Aquaculture is rapidly becoming an integral part of global food security and is expected to continue to expand rapidly in the coming years to feed the world’s growing population.
But new research suggests that in addition to helping meet global fish consumption demand, the industry could also bring broad benefits to the marine environment.
The study, one of the first to examine the environmental impacts of offshore mussel farms, focuses on Europe’s largest farm, which installed its first ropes in Lyme Bay off the south coast of England in 2013. increase.
Since then, scientists have conducted regular surveillance surveys with towed underwater cameras and attached stationary baits, during which time they have studied the impact of the pilot installation of the farm on seafloor habitats and their We have tested related species inhabiting it.
They found that, in addition to growing on the ropes, mussel shells were first observed on the seafloor below the line after just six months. Larger masses appeared within his first 18 months after placement.
The size of mussel clumps and the percentage of shells under the farm increased over time, which led to an increase in the abundance of other species.
For example, numbers of Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) around farms increased by more than 300% in four years compared to the rest of Lyme Bay.
European lobster (Homarus gammarus) and edible crab (Cancer pagurus) numbers also increased significantly. Both of these species are of commercial importance in Lyme Bay, but were expected to be absent from the region as they are highly degraded by years of devastation. bottom fishing.
