Chapter 1
Fish Farm Wastes in the Ecosystem
Paul Tett
Abstract Fish farms release dissolved and particulate waste into the ecosystem and
the most important impacts on the water column and the sediments are described at
different scales (A, B, C zones). An overview of the ethical and legal frameworks
for management of aquaculture is given, introducing the ecosystem approach to
regulation through the DPSIR (Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response) approach
and EQSs (Environmental Quality Standards). The Scottish loch Creran is used
as a case study due to the existence of long term monitoring and the presence of
aquaculture in the loch. Finally the prospects for management of aquaculture within
the European Water Framework Directive is discussed, and it is predicted that the
implementation may either result in limited changes (e.g., same practice but outphasing of environmental hazards) or major changes (e.g., ecosystem approach to
aquaculture through polycultures) to Scottish regulation.
Keywords Eutrophication, water framework directive
1.1 Introduction
This chapter is about the interactions between fish-farming and its environment, and
how these interactions might be managed in the best interests of ecological sustainability. Despite humanity’s generally bad record in this respect, there is evidence that
we can learn how to live with, as well as in, Nature (Diamond 2005). There is an
increasing will to do this, made concrete within the European Union by the Water
Framework and other Directives, and an increasing body of scientific knowledge that
can be used for management. I aim to give overviews of both the relevant science
and an ethical and legal framework for management. This framework grows out of
School of Life Sciences, Napier University, 10 Colinton Road, Edinburgh EH10 5DT, Scotland.
Tel. (+44) 0131-455-2526; E-mail: p.tett@napier.ac.uk
M. Holmer et al. (eds.), Aquaculture in the Ecosystem.
1
© 2008 Springer
Fish Farm Wastes in the Ecosystem
Paul Tett
Abstract Fish farms release dissolved and particulate waste into the ecosystem and
the most important impacts on the water column and the sediments are described at
different scales (A, B, C zones). An overview of the ethical and legal frameworks
for management of aquaculture is given, introducing the ecosystem approach to
regulation through the DPSIR (Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response) approach
and EQSs (Environmental Quality Standards). The Scottish loch Creran is used
as a case study due to the existence of long term monitoring and the presence of
aquaculture in the loch. Finally the prospects for management of aquaculture within
the European Water Framework Directive is discussed, and it is predicted that the
implementation may either result in limited changes (e.g., same practice but outphasing of environmental hazards) or major changes (e.g., ecosystem approach to
aquaculture through polycultures) to Scottish regulation.
Keywords Eutrophication, water framework directive
1.1 Introduction
This chapter is about the interactions between fish-farming and its environment, and
how these interactions might be managed in the best interests of ecological sustainability. Despite humanity’s generally bad record in this respect, there is evidence that
we can learn how to live with, as well as in, Nature (Diamond 2005). There is an
increasing will to do this, made concrete within the European Union by the Water
Framework and other Directives, and an increasing body of scientific knowledge that
can be used for management. I aim to give overviews of both the relevant science
and an ethical and legal framework for management. This framework grows out of
School of Life Sciences, Napier University, 10 Colinton Road, Edinburgh EH10 5DT, Scotland.
Tel. (+44) 0131-455-2526; E-mail: p.tett@napier.ac.uk
M. Holmer et al. (eds.), Aquaculture in the Ecosystem.
1
© 2008 Springer