The vector dataset represents suitable areas for offshore mariculture of Cobia (rachycentron canadum) in São Tomé and Príncipe, produced in 2022 under the scope of the Hand-in-Hand initiative, using publicly accessible data.
Cobia is distributed in warm marine waters worldwide displaying a very large potential suitable area. It is selected as a representative species for tropical/subtropical waters offshore mariculture.
The geospatial analysis adopts Kapetsky and Aguilar-Manjarrez study (Kapetsky et al., 2013(*)) methodology, where suitability is estimated based on the assumptions:
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Activity develops within the exclusive economic zones (EEZs).
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Uses cages for fish.
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Employs species with proven mariculture technologies and established markets or identified as having good prospects for future development.
Analytical criteria and thresholds are defined based on technical limits on cages, cost-effective farming, and species habitat:
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Depths (25–100 m).
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Current speeds (10–100 cm/s).
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Cost limits on distance from shore to offshore installations (25 nm (46.3 km)).
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Reliable access to a port.
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Habitat Cobia (rachycentron canadum).
(*) Kapetsky, J. M., Aguilar-Majarrez, J., & Jenness, J. (2013). A global assessment of offshore mariculture potential from a spatial perspective. In FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper (Issue No. 549, pp. 0–181). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Data creation: 2022-08-05
Contact points:
Metadata Contact: FAO-Data
Data lineage:
The assessment analysis is developed using publicly accessible data.
FAO Map Catalogue data:
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FAO aquatic species distribution map of Cobia (rachycentron canadum): https://data.apps.fao.org/map/catalog/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/10531883-6f07-47b0-88cf-67c3cd484a77
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Regions with HYCOM current speeds at 30m depth between 1 - 10, 10 - 100 and > 100 cm/s for all months in the year - Based on HYCOM NCODA (HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) and Navy Coupled Ocean Data Assimilation (NCODA)) 8.9 km 2004-2008: https://data.apps.fao.org/map/catalog/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/73fee8e5-fcb6-47ad-bef0-365f8bd0368b
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Sea Ports - https://www.searates.com/maritime/sao_tome_and_principe
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EEZ - VLIZ Flanders Maritime Institute - Maritime boundaries geodatabase version 5 (2009): http://www.vliz.be/vmdcdata/marbound/download.php
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Bathymetry – GEBCO – General Bathymetric Chart of the oceans - Gridded bathymetric data sets are global terrain models for ocean and land 2021 https://download.gebco.net/
Online resources:
Zipped raster TIF file for Offshore Mariculture Suitability for Cobia - São Tomé and Príncipe