Do leftover food or feces from farmed fish affect wild fish or pollute the marine environment?
All fish, whether wild or farmed, produce waste. However, the environmental effects of a fish farm are confined to a small area. Over the past 15 years, farm operation techniques have improved and technological upgrades have been put into place. Improved site guidelines (where to locate the farm), thorough environmental assessments and the high cost of feed have pushed aquaculture operators to greatly reduce the amount of waste from fish farms that reach the ocean floor. Provinces also enforce strict standards to minimize waste. Farmed fish can convert food to energy very well, and today’s fish feed is easier to digest. Underwater video cameras are used to ensure that a minimal amount of uneaten food is settling beneath the net pen. The marine environment also has a large capacity to absorb organic materials, especially where there are strong ocean currents. Strategic location of fish farms, combined with mitigation measures such as allowing for periods of inactivity (site fallowing),
All fish, whether wild or farmed, produce waste. However, the environmental effects of a fish farm are confined to a small area. Over the past 15 years, farm operation techniques have improved and technological upgrades have been put into place. Improved site guidelines (where to locate the farm), thorough environmental assessments and the high cost of feed have pushed aquaculture operators to greatly reduce the amount of waste from fish farms that reach the ocean floor. Provinces also enforce strict standards to minimize waste. Farmed fish can convert food to energy very well, and todays fish feed is easier to digest. Underwater video cameras are used to ensure that a minimal amount of uneaten food is settling beneath the net pen. The marine environment also has a large capacity to absorb organic materials, especially where there are strong ocean currents. Strategic location of fish farms, combined with mitigation measures such as allowing for periods of inactivity (site fallowing), h
