Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

SS34 Impacts of Aquaculture and Mariculture

Date: Thursday, February 15, 2001, Time: 9:45:00 AM

Location: Sandia/Santa Ana

Angel, D, L, Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research, Eilat, Israel, angel@agri.huji.ac.il

Spanier, E, , Leon Recanati Ctr. Mar. Stud., University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel, spanier@research.haifa.ac.il

Eden, N, , Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research, Eilat, Israel,

Katz, T, , Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research, Eilat, Israel,

CAN BIOFILTERS REDUCE EFFLUENT DISPERSAL FROM MARINE NET-PEN FISH FARMS?

Commercial net-pen fish farms discharge large amounts of dissolved and solid wastes into the surrounding waters with environmental consequences ranging from mild pelagic eutrophication to intense benthic loading and anoxia. Numerous studies have shown that mariculture impacts are generally localized, however we sorely lack information about far-field effects, such as those related to dissolved nutrients that are dispersed over large areas. In order to limit nutrient discharge and the area affected, we must try to recover as much of the fish farm effluents as possible and this can be achieved by employing biofilters. These biofilters may be composed of “seeded” macroalgae, bivalves, sponges, fish, etc., and should be chosen: a) from among the natural local (endemic) species and b) on the basis of biofiltration efficiency and harvestability. Alternatively, substrates with large surface area may be placed within the vicinity of the fish cages and the natural “benthic” community that settles thereupon will fulfill the role of biofilter. Examples of and data from such biofilters, and their conservational merits, will be presented and discussed.

This Session Listing

Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

Quicklinks