A combined method for assessing ecological intensification in aquaculture systems

• Main Authors: Wilfart, Aurélie, Prudhomme, Jéhane, Blancheton, Jean-Paul, Aubin, Joël
• Other Authors: Sol Agro et hydrosystème Spatialisation (SAS), Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro Rennes Angers, Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro), Laboratoire Aquaculture Languedoc-Roussillon (LALR), Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER), INRAE
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2012
• Subjects: Ecological intensification; fish system; LCA; Emergy; [SDV.SA.SPA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Animal production studies; [SDE.ES]Environmental Sciences/Environment and Society; Atlantic salmon
• Online Access: https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-04146685; https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-04146685/document; https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-04146685/file/LCAFOOD_2012_Emergy_ACV.pdf

International audience To meet the challenges of producing more while lowering impacts on ecosystems, new farming systems have to be designed. To define development strategies, a multi-scale assessment method that estimates the tradeoff between human demand and natural services, as well generates consistent performance indicators on utilization of natural resources and environmental emission levels based on the same set of input data is needed. LCA estimates resource use and potential environmental impacts throughout a product’s life cycle at global and regional scales [1] but does not consider the provision of ecosystem services or products [2]. Emergy accounting (EA) is an ecology-based tool developed to integrate all system inputs (environmental and economic values) using a common unit, solar emergy joule [3]. EA inserts the productive cycle into a local environmental context and quantifies the energy flows between the environment and the production system. Through three contrasting fish-farming systems, we attempted to demonstrate the interest of a combination of LCA and EA to define the major components of environmental sustainability and ecological intensification of fish farming and more globally of agricultural systems. The first system is a recirculating system (RSF) of Atlantic salmon depending highly on external inputs (feed and energy). The second one is extensive fish polyculture in a pond (PF1) with few external inputs. The last one is a small pond farm with use of external feeds. These systems were assessed according the ISO standards for attributional LCA during one production year. The assessment covered farm operations and transportation at all stages. Local emissions of nutrients were estimated using nutrient balance modeling and pond emissions were refined to include nitrogen-fate factors. LCA results are presented as traditional midpoint indicators according CML 2 baseline 2001and are expressed by tonne of fish produced. Emergy accounting [3] is based on LCA system definition but includes ...