Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Two Different Oyster (Crassostrea gigas) Farming Strategies in the Sacca di Goro, Northern Adriatic Sea, Italy

Abstract

The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas is one of the world’s most cultivated and prized molluscs. Although it is usually considered a luxury product, it meets all the requirements to be included in a sustainable diet, and its production and consumption have great potential for growth in the coming years. Oyster farming is a worldwide activity, with China and France as the main producers, but recently, the possibility of implementing the Italian production, mainly focused on clams and mussels, has been considered an interesting issue, especially due to the growing local and global demand. The present study has been carried out by collecting data from the Sacca di Goro, north-east Italy, the most important national mollusc farming area. Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was applied to two different farming scenarios in order to improve the overall sustainability of the process. Using OpenLCA™ software (GreenDelta, Berlin, Germany) and the ReCiPe® midpoint (H) v.1.12 method, the environmental impacts of the traditional Italian farming technique, carried out entirely offshore in longlines, and the alternative option, in which the oyster seed pre-fattening phase was carried out in the lagoon, were calculated and compared. The results show that replacing the current pre-fattening phase with pre-fattening in a lagoon reduces CO2 emissions by approximately 12% and all other impact categories by approximately 9%. In addition, non-recyclable plastic materials and fuel consumption emerged as the main environmental hotspots.

Massive presence of the invasivePolydora websteri(Polychaeta: Spionidae) in the North Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea)

“…Pathology caused by shell-boring mud worms such P. websteri, causes unsightly blisters; that significantly affects the aesthetic and market value of infested oysters, particularly those intended for consumption on the half-shell (Morse et al 2015). The European oyster industry is largely driven by the half-shell market (Bo a et al 2020, Summa et al 2023, and the high prevalence of infestation documented in this study highlights the potential threat these pests pose to the valuable Pacific oyster aquaculture operations in the Mediterranean Sea. The existence of this polydorin, which burrows into oyster shells, represents a threat to the valuable oyster aquaculture industry in the Mediterranean Sea, particularly in the upper Adriatic region where P. websteri has currently been located.…”

“…In terms of farming, Italy's productivity lags behind countries such as Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, and France in terms of productivity. While oyster farming is a well-established industry in other European countries, such as France and the Netherlands, it remains in a nascent stage in Italy (Summa et al 2023). The Italian oyster farming industry experienced a period of stagnation for many years, until approximately 10-15 years ago when a resurgence began.…”

“…These centres, established in Sardinia, Liguria, Marche, Emilia-Romagna, and Veneto, represent a new wave of independent oyster farming initiatives employing diverse technological approaches. At the moment, they are rather limited experiences (with a total production not exceeding 500 tons per year) and not yet structured as a competitive sector (Summa et al 2023).…”

Evaluation of Mud Worm (Polydora spp.) Infestation in Cupped (Crassostrea gigas) and Flat Oyster (Ostrea edulis) Broodstocks: Comparison between Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Computed Tomography

“…Most of the shellfish farmers sell their products directly to wholesalers in 20 kg bags because of limited equipment and space on board and a lack of land-based facilities. The challenge is to assess farming practices aimed at obtaining the best end-product quality in a cost-effective way in the shortest possible time according to a sustainable approach [2]. The breeding of oysters in eutrophic waters with a high level of organic enrichment can be hindered and/or compromised by parasitic infections.…”

Issues and Needs for the Sustainable Development of Shellfish Farming in Italy

“…Environmental sustainability is the category in which most studies are currently available. Among the most frequently addressed aspects must be cited the impacts of ongoing climate change on the industry and its mitigation strategies [20,21], the best practices for the reduction of shellfish farming's environmental impact [22][23][24], the effects of contaminated water on production (i.e., from microplastics or different agents) [25,26], the study of the shellfish farming-environment mutual relationship, the ecologic role of mussels and their ecosystem services [24,[27][28][29][30], and analysis performed through life cycle assessment (LCA) [31,32].…”