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Aquaculture Sustainability Assessed by Emergy Synthesis: The Importance of Water Accounting

Author

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  • Úrsula da Silva Morales

    (Aquam Research Group, Animal Science Research Program, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul—UFRGS, Bento Gonçalves Avenue, 7712, Porto Alegre 91540-000, RS, Brazil)

  • Marco Aurélio Rotta

    (Department of Agricultural Diagnosis and Research, Secretary of State for Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development—SEAPDR, Porto Alegre 90150-004, RS, Brazil)

  • Darci Carlos Fornari

    (Aquam Research Group, Animal Science Research Program, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul—UFRGS, Bento Gonçalves Avenue, 7712, Porto Alegre 91540-000, RS, Brazil)

  • Danilo Pedro Streit

    (Aquam Research Group, Animal Science Research Program, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul—UFRGS, Bento Gonçalves Avenue, 7712, Porto Alegre 91540-000, RS, Brazil)

Abstract

Aquaculture is one of the protein production activities with the most significant potential for global development. It is one of the fastest growing in recent years, mainly because of its efficiency in transforming feed into meat. However, the increase in aquaculture production raises some concerns, especially regarding the proper use of natural resources such as water, which is fundamental in aquaculture production systems. On the other hand, numerous systems, models, and production techniques have been developed and used to manage resources and reduce the negative impacts of the activity. However, it is not known which production systems and management practices are more sustainable, although the development and application of these technologies are crucial and profoundly influence this aspect of production. Emergy is a method that considers the contribution of nature and economy in the creation of the product and service, excluding the strictly monetary character present in conventional economic evaluations, being a model used to measure the level of sustainability in productive systems. In this sense, this study characterized the use of emergy analysis in aquaculture systems and discussed the main applications and potential uses, in addition to identifying the importance of water in the production and better destination of this resource for the economic and sustainable development of aquaculture. The systematic review methodology identified 17 articles using emergy analysis to assess environmental, economic, and social sustainability. The production systems evaluated vary between monocultures and polycultures at different production levels (intensive, semi-intensive, extensive). When all these particularities are transformed into the same unit (emjoule or solar joule), it is possible to compare different scenarios. As a primary resource of nature, water deserves more attention in the emergy accounting of aquaculture systems. It was shown the importance of a more detailed water analysis considering its effective use, impact (alteration or variation in its quality), and flow for a correct emergy analysis as a tool to promote the maintenance of the aquaculture activity over the years, which has in the water its most significant wealth.

Suggested Citation

  • Úrsula da Silva Morales & Marco Aurélio Rotta & Darci Carlos Fornari & Danilo Pedro Streit, 2022. "Aquaculture Sustainability Assessed by Emergy Synthesis: The Importance of Water Accounting," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-25, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:12:y:2022:i:11:p:1947-:d:977727
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fang, Delin & Chen, Shaoqing & Chen, Bin, 2015. "Emergy analysis for the upper Mekong river intercepted by the Manwan hydropower construction," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 899-909.
    2. Tom Kuhlman & John Farrington, 2010. "What is Sustainability?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 2(11), pages 1-13, November.
    3. Cuimei Lv & Huiqin Li & Minhua Ling & Xi Guo & Zening Wu & Changkuan Gu & Yang Li, 2021. "An Innovative Emergy Quantification Method for Eco-economic Compensation for Agricultural Water Rights Trading," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 35(3), pages 775-792, February.
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