Offshore Aquaculture – Environmental Concerns

1. Offshore Aquaculture – Environmental Concerns Karin Dubsky Coastwatch Europe

2. Concerns Conclusions Recommendations about Definition Environmental Impact Monitoring & control The bigger picture Offshore Aquaculture

3. Definition • Where? Offshore sounds blue and far far away. At least not on land and not on the shore where it disturbs my view. but • for how much of the life cycle? • & how far offshore?

4. Environmental Impacts Shellfish who feed themselves & fish you need to supply with food, which in turn you have to get elsewhere.

5. Cradle to Grave Mussel ------------------------Salmon • Whole life cycle in marine area • Spat could be collected long line from local populations, (not scraped/dredged up) • On-grown in suspended system, with no food added or medical intervention • Harvested and shipped, brought live to the table, or • put through added value preparation with extra challenges, then sold

6. Mirror, mirror on the wall, who has the greatest impact of them all? Cradle to Grave Mussel ------------------------Salmon • Complicated Life cycle • Egg to Smolt: fresh water lab conditions • Smolt farm: Fresh water on river or lake • On growing: at sea, potentially offshore • Kill, (& process option)

7. Mirror, mirror on the wall, who has the greatest impact of them all?Mussel ------Salmon Measurable on siteunderlined applies to both, not = fish only, Water column – space occupied, turbidity, shade, anti-foulants, nutrient & medicine residues, pathogens (sea lice ..) Seabed – anchoring, sediment changes, (pseudo)faeces, oxygen depletion,food remains, loss of sensitive biota .. Above water – obstruction, visual quality. More Challenging Impacts Harder to Measure/Significance Disputed Trigger for algal blooms Impact on health of wild population – genetic, parasites, Impact on natural predators Introduction of Invasive Alien Species

8. Rough impact range table on a scale of 0 (none) to5 (serious)

9. Research, Monitoring, Reporting & Control • To find out what is happening you research and monitor • To minimise impacts, you control. • To inform decision making you report Who are YOU?

10. Research, monitoring and controlSimplified diag. of key players, involved for different reasons

11. Reporting IF THINGS DO GO WRONG Present government monitoring is too inadequate to trust there is a powerful incentive for industry to look away or keep quiet. Future Will things get better with more offshore aquaculture? Unless we change our way of operating NO

13. Conclusions • Choice of species, the site, method and license are the foundation, setting out the potential environmental impact. • Adequacy of monitoring, control, transparency and a strong NGO sector contribute to the actual performance. • Moving off shore may reduce environmental impact during one phase of a farmed salmon’s life or most of the life of a farmed mussel, but brings challenges of • extra energy costs to get out there and operate/repair • extra monitoring challenges and costs • requires more weatherproof structures. • is only available to the bigger players

14. The Bigger Picture - use of our last great commons Climate change • stronger storms, higher rainfall episodes • offshore structures, piers & on land facilities at risk • Wind farms, wave power operations developed Natural Resources • Most commercial fish stocks in serious trouble - research, plans and action are inadequate. • Shellfish population reductions with inadequate knowledge, law and law enforcement. • Marine protected areas as EU supported options for governments, but not embraced • Increasing pressures on offshore aggregates and minerals Monitoring obligations are considerable under various laws e.g • WFD • Natura 2000 sites • Shellfish waters Finance and expertise to design, set up, run, monitor are finite. Are we using them wisely? Our European coast and marine area is v large and rich. As it stands we do not pool local knowledge and skill with scientific and top technology. We are making a dogfish’s dinner of our chances.

15. Recommendations • Integrated CZM with climate change adaptation from international to local level. • If structures are needed, try multi use design - e.g. Windmill legs • Prioritise largest most widespread benefits for man and Nature 1st: - adequate protection and recovery of natural resources. • setting up a network of marine protected areas in and outside Natura 2000 sites • A good strategy to deal with Invasive alien species. • Serious effort for neutral consumer information on natural & farmed produce Once these are in place the budding offshore aquaculture industry which will benefit a few could be let loose with less concern 4. Plan joint up monitoring, mapping and control involving local people. • Our seas, our governments moral duty to be transparent, have adequate review and appeal mechanisms in place and practise real public participation. This will raise standards and trust.