4 - Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture

National Workshop-cum-Train~ng on Bi~lnfomatiCS and Information UaMgemWt In *quaculture
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F1g.3 A h~erarch~cal modellng in GIs env~ronmento evaluate sultabll~ty of locations for
aquaculture and agriculture and resolve associated confl~cts, In the Slnaloa state of
Mexlco (adapted from Agullar-Manjarrez and Ross, 1995).
Case study -1V
Aguilar-Manjarrez and Nath, 1998 developed a information system for assessing
potential of inland aquaculture in Africa. Use of a GIS greatly enhanced the
evaluation, especially with regard to the application of objective decision-making
methods, quantifying limitations imposed by different production factors,
providing estimates of the predicted fish farming potential, and visualizing
outcomes. This spatial analysis was limited to assessment of land-based inland
aquaculture potential, which for practical purposes implies pond systems. This
case study provides a good example of data consolidation from multiple sources.
Analytical procedures in the study involved three phases such as (i) criteria
identification, classification, and standardization, (ii) integration of primary
criteria and (iii) development of models that manipulate and integrate selected
criteria.
Criteria used in this study reflects their importance to fish farming, as well as
practical considerations of data availability for African countries. The criteria
include general environmental characteristics, land use practices, infrastructure,
and population distribution data (Fig. 4). Such strategic study gave an important
insight for fish farming opportunities 'prior' to encouraging its development. For
instance, Zimudzi (1997) reported that after an initial enthusiasm for aquaculture
in the 1980s, the majority of Zimbabwean farmers have stopped fish farming due
to a variety of reasons including water shortage, poor yields of Nile tilapia due to
low water temperatures, and unpredictable survival rates. These same areas
were classified as being only marginally suitable in the GIs.