Research Information System
1st International Symposium on Aquatic Science and Technology In Nothern Cyprus, Girne, Cyprus (Kktc), 15 - 17 May 2014, vol.1, pp.28
The conflicts between marine coastal zone users have brought cage aquaculture to a crossroad of expanding farm activities into marine offshore waters, which has brought new technical challenges for fish farmers, in terms of new investment costs, legislative and administrative regulations, environmental impact assessment procedures, and new applications, skills and management. As the Aquaculture industry looks to feed the world with its 9 billion people in 2050 in a sustainable way, worldwide fish farmers need to be supported with knowledge of new applications and alternative materials for environment friendly production. Reducing biofouling on cage nettings may have overall benefits in terms of better fish growth induced by increased feeding rate, reduced fish stress, improved fish health due to a more sanitary environment, and less labor cost from net changes. As an antimicrobial material, copper alloy nettings are capable of preventing biofouling on the marine system. The objective of the present study is to investigate metal concentrations in the tissues of young seabream cultured to market size. Result showed that metal concentrations in the tissues of young seabream cultured to market size in copper alloy net cage, and in the muscle tissues of Mediterranean mussels distributed around the cage system were below the regulatory limits for human consumption levels. This scientific approach with field work and advanced laboratory analyses demonstrates the beneficial effects of copper-alloy net material on fish and mussel tissues in terms of Safe Food production for the Aquaculture Market.