Guest guest Posted January 2, 2008 Report Share Posted January 2, 2008 Tilapia Who farms it? Though native to Africa, this freshwater fish is cultivated in China (54 per cent of the market), Thailand, Asia, South America, the Pacific, North America and the Caribbean. Production totals more than 1m tonnes. How? The male is preferred because it grows to market weight quicker than the female. Incubated males are sexed by hand, using dyes to highlight their genitalia, or fry are fed a sex-reversal hormone to produce an all-male population. Females are sold for fishmeal. Tilapia, which are herbivores, are reared in unmanaged ponds, in net enclosures on lakes, in crowded cages or tanks. Some eat plants, or are given protein-rich feed. What's in it? The dyes malachite green (banned in Europe), halcyon blue and ink are used for sexing. Tilapia are what they eat, and in unmanaged systems, animal manure and even human faeces contribute to the mix. Pond-reared fish can have a muddy taint caused by geosmin. Ponds and lakes are often laced with pesticides. Are the fish harmed? Even in natural ponds, tilapia are overstocked. Stocking densities are as high as 150kg/m3 in high-tech oxygenated tank systems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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