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Evaluation of short-term fallowing as a strategy for the management of recurring organic enrichment under salmon cages

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posted on 2023-05-16, 18:37 authored by Catriona MacLeodCatriona MacLeod, Moltschaniwskyj, NA, Christine CrawfordChristine Crawford
Rotation of cages within fish farm leases and the subsequent fallowing of areas of seabed is commonly used to allow recovery of infaunal communities following periods of organic enrichment. To investigate the effect of different background environmental conditions on recovery response, two Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fish farm sites in southeast Tasmania were sampled over two commercial fallowing cycles. Despite similar stocking levels and feed input there were significant differences in the way in which sediment at each farm responded to the cessation of fish stocking. Sediments at both farms showed some improvement in the community structure over a three month fallow period, but the community structure only recovered to that present before stocking not to that at the reference sites. The similarity of the impact sites to the reference sites increased from ca. 25% to 31% at one site and 11% to 27% at the other after fallowing. Rate and extent of recovery were affected by farm location, initial impact of the sediments, and length of fallow period. Initial recovery was faster at the more sheltered site than at the more exposed site, possibly reflecting differences in environmental resilience with the more sheltered location better able to assimilate organic inputs. Accordingly general fallowing management protocols may need to be adapted to reflect differences between sites. The findings of this study suggest that the recovery response of benthic communities can be predicted once baseline conditions are understood. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Funding

Fisheries Research & Development Corporation

History

Publication title

Marine Pollution Bulletin

Volume

52

Issue

11

Pagination

1458-1466

ISSN

0025-326X

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Elsevier

Place of publication

The Netherlands

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Assessment and management of terrestrial ecosystems

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