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Sustainable Aquaculture: Current Perspectives and Future Challenges

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A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Farm Animal Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 April 2023) | Viewed by 36661

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Dr. Ronald Kennedy Luz

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Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
Interests: recirculating aquaculture system; aquaponic systems; production managements; fish behavior; larviculture; fish reproduction
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Dear Colleagues,

The current demand for quality and quantity food is constantly growing in the world. In addition, changes in the population's eating habits for a healthier diet are demanding more and more from the various productive sectors. In this context, aquaculture has been receiving special attention for producing foods considered healthier. This fact has caused constant growth of aquaculture. However, this growth, in order to be sustainable, requires the constant search for more efficient production systems; less polluting production systems that make the most of the nutrients available in the system for different organisms and plants; the use of diets that provide better food efficiency; managements that lead the animals to welfare, generating better use of the system and with greater food security. There is also a need for genetic improvement of species that growth better in shorter production times and are more resistant to diseases. The need for all these points together with environmental, social, and economic assessments is fundamental for sustainable aquaculture through a holistic approach. In this way, we can maximize available resources, especially water (a natural resource that is important for humans), animals, and plants.

This Special Issue focuses on the sustainable production systems of high-quality food and continuously over time. Original research articles and reviews are accepted.

Dr. Ronald Kennedy Luz
Guest Editor

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Keywords

recirculating aquaculture system
biofloc technology
aquaponic systems
genetic improvement
integrated multi trophic aquaculture
high quality feed
production managements
polyculture in aquaculture

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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15 pages, 1464 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integration of Vegetables and Fish with Rice in Rain-Fed Farmland: Towards Sustainable Agriculture

by Md. Abu Sayed Jewel, Md. Ayenuddin Haque, S. M. Wahed Ali, Mst. Eliza Pervin, Md. Giush Uddin Ahmed, M. Shahanul Islam, Mohammad Belal Hossain, Mohammed Fahad Albeshr and Takaomi Arai

Agriculture 2023, 13(4), 755; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13040755 - 24 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2611

Abstract

Sustainability in aquaculture or agriculture production is depended on its successive use of natural resources that can ensure economic increment and sustainability of the livelihood of people. The objective of the study was to find out suitable combination of rice-fish-vegetable to be cultured in rainfed rice field. Two experiments were conducted for 4 months under rainfed condition. Two rice varieties (BRRI-51 and BRRI-52), three different fish species. i.e., Cyprinus carpio var. communis, Barbonymus gonionotus and Oreochromis niloticus and two combinations of vegetables (Red amaranth + Indian spinach and Cucumber + Water spinach) were selected for these experiments. Significantly higher growth and production performance of fish, B. gonionotus were recorded in both of the experiments. Furthermore, between the rice varieties, BRRI-52 showed significantly higher grain yield, biological yield and harvest index. However, vegetable combination did not show any significant difference between the experiment. Finally, considering economic performance, integration of BRRI-52, B. gonionotus and Cucumber-spinach combinations was provided significantly higher net benefit and benefit-cost ratio (BCR). Therefore, combination of rice-fish-vegetable BRRI-52, B. gonionotus and Cucumber-spinach is recommended to improve food security and sustainability for resource-limited farmers in rainfed rice field. Rice-fish-vegetable integrated culture could address the sustainable development goals (SDG) and therefore policy implications should be considered for institutional support, technical facilities and extension services to increase the knowledge of farmers and to uplift the productivity and profitability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Aquaculture: Current Perspectives and Future Challenges)

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17 pages, 4536 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integrating Assessment of Characterization, Sustainability and Efficiency for the Production of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): A Case Study in the Amazonas Region of Peru

by Roberto Carlos Mori Zabarburú, Carlos Millones, Grobert A. Guadalupe, Guillermo Idrogo-Vásquez, Fred William Chu-Koo, Armstrong B. Fernández-Jeri, Elizabeth Gill, Segundo G. Chavez and Ligia García

Agriculture 2023, 13(2), 390; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13020390 - 7 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2369

Abstract

In this research, aspects of sustainability and efficiency were evaluated to provide information to decision makers. First, 39 rainbow trout farms were characterized, sustainability indices were determined for 36 production units using Sarandon’s methodology, and technical efficiency was evaluated using input-oriented Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The production units studied were grouped into three clusters, and the most determining variables were associated with total annual production. In addition, a medium-level general index was obtained with a total of 60 sub-indicators, divided into four social indicators (with 10 sub-indicators), four economic indicators (with 34 sub-indicators) and three environmental indicators (totaling 16 sub-indicators). Of 33 production units evaluated, 14 were identified as efficient; the Amazonas region’s trout farmers were found to operate at 83.87% technical efficiency on average. All resources showed room for improvement and thus can be further adjusted. The most underutilized resources were land (area), feed and seed (fry), which could be reduced to increase technical efficiency. In conclusion, the trout farming units in northeastern Peru are differentiated into three groups by production volume and operate at a medium level of sustainability, with most at levels of technical inefficiency. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Aquaculture: Current Perspectives and Future Challenges)

