Abstract
The integrated multi-trophic aquaculture also known as the “IMTA” system is one of a sustainable and eco-friendly approach among aquaculture activities. This aquaculture practice does not compromise the well-being of the natural ecosystem because of the synergistic functions of different extractive species where both inorganic and organic waste have been regulated into an optimum level. The recycling of waste within the system is the most vital strategy to alleviate the impact on the neighboring natural habitats. However, the selection and good combination of the extractive species should be considered for an efficient and effective IMTA system. Thus, this review paper investigated several extractive species used in the IMTA system. Overall studies suggest that viable extractive species of mussel, sea cucumber, sea urchins, and macroalgae carried out different strategies in converting waste from aquaculture fed-species. However, among suspension extractive species, sea cucumber showed exemplary performance in the reduction of feces of the cultured fed-species. Thus, a combination of sea-cucumber, macroalgae and finfish is highly recommended in the IMTA system.
Highlights
Most marine finfish cages are operated as flow-through net-pen systems
Researches conducted in the laboratories [19]-[21] showed the importance of mussel species in absorbing organic waste. This scenario was discussed by Sanz-Lazaro and Sanches-Jeres [18] that filter-feeding bivalves seem to be more efficient in confined water such as ponds and enclosed coastal areas such as narrow inlets where currents are weak and, the persistence of particles is high. This was concurred by Irissari et al, [16] that particulate wastes and potential fish-derived chlorophyll enhancement would be rapidly diluted by the currents, while the placement of bivalves too distant from the fish farm in an environment with high supplies of natural seston may explain the lack of an augmented scope for growth (SFG) of the co-cultured mussels
This was previously proven by the work of Lander et al, [22] that successful utilization of aquaculture-generated organic particles as a food source for marine bivalves cultured in an Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) system depends both on the occurrence of sufficient particles within the edible size range for the species, and determining the distribution and rate of particle dispersal around the farms
Summary
Most marine finfish cages are operated as flow-through net-pen systems This means that water is transported through the cages by currents, resulting in an incomplete utilization of feed resources and a direct release of reduced quality water, laden with both particulate and dissolved nutrients to the environment. In IMTA systems, fed fish can be placed at the upper and middle trophic levels while organic extractive species (mussels) at the middle and bottom level so that they can consume particulate organic nutrients (waste feed and feces). IMTA contributes to a reduction in sedimentary loads of organic waste, and thereby to an improvement in sediment and water quality through the extractive process of co-cultured species situated beneath the fish cage. The way to minimize the disturbance of aquaculture to protect the ecosystem was reported in Bay, where IMTA is practiced and coined as highly ecological efficient [6]
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