Tips to Make Your Fish Farm More Environmentally Sustainable

Introduction

It’s no secret that the world’s fish stocks are in a poor state. Overfishing, trawling, ocean pollution and climate change have led to depletion in the number of fish in our oceans.

Subsequently, the oxygen levels in our oceans have also decreased. Some scientists have even speculated that by 2048, there will be no fish left at all. So, could farmed fish be the solution?

In current times, fish farming is the fastest-growing area of animal food production.

This industry is most prominent in South and Southeast Asia, but its demand stretches to the most remote corners of the world.

Research backs that fish and shellfish are amongst the most eco-friendly sources of animal protein globally, yet intensive farming of fish can hurt the environment.

There are many methods to make fish farming more sustainable. This blog will share a few tips on making fish farming more sustainable.

Selecting the Right Farm Site

The location of the farms is as essential as the fish themselves. Selecting a more environmentally diverse and sensitive site should not be considered mainly because of the threat to biodiversity that over-farming can cause.

Everything from the decline of a small species to a rising pH level can jeopardise an entire ecosystem and lead to biodiversity loss.

Shallow and sheltered areas hidden from tropical storms and tidal waves are perfect for organic fish farming.

Moreover, wetlands like mangroves and swamps are constantly flooded and have a large population of malarial mosquitoes, which can be hazardous to those working in the field.

Type of Farm

There are numerous specific types of fish farms in both intensive and extensive fish farming systems.

Choosing the correct type of fish farm decides the species that would survive.

Different types of farms include biofloc farming, open ponds, tanks, cages, and many others.

Selecting the Right Species

After finalising the type of fish farm used to grow fish, it is crucial to select and farm only those aquatic species which complement the biomes.

To maintain a healthy fish farm, choose the species that can help keep a healthy ecosystem.

The proliferation of non-native and invasive species can lead to the hybridisation of native species or complete eradication from the habitat.

The most important fish species used in fish farming throughout the world are carp, salmon, tilapia, and catfish.

These fish species have many varieties and are suitable for farming in all climatic conditions.

Importance of Managing Waste

The basic requirement to create a more sustainable fish farm is waste treatment.

Earlier, less conscious fish farms would just let the leftover water flow into the surrounding environment without thinking about the ecological impact of untreated water into surrounding streams, ponds, and lakes.

Untreated water from fish farms can also spread pathogens and other diseases to other fish farms.

For treatment, wastewater can be left in a settling pond.

This water, when left undisturbed, will allow the heavy sediments to settle on the floor, which can be consumed by waste-treating aquatic species like sponges or bivalves.

Other specific treatments can also be undertaken, depending on the composition of the wastewater. For instance, excess nitrates can be treated using wood chippers.

Regulating Feed Practices & Providing the Right Amount of Feed

Sometimes, just like humans, fish can ignore low-quality feed. This feed then sinks to the bottom of the pond and accumulates over time, reducing the water quality and further decreasing the yield.

Therefore, it is essential to invest in higher quality feed for fish as they can increase the stock’s health, increase the yield, and reduce waste.

The quality of the feed quantity also plays a crucial role in maintaining the quality of culture and stock.

The beginners in fish farming often overfeed their fish in order to ensure growth. These added affluents end up polluting the farms and their surrounding areas.

Not only that, they increase the risk of mortality in the stock and can lead to frequent outbreaks, which affects the quality of the fish produced.

We at Organica Biotech have researched this situation and have come up with a solution that is nature-friendly.

Bioflok is our dense probiotic formulation fortified with selective natural and eco-friendly bacteria specifically required for the Biofloc fish farming system enabled with biofloc technology.

It maximises the productivity of your fish farming activity.

The probiotic bacteria in our biofloc preparation formula facilitate the rapid breakdown of nitrate and ammonia in the fish farming system.

As a result, it promotes enhanced and healthy proteinaceous formulation.

Conclusion

In order to satisfy the need for daily consumption levels, fish procured from sea and river serve to be inadequate, and their over-cultivation of naturally available fish will affect the fish habitat dramatically.

Fish farming meets demand and provides employment.

As the aquaculture sector continues to grow globally, its environmental impacts are also increasing.

Our tips are designed to help operators reduce ecological impacts and embrace operational sustainability.

We hope these tips will help in making your fish farm eco-friendly.