From Hunting to Farming: Exploring the Development of Industrial Aquaculture in Newfoundland and Labrador from a Complex Systems Perspective

• Main Author: Dean Bavington
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2000
• Subjects: Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.22.2177; http://ersserver.uwaterloo.ca/jjkay/grad/aquac.pdf

This paper adopts a complex systems perspective to understand the development of industrial aquaculture in Newfoundland and Labrador. The first section explores the underlying industrial paradigm that has guided wild-stock management and aquaculture development in the province. Biophysical, sociopolitical, economic, and cultural-ethical systems are each examined and similarities between industrial aquaculture and the deleterious pattern of resource management applied to the Northern cod fishery are highlighted. The paper concludes by exploring alternatives to industrial aquaculture that emerge from a complex systems perspective.