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Does aquaculture pollute the environment? Facts vs. fiction

Subtopics Pollution Regulations in the industry Industry investment in environmental concerns Sustainability

Sustainability

Nature and acquaculture in balance

Sustainable Development refers to a form of development that is able to meet the needs of the present generation without jeopardising the needs of future generations.

The sustainability concept is virtually based on these 3 principles:

1. Each generation has the right to exploit its natural resources;
2. Resources must pass down from one generation to another;
3. Everybody has the right to an undamaged natural environment.

1. The rate at which natural resources are used must be lower than or equal to the ability to reproduce those resources;
2. The rate at which waste is produced must be lower than or equal to the environment's capacity to absorb that waste.

It is important to point out that the international community is still investigating and discussing "Sustainable Development" issues.

One of the results produced in 1995 by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) researchers in this area, was the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries in which the values and principles mentioned above were outlined.

In particular, the Code of Conduct deals with the development of aquaculture (Article 9) and with principles of action and standards of behaviour, which should be complied with in order to implement and guarantee sustainable exploitation of natural resources with a conservation approach.

After the publication of this Code of Conduct, the international community tried to identify some specific guidelines for aquaculture and in the year 2000, the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) published a "Code of Conduct for European Aquaculture" .

The primary goal of the FEAP Code of Conduct is "to promote the responsible development and management of a viable European aquaculture sector in order to assure a high standard of quality food production while respecting environmental considerations and consumers' demands".

These two simple diagrams explain how the concept of sustainability is located at the intersection of the economic, ecological and social points of view.

Source: http://www.sustainabledc.org/su00009.htm

Source: http://www.sustainable.scotland.gov.uk/strategy/what.html

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