture, disease detection and treatment, processing, marketing, extension, socio-economics, environment, water quality and soil profiles [10].
Conclusion
From the previous mentioned results we conclude that there were main six factors associated with poor shrimp aquaculture in Egypt which include Respond ability of governmental organizations in data collection, carrying out individual interviews for data collection, poverty, aquaculture area tourism considerations, aquaculture area military considerations and availability of man power. Further studies are needed to enhance good shrimp aquaculture in Egypt.
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