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Water - a key security asset 6. Artemia production in the salt water of the Aral Sea Contents   1. Water - a key security asset   2. Security through Science  3. Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society  4. Countering the environmental degradation of the Black Sea  5. Wetlands restoration in the Aral Sea  6. Artemia production in the salt water of the Aral Sea  7. Real-time monitoring of the Nistru and Prut rivers  8. Pilot studies on water management  9. The South Caucasus Cooperative River Monitoring Project Editorial Note   Important publisher and editorial information about this document Other Formats English PDF (~640Kb) Printable version with colour illustrations Order a hardcopy version using the online order form. Experts have predicted that the salinity of the southern part of the Aral Sea may increase in the years to come if agricultural exploitation and water diversion are continued. The idea therefore emerged to exploit the salinity of the lake by introducing the aquaculture production of Artemia, a microscopic organism that is used as a commercial feed additive for shrimp and fish farms. A new Science for Peace project has been launched aimed at the development of a model for the production of Artemia. This would draw up strategies related to harvest, transport and processing, using local assets. American, Belgian and Uzbek scientists are working on this project with national and local government bodies. NATO provides equipment for the sampling in the field and the laboratory experiments, as well as for the training of local experts. At this early stage of the project, the co-directors have already received a formal letter of interest from a commercial harvesting company located in Kazakhstan. Did you know? The largest production of Artemia is in the Great Salt Lake of Utah, United States. The global demand for Artemia biomass is about 2000 tons per year, and is on the increase. The revenues range between US$ 55 to 95 million per year.

© NATO - OTAN 2005 -	NATO Public Diplomacy Division 1110 Brussels, Belgium, web site: www.nato.int e-mail: natodoc@hq.nato. int