Effect of production quotas on economic and environmental values of growth rate and feed efficiency in sea cage fish farming

Type Article
Date 2017-03
Language English
Author(s) Besson Mathieu1, 2, de Boer I. J. M.3, Vandeputte Marc2, 4, Van Arendonk J. A. M.1, Quillet E.2, Komen H.1, Aubin J.5
Affiliation(s) 1 : Wageningen Univ, Anim Breeding & Genom Ctr, Wageningen, Netherlands.
2 : Univ Paris Saclay, AgroParisTech, INRA, Genet Anim & Biol Integrat, Jouy En Josas, France.
3 : Wageningen Univ, Anim Prod Syst Grp, Wageningen, Netherlands.
4 : IFREMER, Chemin Maguelone, Palavas Les Flots, France.
5 : INRA, Agrocampus Ouest, Sol Agron Spatialisat UMR1069, Rennes, France.
Source Plos One (1932-6203) (Public Library Science), 2017-03 , Vol. 12 , N. 3 , P. e0173131. (1-15)
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0173131
WOS© Times Cited 20
Abstract In sea cage fish farming, production quotas aim to constrain the impact of fish farming on the surrounding ecosystem. It is unknown how these quotas affect economic profitability and environmental impact of genetic improvement. We combined bioeconomic modelling with life cycle assessment (LCA) to calculate the economic (EV) and environmental (ENV) values of thermal growth coefficient (TGC) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of sea bass reared in sea cages, given four types of quota commonly used in Europe: annual production (Qprod), annual feed distributed (Qannual_ feed), standing stock (Qstock), and daily feed distributed (Qdaily_ feed). ENV were calculated for LCA impact categories climate change, eutrophication and acidification. ENV were expressed per ton of fish produced per year (ENV(fish)) and per farm per year (ENV(farm)). Results show that irrespective of quota used, EV of FCR as well as ENV(fish) and ENV(farm) were always positive, meaning that improving FCR increased profit and decreased environmental impacts. However, the EV and the ENV(fish) of TGC were positive only when quota was Qstock or Qdaily_ feed. Moreover, the ENV(farm) of TGC was negative in Qstock and Qdaily_ feed quotas, meaning that improving TGC increased the environmental impact of the farm. We conclude that Qstock quota and Qdaily_ feed quota are economically favorable to a genetic improvement of TGC, a major trait for farmers. However, improving TGC increases the environmental impact of the farm. Improving FCR represents a good opportunity to balance out this increase but more information on its genetic background is needed to develop breeding programs improving FCR.
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Publisher's official version 15 635 KB Open access
S1 Table. Calculations and parameters involved in the fish model. 1 216 KB Open access
S2 Table. Chemical composition of the feed of sea bass (Biomar, EFICO). 1 103 KB Open access
S3 Table. Contribution analysis of 1 t of standard sea bass feed (Biomar, EFICO). 1 102 KB Open access
S4 Table. Contribution analysis of energy carriers to acidification, eutrophication, and climate change. 1 101 KB Open access
S5 Table. Environmental impacts of the construction of 1 m2y of buildings and of the production of all equipment needed at farm level. 1 101 KB Open access
S6 Table. Environmental impacts of the emission to water of one ton of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). 1 101 KB Open access
S7 Table. Climate change per ton of fish produced for the five sub-systems as a function of Thermal Growth Coefficient (TGC) and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR). 1 132 KB Open access
S8 Table. Eutrophication per ton of fish produced for the five sub-systems as a function of Thermal Growth Coefficient (TGC) and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR). 1 112 KB Open access
S9 Table. Acidification per ton of fish produced for the five sub-systems as a function of Thermal Growth Coefficient (TGC) and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR). 1 37 KB Open access
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