The nutrient footprint of a submergedcage offshore aquaculture facility located in the tropical Caribbean

The effect of effluent generated by a commercially scaled offshore (~13km) finfish aquaculture facility in the tropical Caribbean on the water column and benthic nutrients and chlorophylla is described. Water column samples were collected up and downstream of the site at various times between 2012 and 2018. Typically, no significant difference in dissolved oxygen, chlorophylla, particulate organic carbon, particulate organic nitrogen, nitrate+nitrite, and total dissolved nitrogen concentration was observed in the water column between the up versus downstream samples. Similarly, sediment samples were collected at various times between 2012 and 2018. Samples were collected at up versus downstream locations and analyzed for benthic carbon, nitrogen, and chlorophylla content. Some of the collected data demonstrates a trend toward sediment enrichment within the vicinity of the farm. These data are of interest to stakeholders concerned with the expansion of offshore aquaculture in the United States and other countries. To our knowledge, this is the first report of its kind from a commercially scaled aquaculture facility utilizing offshore submersiblecage technologies.

Welch, A. W., Knapp, A. N., Tourky, S. E., Daughtery, Z., Hitchcock, G., & Benetti, D.

Welch, Aaron W||Knapp, Angela N||Tourky, Sharein El||Daughtery, Zachary||Hitchcock, Gary||Benetti, Daniel

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