Introduction
Fish farming is one of the human economic activities that people venture into as part of their livelihood. Nonetheless, there have been concerns that fish farming is one of the environmentally destructive industries in the current times. For that matter, aquaculture faces extreme criticism and scrutiny as it forms part of the major contributory of food supply to the world’s six million population (Pillay, 2004). Nonetheless, aquaculture, which is the farming practice of the aquatic life that comprises plants, fish, and crustaceans, has become one of the major food production sectors growing rapidly in the world. Consequently, issues of environmental impacts of fish farming have taken center stage in environmental activism. Therefore, this paper explores several impacts that fish farming has on the environment.
Impacts of Fish Farming Have on the Environment
To begin with, according to Abel and Robert (2007), fish farming has been generalized to have adverse effects on the environment, which ranges from the obliteration of the coastal habitats which are sensitive in the environment, environmental pollution and destruction of aquatic biodiversity, which spells doom to environmental well being. Nonetheless, it is argued by Hargrave (2005) that a balancing point needs to be reached between environmental issues and food security since aquaculture is one of the critical sectors that are capable of eliminating poverty, especially to the coastal communities and guaranteeing food security to the world’s surging population.
Moreover, it is postulated by Pillay (2004) that there is a direct relationship between the reduction of the natural stocks in the aquatic ecosystem and fish farming. This condition, according to Hargrave (2005), is ascribed to the environmental effects that fish farming has on the environment. For instance, when feeding fish, the feed is usually broadcasted on the water surface, then consumed. Nonetheless, not all fish feed is consumed. For that matter, these feed remnants usually settle at the bottom, where microorganisms decompose them. As a result, there is an alteration of the normal biological condition in the ecosystem, which becomes harmful to aquatic life, including fish themselves.
On the other hand, farmers engaged in fish farming, according to Holmer, Kenny, and Carlos (2007), usually over-feed fish farms. As a result, this leads to alteration of the structure of the benthic community since a lot of food supply favor other aquatic organisms to the disadvantage of others. Furthermore, Abel and Robert (2007) opine that the oversupply of food to fish farms leads to oxygen depletion, which comes as a result of microbial decomposition. Moreover, Hargrave (2005) adds that most of these fish feed is composed of therapeutic chemicals and antibiotics, which in most cases are poisonous to some organisms hence adversely affecting aquatic life.
Furthermore, fish, like other living organisms, undergo an excretion process where their wastes combine with nutrients normally released by the feed that is usually in excess. These raise alkalinity levels in the aquatic environment, which becomes an ideal environment for other organisms such as algae to flourish. This creates a competitive environment between fish and aquatic parasites for aquatic resources, resulting in what is commonly referred to as survival for fitness. Also, Pillay (2004) adds that when some of the aquatic organisms such as algae die, they decompose using available oxygen, which is further depleted. Moreover, decomposition also induces toxins in the environment hence making the environment unpalatable for fish. As a result, fish species are depleted further to extinction.
Nonetheless, Pillay (2004) affirms that fish farming ironically depends on natural fish to feed the farmed fish. Therefore, Holmer, Kenny, and Carlos (2007) believed that fish farming does not provide an alternative to fishing but only facilitates the depletion of natural fish. This is an issue of environmental concern since extensive fish farming is a sure way of ensuring the extinction of the natural species. On the other hand, Abel and Robert (2007) hold that feeding farmed fish on natural fish results in depletion of proteins globally since the few available natural fish are fed to farmed ones.
Furthermore, fish farming leads to the introduction of new hybrids species. According to Hargrave (2005), these breeds can not breed with indigenous ones. Also, it is acknowledged by Holmer, Kenny, and Carlos (2007) that these hybrids can not survive long enough to reach a breeding stage that can help them to increase their population. As a result, this leads to the extinction of some of the rare species of fish in the aquatic environment, impacting this ecosystem.
Additionally, fish farming has resulted in the serious problem of habitat destruction hence having adverse effects on the environment. According to Abel and Robert (2007), Asia, which is the leading continent in fish production, has lost mangrove forests close to 400 000 hectares, which have directly been converted to fish farming. However, fish farming supports the Gross Domestic Product of these countries, but the loss of these vegetative cover is a taunting phenomenon environmentally. This is so since mangrove forests are known for their salt marshes, which are critical in preventing soil erosion and forms a habitat of several marine organisms. Therefore, the conversion of tropical mangrove forests to fish farms is a crude manner of habitat destruction.
Fish farming also entails the treatment of diseases using antibiotics. According to Holmer, Kenny, and Carlos (2007), antibiotics result in the mutant strain, which in most cases are released to large water masses such as oceans and seas that expose wild stock to these toxic substances. Therefore, bacterial, fungal, and viral infections are introduced in the wild stock due to fish farming. Moreover, the prevalence of antibiotics in the ecosystem results in mutation of certain diseases, which accumulate in the aquatic ecosystem, leading to disease accumulation in the food chain.
Notably, Hargrave (2005) acknowledges that fish farming is the same as having sewage untreated being directed to the shores. This is because waste matter freely flows from fish farms to another aquatic ecosystem, which causes resident species in this environment, including wild fish, to extinct from their environment.
Responses to the Positions Presented in the Equinox Restaurant Sites
Concerning the Equinox Restaurant site position, the paper agrees to it since the position is desired to safeguard natural fish and their ecosystem. As indicated in the case study of the impacts of fish farming on the environment, it is paramount to have the same position as Equinox Restaurant in protecting the natural life of marine life. It was resolved by the restaurant that no member of its staff will support the extinction of fish species. Therefore they have committed themselves not to serve these fish species to safeguard their existence. For that matter, it is relatively important that this paper holds the same position and supports any efforts that are in place which are geared towards protecting these natural species. Therefore, fish farming is a practice that the paper raises a red flag against to safeguard the environment and especially the marine life.
References
Abel, D.C. & Robert, L.M. (2007). Environmental Oceanography: Topics and Analysis. London: Jones & Barllett Publishers.
Hargrave, B. (2005). Environmental Effects of Marine Finfish Aquaculture. Berlin: Springer.
Holmer, M., Kenny, B. & Carlos, M.D. (2007). Aquaculture in the Ecosystem. Denmark: Springer.
Pillay, T.V.R. (2004). Aquaculture and the Environment. UK: Blackwell Publishing.