Background

The domestic aquaculture industry will face strong competition from imports of foreign aquaculture products as well as competition from the other protein food commodities.  Enhancing the economic production of aquaculture in the United States by using responsible aquaculture systems is a continual challenge.  Inputs used for aquaculture food production must be economical for the producer, non-impacting on the environment and such that would not warrant consumers to discriminate in the market place.

The development of sustainable systems for aquaculture must include considerations for producer profit; effects on environmental quality including soil, water, and air; and compatible with worker safety and requirements for food safety and quality.  These considerations will govern the ongoing development of new technology to provide and promote economically viable and environmentally sustainable aquaculture systems.  A number of approaches are collected under this component even though they appear in other components of this Action Plan.  Most notably these issues involve feed, water and water recycling, effluent management, biosecurity and animal health management.

Vision

Improved aquatic animal and integrated production systems that are both economically and environmentally sustainable and acceptable to consumers in the global market place.

Mission

Develop and transfer sound, scientifically-based knowledge that will result in the economical production of aquaculture products that are safe for food and have minimal impact on the environment. 

Impact

Economic advantage and improved marketplace competitiveness for domestic producers through new technology and practices that maximize environmental and production efficiencies, minimize wastes, energy input and regulatory costs, optimize product quality and safety, and provide clear value to consumers.

Linkages

Other ARS National Programs: Food Animal Production (101); Quality and Utilization of Agricultural Products (306); Soil Resource Management (202); Water Quality and Management (201); Integrated Agriculture Systems (207).

Other Agencies and Departments: U. S. Colleges of Agriculture and State Agricultural Experiment Stations; National Marine Fisheries, Environmental Protection Agency, Freshwater Institute, Oceanic Institute.

Private Sector: Catfish Farmers of America; U.S. Trout Farmers Association; Striped Bass Growers Association; U.S. Marine Shrimp Farmers; American Society of Agricultural Engineers; American Fisheries Society; Aquaculture Engineering Society; America Tilapia Association

Problems to be addressed

a.  Aquaculture Feeds

The negative impact of poorly managed aquaculture systems on the environment, and particularly on water quality, is becoming an important issue and constraint to the sustainability and expansion of the aquaculture industry.  The main input and greatest cost in most aquaculture production systems is feed, which is not only a source of nutrients for fish growth, but also the major source of pollutants.  To reduce costs and harmful pollutants, diets need to be formulated from lower cost highly digestible alternatives.  Uneaten and undigested feeds are also main factors affecting environmental pollution.  Development of new diets with good quality alternative ingredients and alternative feeding strategies may reduce feed costs and minimize the accumulation of organic substances and metabolic wastes that may lead to toxicity, health risks, and growth suppression in fish.

Goals

1.      Develop alternative feed ingredients from plant protein sources and reduce the amount of minerals and other compounds released into the environment after consumption.

2.      Develop feed formulation and manufacturing, and feeding practices for optimal nutrition, increased production, and improved water quality.

3.      Improve understanding of the nutrient retention and energy requirements of cultivated aquatic species to reduce undigested or uneaten feeds.

Approach

1.      Characterize fish processing byproducts, develop innovative methods for handling of the fish byproducts and develop new and improved feed ingredients from byproducts.

2.      Evaluate nutritional and chemical characteristics of alternative feed material for use in aquaculture systems.

3.      Establish relationships between feeding practices and strategy with culture water and effluent quality.

4.      Improve the diet nutrient bioavailability by use of highly digestible feed ingredients, feed additives (such as enzymes) to enhance digestibility, and reduce excess feed nutrients, which are potential sources of pollutants.

Outcomes

• Reduction in the nutrient and mineral content of fish manure released into the environment. 
• Development of least-cost, environmental friendly diets, and optimum feeding practices for various fish species cultured under different production systems. 
• Improve culture water and effluent quality of fish production systems.

Impact

• Decreased demand of fish meal for aquatic animal feeds.
• Minimal environmental impact associated with feed ingredients.

ARS Locations

• Auburn, AL 
• Fairbanks, AK 
• Stoneville, MS 
• Hilo, HI 
• Stuttgart, AR 
• Aberdeen, ID

b.  Water Use and Reuse

Concerns over the environmental impact of aquaculture have grown and with these concerns have also come increased regulations on aquaculture discharges.  Traditionally, aquaculture often relies upon relatively large volumes of water, which produces high-volume, low-strength wastewater that can be difficult to treat economically.  Re-circulating aquaculture systems (RAS) however, require relatively little make-up water and concentrate their wastes into relatively small discharges.  Discharge from an RAS is more amenable to treatment allowing between 95 and 99 percent of the particulate wastes to be captured.  For larger commercial scale systems that recirculate freshwater and saltwater, research and development is required to improve the reliability and reduce the costs of fish production under increasingly intensive conditions. Research is also necessary to develop best waste management practices and technologies for effective removal of solids and improving effluent quality to meet discharge limits and guidelines.

Goals

1.      Improve system designs and treatment technologies to improve the effluent quality of aquaculture systems.

2.      Improve understanding of factors and processes contributing to efficient water utilization and quality conservation in aquaculture systems.

Approach

1.      Develop cost effective technologies for greater reclamation and reuse of wastewaters after the elimination of waste colloidal and particulate matter.

