Water Discharges:
The discharge of water from finfish aquaculture facilities results primarily from harvesting activities and minor water exchanges.
In some techniques water exchanges may be required on a regular basis. Finfish aquaculturists must manage water quality and discharge methods in a manner which will minimise the potential impacts to receiving environments.
Water Quality:
The quality of discharge water is primarily a direct reflection of pond management practices. Maximising water quality will benefit the aquaculturist through increased production levels and reduced operating expenses. In accordance with this Code of Practice and the objective of minimising environmental impacts from water discharges, aquaculturists must:
- Maximise food conversion rates
- Use foods with suitably low levels of phosphorous
- Minimise the volume of dead natural feeds used
- Use artificial feeds with the least amount of dust/fines possible
- Monitoring the amount of feed eaten on a regular basis
- Maintaining the quality of feeds by storing in cool dry areas
- Ensure feeds are not stored for extended periods
- Use feeds with a suitable water stability
- Use feed which has a high percentage of digestible ingredients
- Maintain adequate aeration
Maintain pond biomass in consideration of:
- Available aeration
- Water exchange requirements
- Feed quality
- Protect pond walls adequately from erosion caused by wave setup
- Protect pond walls from aerator/circulation induced erosion
Discharge Methods:
The use of appropriate discharge strategies will assist aquaculturists minimise the impacts from water discharges and possibly enhance profitability through reduced maintenance expenses. In accordance with this Code of Practice and the objective of minimising environmental impacts from water discharges,
aquaculturists must:
- Utilise recirculation systems wherever appropriate
- Use discharge water for irrigation when ever appropriate
- Minimise or avoid discharge to waterways at times when unacceptable erosion of creek banks may occur
- Protect discharge points against erosion
- Suitably protect pond discharge points against scouring and erosion
- Encourage vegetation to grow around and within farm drains and channels
- Artificially protect drains and channels, where necessary, against erosion below the water line
Information Prepared By:
Dallas J Donovan
Information Sourced From:
