Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Proves that Manila Clam Farming (Ruditapes Philippinarum) is a Fully Sustainable Aquaculture Practice and a Carbon Sink

Edoardo Turolla,Elisa Anna Fano,Giuseppe Castaldelli,Elena Tamburini

doi:10.3390/su12135252

Abstract

Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum, Adams and Reeve, 1850) farming is a quantitatively important and valuable form of aquaculture production worldwide but, to our best knowledge, no life cycle assessments (LCA) have been undertaken on it. However, being a filter feeder and producing a thick shell during the growing cycle, the capacity of Manila clam to remove nutrients, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous from the marine environment potentially has some positive effects on the environment. This study was performed in the Sacca di Goro lagoon, located in the southernmost part of the Po River Delta, in the northwestern Adriatic Sea. The LCA of clam farming from a cradle-to-gate perspective have been carried out, including the production stages as seed procuring, sowing, harvesting, depuration and packaging to obtain 1 ton of fresh ready-to-sell clams. The results show that area preparation, fuel combustion and plastic bags were the main contributors to the environmental impacts. The potential capability as a carbon sink of 1 ton of clams has been calculated and the effects on eutrophication reduction by fixing nitrogen and phosphorous in shells, with a net sequestration of 444.55 kg of CO2, 1.54 kg of N and 0.31 kg of P per year.

Highlights

As the global population continues to grow, the demand for and production of food, especially seafood from aquaculture, will continue to be an essential element in the future of our food security and fill the shortfall that exists between the global demand for seafood products and the available supply from wild-stock fisheries [1]
Beyond the local and national relevance of this comprehensive case study, the results of life cycle assessments (LCA) analysis are interesting within a global scenario of policy and decision making because they address sustainability, making Manila clam farming comparable with other much less sustainable forms of aquaculture production
LCA Goal and Scope, System Boundaries and Functional Unit An LCA was carried out to calculate the environmental impacts of Manila clams farmed in the

Summary

Introduction

As the global population continues to grow, the demand for and production of food, especially seafood from aquaculture, will continue to be an essential element in the future of our food security and fill the shortfall that exists between the global demand for seafood products and the available supply from wild-stock fisheries [1]. Beyond the local and national relevance of this comprehensive case study, the results of LCA analysis are interesting within a global scenario of policy and decision making because they address sustainability, making Manila clam farming comparable with other much less sustainable forms of aquaculture production.

Objectives

Results

Conclusion