Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (Imta) – An Environmental Friendly Farming Approach

By : Tmt. G. Arul Oli , B. Ahilan ,

Page No: 235-249

Abstract
Aquaculture production of fish and shellfish has grown by an average of 7.7% per year over the last decade. However, aquaculture has also been responsible for many of ecosystems failure. Sustainable fishery production is a big challenge of the aquaculture industry especially where there is an extensive use of commercial feeds that, itself, contributes to a much bigger problem in open water system causing water pollution. The increasing popularity of using open sea culture systems for marine fish production is anticipated to intensify the use of commercially formulated feeds, which serve as primary source of water pollution. Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) is an ecosystems approach in mariculture that has been proven to solve sea pollution problems associated with fish culture mainly in temperate waters. IMTA system uses marine species that are not only commercially viable, such as salmon, but are also environmentally sustainable, based on the concept that the wastes consisting of uneaten feed, feces and metabolic excretion of one species area useful input for growth of another species, working in a natural self-cleansing mechanism. IMTA combines the farming of inorganic and organic extractive species and fed species to convert the waste released into the system into a commercially valuable product for environmental friendly farming.

Authors :
Th.K.S.Vijay Amirtharaj
Department of Coastal Aquaculture, School of Aquaculture, Fisheries College and Research Institute, Tharuvaikulam, Thoothukudi – 628 105.

B. Ahilan
Department of Inland Aquaculture, School of Aquaculture, Fisheries College and Research Institute, Thoothukudi – 628 008

Tmt. G. Arul Oli
Department of Inland Aquaculture, School of Aquaculture, Fisheries College and Research Institute, Thoothukudi – 628 008.