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| | Mississippi
Fisheries and Aquaculture
Mississippi leads the nation in aquaculture. Its aquaculture industry produces food fish, baitfish, shrimp, crawfish and oysters valued at $290 million annually. The state also has the second largest fishing industry of the five Gulf states. This industry is largely dependent on intact coastal wetlands and clean coastal waters.
- Both climate models used in the Gulf Coast report project that freshwater input from local rivers flowing into estuaries, bays, and lagoons will likely decrease in the future due to decreased precipitation.
 Aquaculture requires plenty of fresh water. With most inland ponds dependent on surface freshwater sources, either unchanged rainfall totals or any decline in rainfall or freshwater availability would negatively impact pond operations.
- Lower rainfall and higher water demand is likely to result in problems with extreme salt concentrations, less nutrient input, less frequent flushing, and thus overall lower water quality in nearshore coastal waters.
- In the future, demands on scarce freshwater resources will increase.
- Where the salt tolerance of species in marshes, and seagrass beds is exceeded, changes in the food web and possible reduction in fish and shellfish productivity must be expected.
 If wetlands are able to migrate inland as sea level continues to rise, the yield of estuarine-dependent fisheries, such as shrimp, will increase or decrease depending on the size and quality of the new habitat over time.
Photo Credits:
Magnolia - Floridata.com, M. Harris.
Catfish farm - USDA photo, K. Hammond.
shrimp boat - R. Twilley | |
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© Union of Concerned Scientists
Page Last Revised: 06/24/08 |
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