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9 pages, 896 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Residue from Açai Palm, Euterpe oleracea, as Substrate for Cilantro, Coriandrum sativum, Seedling Production in an Aquaponic System with Tambaqui, Colossoma macropomum

by José Alexandre Santos da Costa, Fabio Carneiro Sterzelecki, Joane Natividade, Rafael José Furtado Souza, Thayanne Cristine Caetano de Carvalho, Nuno Filipe Alves Correia de Melo, Ronald Kennedy Luz and Glauber David Almeida Palheta

Agriculture 2022, 12(10), 1555; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12101555 - 27 Sep 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2062

Abstract

The production of high-quality seedlings is important to achieve better productivity in horticulture. Despite being well developed in conventional agriculture, there are few studies on aquaponic systems. The substrate choice in this integrated culture affects plant and economic feasibility. This study verified the effects of using Euterpe oleracea residue as a substrate for Coriandrum sativum seedling production in an aquaponic system with tambaqui, Colossoma macropomum. Five mixtures of Euterpe oleracea offal (0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) with coconut fiber, nourished by aquaponic wastewater, were evaluated. Water quality, fish and plant performance were analyzed during an 18-day experiment. Although total ammonia decreased from 5.17 mg L⁻¹ to 0.64 mg L⁻¹, nitrite and nitrate did not exceed 1 mg L⁻¹ and 3 mg L⁻¹, respectively. C. macropomum mean weight gain was 118.79 g and achieved high food assimilation, with a 0.86 feed conversion rate. Mean blood hematocrit (30.20 ± 5.99%) and glucose (59.5 ± 10.06 mg dL⁻¹) indicates good physiological status of the C. macropomum. The use of the Euterpe oleracea offal mixture at 50% decreased by half the total fresh mass of Coriandrum sativum, down to 1.12 ± 0.30 g, but did not decrease dry mass (p > 0.05). When the mixture was above 25%, plant and leaf length were 8 cm and 3 cm smaller, respectively, and the number of leaves and stem base diameter were reduced by 34% and 40%, respectively. We do not recommend using more than 25% of Euterpe oleracea offal with coconut fiber for Coriandrum sativum seedling production in an aquaponic system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Aquaculture: Current Perspectives and Future Challenges)

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12 pages, 669 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Upgrading of Fishery Industrial Structure and Its Influencing Factors: Evidence from China

by Jianyue Ji, Luping Liu, Pingping Wang, Chao Wu and Hongxiao Dong

Agriculture 2022, 12(9), 1342; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12091342 - 30 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2055

Abstract

Aquatic products have made an increasingly important contribution to ensuring food security and nutrition. The huge and dynamic aquatic product consumption market in China has created a new consumption pattern, and the transformation and upgrading of the aquatic industry is essential. Using system generalized method of moments (GMM) and fishery industry data from 2003 to 2019 in 31 provinces and regions, this paper constructs the upgrading index of fishery industrial structure and finds that: (1) In general, the upgrading level of China’s fishery industrial structure is on the rise, but it is still in its infancy. (2) The upgrading level of the fishery industrial structure in coastal areas is greater than that of inland areas. (3) The level of economic development and the labor productivity of primary fishery industry are the key influencing factors of China’s fishery industrial upgrading. (4) By comparing the heterogeneity of the impact of various factors on the upgrading of fishery industrial structure in coastal and inland areas, the impact is mainly in coastal areas. To promote the upgrading of China’s fishery industrial structure, this paper puts forward some suggestions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Aquaculture: Current Perspectives and Future Challenges)

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10 pages, 644 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Growth, Yield and Profitability of Major Carps Culture in Coastal Homestead Ponds Stocked with Wild and Hatchery Fish Seed

by Mohammad Belal Hossain, As-Ad Ujjaman Nur, Md. Moudud Ahmed, Md. Akram Ullah, Mohammed Fahad Albeshr and Takaomi Arai

Agriculture 2022, 12(8), 1131; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12081131 - 30 Jul 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2870