2.      Conduct research at a commercial scale to develop and assess technologies required to treat and recirculate large water flows (10-40 m³/min) that are reliable, efficient at waste removal, and cost effective.

Outcomes

• Generate wastewater management strategies and technology that producers can select as the most appropriate for their existing aquaculture operation.

Impact

• Appropriate technology and strategies for industry-wide aquaculture operations that meet or exceed State and proposed EPA effluent standards for aquaculture

ARS Locations

• Leetown, WV 
• Orono, ME 
• Hilo, HI 
• Freshwater Institute 
• Harbor Branch Oceanic Institute

c.  Effluent Management Control

Concerns over the environmental impact of aquaculture have grown and have led to increased regulations on aquaculture discharges.  Flowing water aquaculture systems often have two separate discharges: (1) the system primary flow which is high-volume, low-strength wastewaters; and (2) the system solids flow which is low-volume, high-strength wastewaters, i.e., backflush from filters, purge materials from swirl separators.  The concentration of waste in the primary flow discharge is relatively low, however, the cumulative waste load discharged to the receiving watersheds can be significant when water flow are large and continuous.  Aquaculture effluents typically are treated before discharge and the captured solids waste have potential for beneficial reuse.

Goals

1.      Provide appropriate waste management technologies and practices that are integrated with aquaculture system complexity and environmental regulation criteria.

2.      Produce more reliable and accurate monitoring methods for aquaculture effluents.

3.      Identify and develop opportunities for the reduction and reutilization of aquaculture waste products.

Approach

1.      Investigate and evaluate appropriate overall integrated strategies for effective wastewater treatment in a production oriented aquaculture system.

2.      Investigate methods to utilize or integrate aquaculture wastes to enhance farm revenue and diversity.

Outcomes

• Development of criteria that will facilitate the selection of appropriate, integrated wastewater management strategies through decisions regarding system design and operational criteria. 
• Decrease aquaculture’s reliance on water resources and improve the utilization of captured wastes from aquaculture systems.

Impact

• An integrated approach to wastewater management weighing the desired level of removal against capital costs and system complexity that meets or exceeds regulatory effluent criteria.
• Reduction of aquaculture waste to the surrounding environment and the development of aquaculture waste byproducts.

ARS Locations

• Leetown, WV 
• Stuttgart, AR 
• Orono, ME 
• Pine Bluff, AR 
• Hilo, HI 

d.  Social Sustainability

Modern day aquaculture enterprises must exist within and depend upon a dynamic ecosystem with finite resources.  In order to remain competitive in a global marketplace these enterprises need new knowledge, techniques, and equipment that will improve productivity and protect the environment, protect worker health and safety, and sustain the quality of “common use” natural resources.

Goals

1.      Improvement of aquaculture facilities to minimize conflict of common-use water resources.

2.      Identify and develop opportunities for the improvement of aquaculture worker health and safety.

Approach

1.      Identify industry practices that need serious modification to lessen aquaculture’s contribution to stressors that cause social unsustainability.

2.      Promote and implement practices that enhance worker health and safety and minimize resource conflicts and maximize resource conservation.

Outcome(s)

• Technology and practices useful in traditional aquaculture production and activities that improve production efficiency and product quality while reducing worker exposure to risk of injury and illness, and foster conservation of resources.

 Impact

• Industry is implementing technology with long-term economic and worker safety resilience, without a negative context or threat to the natural resources of the community. 

ARS Locations

• Leetown, WV 
• Stuttgart, AR 
• Fairbanks, AK 
• Orono/Franklin, ME 
• Pine Bluff, AR       

e.  Environmental Sustainability

As the U.S. aquaculture industry expands, it must be sustainable and environmentally compatible.  Inevitably the aquaculture industry will be examined in the context of environmental sustainability. Knowledge about aquaculture production systems is needed to minimize the potential for habitat degradation, disease transmission, genetic dilution of wild stocks through interbreeding with cultured strains, introduction of non-indigenous species into natural waters, and discharges of wastes, toxins, and excess nutrients. 

Goals

1.      To promote and encourage technological and management solutions for the environmentally sustainable development of the growing aquaculture industry.

2.      Improve our understanding of interactions between aquaculture production systems and the surrounding environment.

Approach

1.      Develop best management practices that limit exotic species infestations, minimize disease outbreaks and reduce pollution.

2.      Develop a consistent, routine monitoring program for disease control, species containment and escapement and effluent release.

3.      Evaluate the different components found in aquaculture waste and research their individual and combined effects on the ecology of receiving environments.

4.      Develop chemical and biocontrol methods to maintain and manage aquatic animal habitat.

Outcomes

• Technology be applied by the domestic aquaculture industry that is sustainable, profitable, and environmentally safe, and maintain high water quality standards.
• Knowledge to assist farmers with solving problems regarding environmentally sustainable practices will be developed. 
• Knowledge of the interactions between aquaculture waste and the receiving environment, and how to minimize negative effects will be generated. 

Impact

• Improvements in aquaculture practices which limit habitat degradation, disease transmission, genetic dilution of wild stocks through interbreeding with cultured strains, introduction of non-indigenous species into natural waters, and discharges of wastes, toxins, and excess nutrients.

ARS Locations

• Leetown, WV 
• Stuttgart, AR 
• Fairbanks, AK 
• Orono, ME 
• Pine Bluff, AR 
• Newport, OR