Water Quality:
Discharges from a finfish farm has the potential to create significant changes to the quality of the receiving waters. The major concerns relate to the discharge of:
dissolved metabolic wastes from finfish activity and the biological breakdown of waste feed particles and finfish faecal matter;
particulate nitrogen and phosphorous, originating primarily from organic matter as finfish faecal matter, algal cells, waste feed particles and soil particles;
suspended solids from particulate organic matter and erosion of pond floor, walls and discharge channels;
- excess phytoplankton.
- The possible impacts of finfish farm effluent on water quality include:
- creation of eutrophic zones within the receiving waters;
- increased fluctuation of dissolved oxygen levels;
- creation of visible plumes;
- accumulation of nutrients within the receiving waters.
Best Practice Environmental Management:
As defined in the EPA, the Best Practice Environmental Management of an activity is the management of the activity to achieve an ongoing minimisation of the activitys environmental harm through cost-effective measures assessed against the measures currently used nationally and internationally for the activity.
In deciding the Best Practice Environmental Management of an activity, regard must be had to the following measures:
Strategic planning by the person carrying out, or proposing to carry out, the activity;
Administrative systems put into effect by the person;
Public consultation carried out by the person;
Product and process design;
Waste prevention, treatment and disposal.
Site Selection:
Site selection and evaluation must ensure that the proposed site will be capable of operating in an economically viable and environmentally responsible manner and in accordance with this Code of Practice. In evaluating potential finfish aquaculture facility sites, developers must take into account the objectives and the likely environmental risks of the proposed project.
The following list although not exhaustive, identifies the major issues that must be considered when evaluating a potential finfish aquaculture site.
- Access to water
- Capacity of the receiving environment to dilute and assimilate the discharge waters
- Environmental value of the site and the region
- Existing flora and fauna, both on and surrounding the site
- Existing water users
- Flood levels
- Potential impacts of the development on environmental values and biodiversity
- Proximity of Marine Parks, Fish Habitat Areas and other relevant management areas
- Regulatory requirements of the development, site and region
- Soil types, including clay content, erosion potential, and Acid Sulphate Soil
- Topography and flood levels
- Water quality and hydrology
Information Prepared By :
Dallas J Donovan
Information Sourced From:
