Author
|
Submitted to: International Conference on Recirculating Aquaculture
Publication Type: Proceedings Publication Acceptance Date: 5/15/2000 Publication Date: 7/20/2000 Citation: Adler, P.R. 2000. Ecological and resource recovery approaches to reduce environmental impact of aquaculture production. International Conference on Recirculating Aquaculture p.56-63. Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA July 20-23, 2000, Roanoke, VA. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Developing integrated farming systems is critical to reducing the environmental impact of animal production. Traditionally, this has been through integrating animal and feed or plant production. But that has become increasingly difficult as agricultural production has become regionally specialized leading to the spatial separation of animal and feed dproduction. This spatial separation has led to nutrient imbalances in watersheds and increases in nonpoint source runoff losses of nutrients to the water environment. The food animal production industry has found it very difficult to pass on environmental control costs to consumers in the free market system. Reducing management costs and increasing byproduct value are potential ways to reduce environmental control costs. Costs associated with reducing the environmental impact of aquaculture production can be decreased by: (1) reducing input costs through co-utilization of waste byproducts rather than using higher grade inputs, (2) reducing labor costs through use of ecosystem services, and (3) using resource recovery systems to conserve and increase the value of waste byproducts. Developing integrated farming systems is critical to maintaining economic and environmental sustainability. Other cycles of integration need to be conceived and developed in addition to reintegrating animal and feed or plant production (e.g. soil farming, i.e. producing soil for non-farm markets, etc.). |
