Environmental Performance of Marine Net-Pen Aquaculture in the United States

Error message

  • Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in drupal_environment_initialize() (line 695 of /home4/tassusac/public_html/marineagronomy/includes/bootstrap.inc).
  • Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in drupal_environment_initialize() (line 696 of /home4/tassusac/public_html/marineagronomy/includes/bootstrap.inc).
  • Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in drupal_environment_initialize() (line 697 of /home4/tassusac/public_html/marineagronomy/includes/bootstrap.inc).
  • Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in drupal_environment_initialize() (line 700 of /home4/tassusac/public_html/marineagronomy/includes/bootstrap.inc).
  • Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in drupal_environment_initialize() (line 702 of /home4/tassusac/public_html/marineagronomy/includes/bootstrap.inc).
Abstract: 

The United States has a small net-pen salmon industry dating back over 40 years and a nascent net-pen industry for other marine fish. The United States net-pen aquaculture sector has improved its resource efficiency in terms of the amount of fish meal and fish oil used in feeds and reduced its environmental impacts in terms of the mass loading and impact of nutrient discharge on the receiving ecosystem, the incidence and treatment of fish diseases, the use of antibiotics, and the number and impact of fish escapes, while increasing production. These changes can be attributed to a combination of advances in science and technology, rising cost of fish meal/oil, improved management, and informed regulatory practices. Net-pen aquaculture has become an efficient food production system. Existing laws and regulations in the United States effectively address most of the potential adverse environmental effects of net-pen aquaculture.

Author(s): 
Michael C. Rubino
James A. Morris Jr.
Carol S. Price
Lorenzo M. Juarez
Walton W. Dickhoff
April L. Bagwill
Kevin H. Amos
Michael B. Rust
Article Source: 
Fisheries 39(11)
Category: 
Aquaculture methods
Ecological Services
Uses of Seaweeds: Food