Evolution and Prospects of Freshwater Fish Species and Aquaculture in Colombia: A Historical Perspective

Since the 1970s Colombia has been aware of the importance of aquaculture and inland fisheries in the future of its economy due to the constant increase of a population that is increasingly in need of protein of animal origin. In 1972, a joint project between the Government of Colombia and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations was approved and aimed at studying inland fishing and developing aquaculture in the country. The work of the project is described, as are the fish culture and fisheries research activities starting with the situation in the 1970s but comparing it with recent findings. A list of the main capture and culture fish species is given. Colombian fishing production has had great variations, but first inland water fishing was more important than marine. For instance, in 1972 total fish catch was 104,390 tons and 79% of that originated from inland waters. After the continental fisheries went down, the marine fisheries accounted in 2019 already 78 per cent of the total catch of the country. Mean standing fish crop estimates in 1975‒76 from the bay, open water and vegetation habitats in four floodplain lakes were 118, 12 and 251 kg/ha indicating clearly that the fish productivity on the Magdalena floodplain was relatively low. The aquaculture sector has been growing rapidly, reflecting global trends, and producing more than capture fisheries. Aquaculture produced 88,000 tons in 2013, which was a three-fold increase from the mid-1990s. Again twofold increase took place before 2020 when the production was almost 180,000 tons. Future development prospects of inland fisheries and aquaculture are discussed and a mention is made of the present situation of ornamental fish cultivation and trade in Colombia.