Abstract

Major carps, native freshwater fish in South Asian nations, are economically valuable fish species with high market demand. Coastal rural people can cultivate them in their own seasonal, largely underutilized, small homestead ponds with low input and understanding. However, the major problems with fish production in this region are the lack of quality carp seed and appropriate culture techniques. Therefore, this research was carried out on growth performance, survival rate, yield, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and profit of carp polyculture systems stocking with hatchery-produced and wild sourced fish seed in homestead ponds located in a coastal area along the Bay of Bengal. Three different treatments (T1–T3), each treatment with three replications, were designed for culturing carps, Gibelion catla, Labeo rohita, Labeo calbasu, and Cirrhinus mrigala using two local hatcheries seeds (T1 and T2), and wild seeds from the Halda River (T3). For all treatments, the stocked fish were maintained in the same size, weight, density, and ratio. Water quality parameters were measured at intervals of seven days, and the mean values were found to be within an acceptable range for fish farming and, in most cases, did not differ significantly from each other. The specific growth rate (SGR) was found higher in T3 for G. catla (1.16 ± 0.012%/day), L. rohita (1.19 ± 0.035%/day), and C. mrigala (1.06 ± 0.03%/day) and significantly differed (p < 0.05) among the treatments. Additionally, there were significant differences between the treatments in terms of ultimate weight, weight gain, survival rate, fish production, and return on investment (ROI) (p < 0.05). The lower FCR in T3 (2.65 ± 0.10) than in T1 (3.32 ± 0.31) and T2 (3.21 ± 0.33) indicated that stocking wild seed had higher profitability potentials. High genetic variety in the population of naturally occurring, free-living fish, resistance to disease, a high rate of survival, and the hardiness of wild seed are all factors that might contribute to the better performance of wild seed stock. However, the total yield and total return from the T3 treatment also emphasized that carp farming using wild seed is not viable because of the variable amount, high seed cost, low transportation facilities, and very small natural seed-stock supplies from the river. Inbreeding and reduced genetic variety in the hatchery stock could result in the production of poor-quality seed, which had an impact on the production performance in culture treatments stocked with hatchery seed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Aquaculture: Current Perspectives and Future Challenges)

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15 pages, 1428 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biological Characteristics of a Rare and Vulnerable Species (SCHIZOTHORAX ARGENTATUS (Kessler, 1874)) of TOKYRAUYN RIVER and Approbation of Its Artificial Reproduction

by Fariza Amirbekova, Kuanysh B. Isbekov, Saule Zh. Assylbekova, Olga A. Sharipova, Kamila Adyrbekova and Nailya Bulavina

Agriculture 2022, 12(8), 1121; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12081121 - 29 Jul 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1866

Abstract

As a result of the complex impact of anthropogenic factors on the ecosystem of Balkhash Lake, the main commercial species of fish—endemic—Balkhash marinka was on the verge of extinction. Artificial reproduction is becoming increasingly important every year in the complex of works to maintain the commercial stocks of valuable fish species as well as to preserve rare and endangered populations. Despite the fact that attempts at artificial reproduction have been repeatedly made, to date no scientific and methodological basis has been created to study and preserve rare and endangered fish species in the Republic of Kazakhstan and there are no adapted technologies for the formation of repair herds of fish of this category for the fish breeding enterprises of the reproductive complex of Kazakhstan. The presence of a replacement stock of the Balkhash marinka will further contribute to the development and improvement of biotechnical methods for their breeding and cultivation of viable stocking material. The stocking of natural water bodies with viable fish seeds and the maintenance of living collections of rare and endangered fish species will contribute to their conservation in natural conditions and, as a reserve, in the country’s fish farms. The results of the development of effective technologies for artificial reproduction and the formation of a replacement stock of the Balkhash marinka in industrial conditions contribute to solving the fundamental problem associated with the preservation of rare and endemic fish species from complete extinction, genetic diversity and the rational use of the potential of natural populations. An analysis of genetic identification showed that the breeders of marinka, according to the results of sequencing the barcoding gene CO1 of mitochondrial DNA, belong to the species Balkhash marinka S. argentatus with an accuracy of 99–100%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Aquaculture: Current Perspectives and Future Challenges)

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15 pages, 1690 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Zootechnical Performance and Some Physiological Indices of Tambaqui, Colossoma macropomum Juveniles during Biofloc Maturation and in Different Feed Regimes

by Cintia Labussière Nakayama, Luiz Felipe Silveira Silva, Fabio Aremil Costa dos Santos, Tulio Pacheco Boaventura, Gisele Cristina Favero, Glauber David Almeida Palheta, Nuno Filipe Alves Correia de Melo, Luiz Alberto Romano and Ronald Kennedy Luz

