Impact of Aquaculture on Environment and Animal Welfare - Essay Example

of the Topic: Impact of Aquaculture on Environment and Animal Welfare Aquaculture is the cultivation of natural produce of water [fish, shellfish and algae and other aquatic organisms .it involves the human effort in maintaining or increasing the number of organisms as opposed to simple considering them as wild. defines Wikiepedia [2007]. Aquaculture is considered as development of the natural species in a protected environment; however, there seems to be a prolonged issue running about the impact of aquaculture on the environment. Some point out, in terms of pollution [which comes in the form of wastes excreted from the aquaculture] and growing of unusual species [which are grown against the sustaining environment]. The impact of wastes from the aquaculture pollutes the aquatic environment, because aquaculture is also an industry, which produces sea species in large amount. The modern methods of aquaculture have been found to pollute seawater and fresh waters than that of fish farming. Reading and Midlen [1998] suggests that “without drastically changing agricultural farming practices this situation will not change in the foreseeable future” p-21. They quote a survey report as an illustration “for example, fish farming in Denmark accounts for less than 1% of the total nitrogen loading and less than 2% of the total phosphorous loading [FES, 1992. In this respect, the environmental impact from fish farming waste is small in comparison to the potential impact of agricultural wastes”p-21. The most significant effect of the aqua waste is the nutrient concentrations in natural waters, which results in an increase of plankton and microbial populations. The wasted fish feed becomes the source of the wastes. Some of the nutrients present in the fish feed for fishes grown in aquaculture does not allow the nutrients that come through the wastes to get dissolved. Reading and Midlen [1998] observe this undissolved waste as “solid faecal waste”. The excretion of chemical and drugs used in aquaculture for maintenance is another polluting agent affecting the fresh water environment. This excretion of chemicals excreted as wastes are accumulated as organic sediments in the fresh and seawater environment. Therefore, researches are going on to make this aquaculture eco friendly. Since the aquaculture requires a fresh water system, the effect of the chemicals and drugs used in an aqua system has more possibilities to pollute the water system. Ponds are generally preferred to cultivate aquatic species. However, the problem related in farming inside a pond is that walls are constructed to separate the water levels and once fresh water is fed inside the previously existing water, which is removed as wastes contains the chemicals and other preservatives. These wastewaters then become a threat to the seawater and other fresh water level. The disposal of effluents in a water system is supposed to be the major threat to environment. There are instances during which excess water and used water are required to be removed off or drained from the aquaculture systems. Stickney, [] observes that “In many cases, when that happens it will be necessary to dispose of that water in an environmentally sound manner” p-90. He refers to the various regulations on water disposal systems followed in different countries regarding the aquaculture. Open cage system is one of the water disposal systems, which has a dangerous impact on the environment and the animal welfare. For example, Stickney [2005] observes, “an open cage system may be exposed to currents which rapidly remove and distribute fish wastes and unconsumed food without measurable affecting local water quality” p-90. Other threats come in the form of pests, which might result in loss of other organisms in terms of diseases. “The investigation result indicated that there are 196 types of chemicals used in fish and shrimp farming/hatcheries: 110 types in North Central region, 67 types in South Central region, 56 types in the North and 144 types in the South. The number of chemicals in nine categories varies among regions, e.g. only 65 antibiotics are used in the North as opposed to 75 antibiotics used in the South” observes Tai [2005] The major chemicals, which are used in aquaculture, are pesticides, disinfectants, antibiotics, vaccines, immunostimulants, Vitamins etc. These in turn observes The Centre for Marine Environmental Research and Innovative Technology (MERIT)[ 2006] “exert harmful effects on the cultured fish, occupational health, adjacent ecosystems, food safety and human health. These chemicals, together with heavy metals and POPs (contained in domestic and industrial effluent), may be taken up by fish, washed off into surface waters or leached to groundwater where they can adversely affect both environmental and human health”. These chemicals also affect the wild creatures when they drink the water, which has the mixing of excreted chemicals from aquaculture. The MERIT has also pointed out some of the health issue related to aquaculture. These health issues are other forms of impact given by aquaculture. They are consumption of contaminated fish, which has organochloride, intractable disease in grownup human beings due to environmental pollution, contamination in traditional marine foods of aboriginal people and health implications, pollution of environment in terms of excretion of wastages become toxic elements to environment. Etc,. When we analyze in terms of what were the remedial measure which were taken into account to reduce the risk of toxic impact of aquaculture, the very first thing that strikes the key note would be that of using a recycling process. Many researchers have come about with various suggestions to reduce the risk of pollution and other environmental threats arising out of aquaculture. The best would be that of Costa- Pierce’s recommendations. In his work called “Ecological Aquaculture: The Evolution of the Blue Revolution” he recommends certain technologies which could be applied a worthwhile sources to reduce the risk of pollution from feacal matters of aquaculture. His recommendations includes 1. implementation of innovative waste collection system 2. implementation of recycling system 3. control of exotic species escape and recovery methods 4. Feeding the fish according to a calculated amount. In the sense a required amount of feeding will reduce the risk of aquaculture fish feeds mixing into the fresh waters through waste excretion. This would also reduce the consumption of protein by the fishes reared in the culture. 5. Submersible cages can be supplemented instead of vertical concrete walls so that the wastages might not mix in the surface level of the freshwater. 6. Restricting the use of chemicals, which are identified as harmful to human beings and other animals feeding the water. 7. following the principles of a eco-friendly system 8. Use of certified products within the cultural setup, so that the it would be better for the consumers to decide on buying. 9. To follow the professional codes of practice 10. Planning to increase the benefits for society in terms of avoiding the polluting agents. In addition to that the use of surface water can lead to good rearing in aquaculture, where as spring and well water are found to be insignificant as it has to be stored before it enters the cultural area. Many researchers also suggested sterilization of water. Because, sterilization would help to detect and avoid disease causing bacteria and virus. The impact of aquaculture seems to be drastic while considering the same from an improved technological perspective. When it comes to polluting fresh water resources, the impact on human beings and animals appears to be in the same level. However it has to be accepted that human beings can detect the hazards, where as animals are found to be at a very less chance of assistance. Though aquaculture might be considered as part of preserving the natural resources, it is in some way acts as a hazardous agent to nature in terms of cropping the exotic species. The extreme requirement of economically based industrialization should be mentioned here as an indirect forces which results in including technological innovations in aquaculture. Due to the necessitated condition of mass production, people tend to think of protecting the species by using chemicals and pesticides because of that threat to environment grows. However, the threat can be reduced if the suggestions discussed above are applied in one or many ways. Reference: Aquaculture. Online available from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquaculture Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences. International Conference on Environmental And Public Health Management: Aquaculture and Environment 7-9 December, 2006. online available from http://www.cieshk.org/conf/second_final_2006.htm Stickney, Robert, R. “Aquaculture: An introductory Text”. 2005 CABI Publishing. Tai, Mai Van. “Investigation and Assessment of Current Drugs and chemicals and Biological Products used in Aquaculture for management measures”. Monthly Fisheries Information Bulletin No. 06/ 2005 Online available from http://www.fistenet.gov.vn/details_e.asp?Object=2111609&news_ID=5658241 Reading, Theresa, A. and Midlen, Alex. B. “Environment Management for Aquaculture”. 1998. Springer Technology and Industrial Arts. Read More