Environmental and Social Risks and Solution Criteria in Offshore Aquaculture Systems

Abstract

Aquaculture is a sector that involves agricultural activities aiming to meet the increasing animal food demand, contribute to balanced and healthy diet and reduce the hunting pressure on natural fish stocks. In aquaculture activities in sea, producers who are aware of the major role of obtaining an ecological balance in production regard coast utilization and environmental management as a part of production. Therefore, determination of environmental factors in production activities is highly important for sustainable aquaculture. The present study aims to determine the environmental risks and solution criteria in offshore aquaculture systems in Turkish seas. Environmental and social risks in production are collected under the main headings comprising nutrient and waste load in water, feeding, overuse of antibiotics and chemicals, fish escape, diseases, working conditions and common areas; solution criteria are collected under the main headings comprising ecosystem, water management, feed properties, legal procedure, chemical use, field management and occupational health and safety.