Agriculture 2022, 12(7), 1025; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12071025 - 14 Jul 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2307

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the hematological and biochemical blood parameters and performance of Colossoma macropomum submitted to BFT maturation and under different feeding regimes. BFT maturation was carried out for 60 days (Phase 1). Feeding on six or seven days a week and feeding rates of 4% or 6% of biomass were tested (Phase 2). The water quality parameters were monitored throughout the experimental period. At the end of Phases 1 and 2, blood samples and zootechnical performance were evaluated. In Phase 1, total ammonia was higher on the 17th day (1.25 mg TAN L⁻¹) and stabilized from the 21st day onwards. Nitrite reached a peak (9.67 mg L⁻¹) on the 26th day. There was an increase in nitrate between the 25th and 60th day (1.79 ± 0.01 vs. 5.45 ± 0.01 mg N-NO₃⁻ L⁻¹, respectively). FCR (1.90 ± 0.21), weight gain (9.81 ± 1.08 g), and SGR (1.26 ± 0.12%) were highest at 30 days of phase 1. The glucose level (118.23 ± 26.30 mg dL⁻¹) was highest on the 30th day. The plasmatic protein (5.36 ± 0.30 g dL⁻¹) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels (27.58 ± 6.58 UI mL⁻¹) were highest after 60 days. The hemoglobin level (5.77 ± 0.74 g dL⁻¹) was lowest after 30 days. In Phase 2, the triglycerides, ALT, and hematocrit levels were different at the end of the experiment under all feeding regimes. Histological analysis of gills showed a normal condition for fish under BFT. It was possible to apply a feeding regime of six days a week and 4% biomass for juveniles, with 43 g on average. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Aquaculture: Current Perspectives and Future Challenges)

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19 pages, 1634 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Stocking Larger-Sized Fish on Water Quality, Growth Performance, and the Economic Yield of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) in Floating Cages

by Md Shamsuddin, Mohammad Belal Hossain, Moshiur Rahman, Mst Salamun Kawla, Md. Farhan Tazim, Mohammed Fahad Albeshr and Takaomi Arai

Agriculture 2022, 12(7), 942; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12070942 - 29 Jun 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3933

Abstract

Earlier research has mostly focused on the impacts of stocking density on fish growth, yield, and survival rate; however, knowledge of the effects of stocking larger-sized fish, particularly Nile Tilapia, is lacking. This type of research is critically important for increasing food security, achieving sustainable goals, and facing the challenges of climate change in the near future. Therefore, we investigated the effects of initial stocking body sizes of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) on water quality, growth performance, and economic yield in tropical riverine cages for 120 days in two culture cycles. Nile Tilapia of three different body sizes (34.06 ± 0.22 g, 10.98 ± 0.09 g, and 5.47 ± 0.04 for the first cycle and 33.85 ± 0.01 g, 11.07 ± 0.05 g, and 5.38 ± 0.06 g for the second cycle, indicated as T1, T2, and T3) were stocked in the culture treatments where unique stocking density and feed rations were maintained. The results revealed that water quality parameters did not differ significantly (p > 0.5) and were within a suitable range for Nile Tilapia culture. Treatments with larger-sized fish demonstrated a higher growth performance. The stocking fish size of 34.14–34.71 g was found to be the best among the three treatments regarding growth performance and economic return. As a result, except for T1 and T2 at a rural site and T1 at a semi-urban site, all of the treatments had negative allometry (b < 3.0), indicating that larger-sized fish and the rural site of the river are more suitable for cage culture. The rural site was found to be more suitable, possibly due to less variation of water parameters, more natural foods, and less pollution. The cages with larger-sized fish stocked had a higher net present value (NPV); internal rate of return (IRR); benefit–cost ratio (BCR); and rate on return (ROI), indicating that cage culture with larger-sized fish stocked is economically viable in the riverine system. Therefore, stocking the larger-sized fish (T1) and rural site are more suitable for cage culture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Aquaculture: Current Perspectives and Future Challenges)

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16 pages, 503 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Marine Fisheries Vulnerability in China and Its Spatial Effects: Evidence from Coastal Regions

by Yutong Li and Jianyue Ji

Agriculture 2022, 12(6), 809; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12060809 - 3 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2151

