14 DAY TRIAL // According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), it is possible to conduct coastal ocean aquaculture in a manner sustainable from an environmental standpoint, with little to no effect on the surrounding ecosystems, by simply using the proper safeguards.
With a little bit of planning, the agency says, sustainable fisheries can become a reality. Granted, this beneficial effect can only be produced via certain types of fish farming, since not all species require the same conditions to flourish, EurekAlert reports.
These conclusions belong to a newly published report by scientists with NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS). Their work was heavily focused on the effects of finfish aquaculture on coastal ocean environments.
“This report provides coastal and farm managers with a global perspective on a range of potential environmental effects and their relative intensity. It is a tool that can be used when evaluating proposed or operational farming sites and gives them a factual basis to make decisions,” says NOAA official, Dr. Michael Rubino.