Intensive fish culture in open sea pens delivers large amounts of nutrients to coastal environments. Relative to particulate waste impacts, the ecological impacts of dissolved wastes are poorly known despite their potential to substantially affect nutrient-assimilating components of surrounding ecosystems. Broad-scale enrichment effects of salmonid farms on Tasmanian reef communities were assessed by comparing macroalgal cover at four fixed distances from active fish farm leases across 44 sites. Macroalgal assemblages differed significantly between sites immediately adjacent (100 m) to fish farms and reference sites at 5 km distance, while sites at 400 m and 1 km exhibited intermediate characteristics. Epiphyte cover varied consistently with fish farm impacts in both sheltered and exposed locations. The green algae Chaetomorpha spp. predominated near fish farms at swell-exposed sites, whereas filamentous green algae showed elevated densities near sheltered farms. Cover of canopy-forming perennial algae appeared unaffected by fish farm impacts.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	aquaculture, fishes, benthic macrofauna, invertebrates, organic pollution Tasmania
Research Division:	Biological Sciences
Research Group:	Ecology
Research Field:	Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology)
Objective Division:	Environmental Management
Objective Group:	Terrestrial systems and management
Objective Field:	Assessment and management of terrestrial ecosystems
UTAS Author:	Oh, ES (Miss Lizzi Oh)
UTAS Author:	Edgar, GJ (Professor Graham Edgar)
UTAS Author:	Kirkpatrick, JB (Professor James Kirkpatrick)
UTAS Author:	Stuart-Smith, RD (Dr Rick Stuart-Smith)
UTAS Author:	Barrett, NS (Associate Professor Neville Barrett)
ID Code:	102436
Year Published:	2015
Web of Science® Times Cited:	23
Deposited By:	IMAS Research and Education Centre
Deposited On:	2015-08-20
Last Modified:	2018-03-18
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