Seafood Results

Summary

The Ocean Wise recommendation for this seafood variety comes from a global assessment of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) across species. This global report was possible because many aspects of RAS (i.e. the fundamental characteristics of the aquaculture method) are similar regardless of the species cultured. Should a species specific assessment exists for this aquaculture method, this report will take precedent for an Ocean Wise recommendation.

Note: All Ocean Wise recommendations for recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) apply only to seafood products grown exclusively in RAS facilities through harvest at the end of grow out. It does not apply to seafood products that were raised in RAS hatcheries and transitioned to other production systems for the grow out period.

Escapes: RAS is a land based aquaculture method where production occurs in buildings and tanks. In addition, tank-based RAS utilize multiple screens and secondary capture devises. In combination, this setup ensures physical separation of the culture area from the natural environment minimizing the risk of escapes.

Disease: Disease transmission to the wild is low. RAS discharge limited volumes of water and have the ability to control and treat all discharges. Many facilities utilize ozonation and UV irradiation to disinfect water and maintain water quality.

Feed: Feed use and subsequent environmental impacts are highly species-specific, with some species requiring high levels of fishmeal and fish oil in their diets, which is often sourced from wild capture fisheries, while others can be grown commercially on a feed containing no animal ingredients. There are ongoing advancements in aquaculture feeds (particularly reductions in the use of fishmeal and fish oil) and their efficiency of use (i.e., the feed conversion ratio, FCR), making this an area of continued improvement for RAS operations.

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• Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (Indoor Tanks With Wastewater Treatment)

Summary

Abundance: Stock is healthy and overfishing is not occurring.

Habitat: This harvest method has no impacts on seafloor habitat.

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• Handlines and Pole-and-Lines (Hand-Operated)

Summary

The Ocean Wise recommendation for this seafood variety comes from a global assessment of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) across species. This global report was possible because many aspects of RAS (i.e. the fundamental characteristics of the aquaculture method) are similar regardless of the species cultured. Should a species specific assessment exists for this aquaculture method, this report will take precedent for an Ocean Wise recommendation.

Note: All Ocean Wise recommendations for recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) apply only to seafood products grown exclusively in RAS facilities through harvest at the end of grow out. It does not apply to seafood products that were raised in RAS hatcheries and transitioned to other production systems for the grow out period.

Escapes: RAS is a land based aquaculture method where production occurs in buildings and tanks. In addition, tank-based RAS utilize multiple screens and secondary capture devises. In combination, this setup ensures physical separation of the culture area from the natural environment minimizing the risk of escapes.

Disease: Disease transmission to the wild is low. RAS discharge limited volumes of water and have the ability to control and treat all discharges. Many facilities utilize ozonation and UV irradiation to disinfect water and maintain water quality.

Feed: Feed use and subsequent environmental impacts are highly species-specific, with some species requiring high levels of fishmeal and fish oil in their diets, which is often sourced from wild capture fisheries, while others can be grown commercially on a feed containing no animal ingredients. There are ongoing advancements in aquaculture feeds (particularly reductions in the use of fishmeal and fish oil) and their efficiency of use (i.e., the feed conversion ratio, FCR), making this an area of continued improvement for RAS operations.

Learn more about harvest methods

• Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (Indoor Tanks Without Wastewater Treatment)

Summary

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• Gillnets (Drifting)

Summary

Feed: Use of fish meal and oil in commercial feeds is currently high and there is a “fish in: fish out” ratio (FIFO) is 3.50, meaning that from first principles, 3.5 lb of wild fish must be caught to produce 1 lb of farmed cobia.

Effluent: Fish wastes and uneaten feed from the open net pens directly enter the surrounding water column and settle on the sea floor. Monitoring of this aquaculture method show no significant increases in soluble nutrients downstream of the farm site at any depth, and this is attributed to the rapid absorption of nutrients by phytoplankton and bacteria in the low nutrient (oligotrophic) environment. As a result there appears to be little impact of effluent wastes and impacts of effluent are not of concern at this time.

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• Net Pens / Cages (Marine Only)

Summary

Abundance: Stock is healthy and overfishing is not occurring.

Habitat: This harvest method has no impacts on seafloor habitat.

Bycatch: Incidental capture of endangered, threatened or overfished species such as loggerhead turtles, Warsaw and snowy groupers, and blacknose sharks is a serious concern.

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• Longlines

Summary

Abundance: Stock is healthy and overfishing is not occurring.

Habitat: This harvest method has no impacts on seafloor habitat.

Learn more about harvest methods

• Handlines and Pole-and-Lines (Hand-Operated)