While this practice has been very successful, the reasons for its success have not been systematically identified and vary from region to region. The Asia-Pacific Regional Research and Training Centre for Integrated Fish Farming in Wuxi, China, has been involved with aquaculture research and extension work for more than a decade. The Centre offers annual training courses for students from Africa, the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, and Latin America. It has produced a manual entitled Integrated Fish Farming in China , which explains the Chinese system and guides adaptation of the practice to local conditions. Various Chinese integrated fish farming models have evolved according to geography and climate, local agricultural characteristics, socioeconomic conditions, and traditional practices.
Most fish farms have complex integrated farming and management systems.
Complementary species of fish grow in the same pond, such as grass carp, which eat green fodder their excreta then fertilize the water or are eaten by silver carp. Integrated Fish Farming in China reflects the understanding and experience gained by workers in the Centre, as a result of studies in China and technical co-operation with people from other countries. Because the Chinese system of carp culture provides a base from which integration with other crops, plants, and livestock has evolved, a large portion of the manual deals with the biology of the predominate. Someone who is new to the Chinese practice of integrated farming must first understand the basic biology and reproductive cycle of Chinese carps. The book also introduces Chinese and other models of integrated fish farming.