Abstract

Based on data from 10 coastal regions in China, this study establishes an evaluation index system for marine fisheries using the theoretical framework of the DPSR model. The entropy method is used to calculate the degree of marine fisheries vulnerability in each region of China from 2009 to 2018. The spatial Durbin model (SDM) is also used to analyze the influencing factors and spatial spillover effects of marine fisheries vulnerability from four perspectives of economic efficiency, industrial structure, environmental regulation, and ecological pollution. The results show significant positive direct effects between the economic efficiency, ecological pollution, and vulnerability of marine fisheries. At the same time, there are significant negative effects between the industrial structure, environmental regulation, and vulnerability of marine fisheries. In terms of spatial spillover effects, economic efficiency, environmental regulation, and ecological pollution show positive spatial spillover effects, while the industrial structure shows negative spatial spillover effects. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the sustainable development of marine fisheries in China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Aquaculture: Current Perspectives and Future Challenges)

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Review

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42 pages, 1258 KiB

Open AccessReview

An Overview of Comet Assay Application for Detecting DNA Damage in Aquatic Animals

by Nan Jiang, Saima Naz, Yulin Ma, Qudrat Ullah, Muhammad Zahoor Khan, Jiaqi Wang, Xuan Lu, Dun-Zhu Luosang, Sadia Tabassum, Ahmad Manan Mustafa Chatha and Wang-Dui Basang

Agriculture 2023, 13(3), 623; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13030623 - 5 Mar 2023

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 8924

Abstract

This review discusses several research studies that employed comet assay to evaluate the environmental impact of genotoxins in aquatic environments. It focuses on in vivo and in situ studies of aquatic animals. New chemicals are being added each year to the existing burden of toxic substances in the environment. Excessive agricultural and industrial activities adversely affect biodiversity, threatening the survival of species in a particular habitat, as well as posing disease risks to humans. Some of the chemicals, e.g., pesticides and heavy metals, may be genotoxic to the sentinel species and/or to non-target species, causing deleterious effects in somatic or germ cells. Comet assay is a quick, sensitive, and low-cost technique for detecting DNA strand breakage. However, the comet assay has much more to offer than being an assay for testing DNA strand breaks in animal organs. The use of repair enzymes increases the range of DNA lesions that can be detected with the assay. Comparing data from studies that employed different approaches, such as empirical scoring or comet tail lengths, comet assay is one of the challenging techniques to be utilized in environmental studies. The relative amount of DNA in the comet tail indicates DNA break intensity. The assay has been modified to detect various base alterations by including the digestion of nucleoids with a lesion-specific endonuclease. The determination of DNA damage in these indicator species using the comet test would thus offer information on the genotoxic potential of their habitat at an early stage. This would enable intervention techniques to prevent or mitigate adverse health impacts in sentinel animals and humans. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Aquaculture: Current Perspectives and Future Challenges)

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25 pages, 3301 KiB

Open AccessReview

Aquaculture Sustainability Assessed by Emergy Synthesis: The Importance of Water Accounting

by Úrsula da Silva Morales, Marco Aurélio Rotta, Darci Carlos Fornari and Danilo Pedro Streit, Jr.

Agriculture 2022, 12(11), 1947; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12111947 - 19 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2811

Abstract

Aquaculture is one of the protein production activities with the most significant potential for global development. It is one of the fastest growing in recent years, mainly because of its efficiency in transforming feed into meat. However, the increase in aquaculture production raises some concerns, especially regarding the proper use of natural resources such as water, which is fundamental in aquaculture production systems. On the other hand, numerous systems, models, and production techniques have been developed and used to manage resources and reduce the negative impacts of the activity. However, it is not known which production systems and management practices are more sustainable, although the development and application of these technologies are crucial and profoundly influence this aspect of production. Emergy is a method that considers the contribution of nature and economy in the creation of the product and service, excluding the strictly monetary character present in conventional economic evaluations, being a model used to measure the level of sustainability in productive systems. In this sense, this study characterized the use of emergy analysis in aquaculture systems and discussed the main applications and potential uses, in addition to identifying the importance of water in the production and better destination of this resource for the economic and sustainable development of aquaculture. The systematic review methodology identified 17 articles using emergy analysis to assess environmental, economic, and social sustainability. The production systems evaluated vary between monocultures and polycultures at different production levels (intensive, semi-intensive, extensive). When all these particularities are transformed into the same unit (emjoule or solar joule), it is possible to compare different scenarios. As a primary resource of nature, water deserves more attention in the emergy accounting of aquaculture systems. It was shown the importance of a more detailed water analysis considering its effective use, impact (alteration or variation in its quality), and flow for a correct emergy analysis as a tool to promote the maintenance of the aquaculture activity over the years, which has in the water its most significant wealth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Aquaculture: Current Perspectives and Future Challenges)

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