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Measures and management challenges

A broad range of management and technical measures exist to tackle the adverse impacts of aquaculture on European waters. At national and regional level, an important regulatory instrument is to set limits to production levels as this can mitigate negative impacts of aquaculture on the water environment (European Commission, 2016). Denmark, for example, decided in 2019 to stop the creation of new aquaculture facilities and the expansion of existing ones in the country. This is because coastal areas and inland waters are overloaded with nitrogen and mitigation measures have not been enough in tackling the issue. In Denmark, there is also government financing to support the removal of weirs on rivers built for use in fish farming facilities.[1]

Improving the siting of aquaculture operations is another management measure to reduce adverse impacts. The Norwegian Aquaculture Act, for example, requires an environmental impact assessment for new aquaculture sites, and it calls on fish farms to be located in areas with better biological recipient conditions, high bearing capacity and generally good self-cleaning properties.[2]

Technical methods, management systems and practices should be incorporated into more formal “Codes of Practice” adopted voluntarily across the whole aquaculture industry (Phillips et al. 2001). Codes of “best management practices” should contain (Phillips et al., 2001):

  • Decreased use of fertilizers, antibiotics and chemicals, their replacement with non- or less harmful substances, or the introduction of new physical biofouling management techniques to reduce the impact of nutrients and chemical discharges (Science for Environment Policy, 2015).
  • Implementation of zonal or area management plans, as part of river basin management plans, to reduce the overall disease and parasites burden on sites (Science for Environment Policy, 2015).
  • Transport of fish as fertilized eggs (not as living animals), to reduce the spread of diseases from introduced aquaculture species (Peeler et al., 2011).
  • Sterilization of farmed species to control the impact of escapees and alien species (Science for Environment Policy, 2015).
  • Treatment of wastewater from closed systems (tanks, ponds), i.e. with techniques comparable to urban and animal farming waste treatment.

Within the EU, production from aquaculture is not expected to grow significantly in the future despite a higher level of subsidies put in place (Guillen et al., 2019). Nevertheless, the present and future adverse impacts of aquaculture on European waters need to be addressed. Aquaculture is recognized as a source of significant pressures on waters, but the Water Framework and Marine Strategy Framework Directives do not contain explicit obligations for aquaculture yet. Further integration of measures on the farm site level with regulatory measures at the river basin, national and EU level is required to reduce the adverse effects of aquaculture production on European waters.

[1] https://salmonbusiness.com/no-more-fish-farms-announces-danish-government/ & https://www.european-views.com/2019/08/denmark-to-halt-development-of-sea-fish-farming-sector/

[2] FAO (2017)  Policy and governance in aquaculture: lessons learned and way forward, Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper 577

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