Environmental Parameters
Good environmental conditions are an absolute necessity in the aquaculture industry. If the water is of the optimum quality, the control that can be exercised over other operating inputs allows for the best environmental management. It has to be remarked however that not all farms have the best quality water available as their source and have to adapt their operations to this fact. In addition, water quality can change seasonally and as a function of upstream activities. Understanding the effects of the variables that concern water quality is important if good and effective environmental management is to be made on the farm.
Overstocking the farm can result in overloading of the carrying capacity of the water in respect of organic and nutrient matter and this can cause a significant reduction in water quality through the effects of oxygen depletion and anoxic sedimentary conditions within the farm.
Existence of these conditions will inevitably lead to poor farm performance, reflected by weak growth results, poor product quality, disease incidence and heavy mortalities. If environmental parameters are not monitored continuously and action is not taken to remedy any deficiencies, the company may eventually face severe financial loss, incurred through a deterioration in final product quality or important stock losses.
Fallowing periods help reduce the biological loading on ponds and the surrounding seabed or and aids disruption of disease cycles.
Questions
Can you identify and remedy problems concerning:
- Water quality
- Excess nitrate
- Oxygen depletion
- Excess nitrite
- BOD
- COD
- Ammonia
- pH
Do you require further knowledge/training in the areas of environmental monitoring and impact of aquaculture?
Do you know the legislative requirements that you are obliged to fulfil?
Do you have a specific environmental management plan?
Do you implement a fallowing period into your farming organisation?
Danger point
If you do not know or carry out these procedures, you will not survive very long.
Training checklist
See checklist for training provision in environmental management techniques.
Environmental management
- Design & implementation of an environmental management plan
- Regulatory agreements for environmental procedures
- Single bay management practices
- Advantages and practice in fallowing and harrowing
- Good environmental practice and minimising environmental impact
- Recovering fish waste