Reducing the impact of feeds on the environment in sustainable aquaculture

Abstract

Sustainable aquaculture consists of environmental, social, economic and aesthetic factors. The most important environmental impacts are the feed given to the system, and the nutrient load arising from the feed and undeniable impact of aquculture. This nutrient load consists of nitrogen and phosphorus, which are basically found in feeds. Nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation in the system can cause events such as eutrophication and algal blooms in the environment and this may be negatively affecting the life in the environment. Sustainable aquaculture can be achieved by reducing the environmental impacts arising from the feeding. The environmental impacts of the aquaculture arising from the feeding can be reduced by using the feed in the most efficient way and by reducing the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus release to the environment together with the development of environmentally friendly feed formulations. Many studies have shown that the addition of enzymes to feeds has been successful for more efficient use of the feeds and increasing digestibility. Especially thanks to the addition of phytase enzyme, the phosphorus digestibility increases and the amount of phosphorus released into the water decreases. In addition, this load arising from the feed can be advantageously used and monitored with alternative production formulas for example, with integrated multi-trophic aquaculture systems and aquaponic systems. In this compilation, environmental effects of the feeds in sustainable aquaculture and what can be done to reduce these environmental effects are discussed.