Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) Technology for augmenting production

Megarajan, Sekhar and Loka, Jayasree and Ranjan, Ritesh and Xavier, Biji and Padmajarani, S and Balla, Vamsi and Suresh, R D and Rao, Damodara P and Harish, C (2025) Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) Technology for augmenting production. In: సముద్ర పంజర, నాచు మరియు చిప్పల సమైక్య పెంపకం పై శిక్షణా పుస్తకం (Course Manual on Integrating Mussel Farming with Sea Cage and Seaweed Farming). CMFRI Training Manual Series No. 57/2025 . ICAR- Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Visakhapatnam, pp. 81-89.

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Abstract

Aquaculture contributes to global food security, and fish and seafood play an important role in healthy human diets, expansion and intensification of the sector are not without consequences and is associated with several ecological concerns. Aquaculture relies on natural resources, like water, energy, raw materials, and space, and expansion of the sector will inevitably put more pressure on these resources. The increase of the aquaculture sector also contributes to the growing demand for high-quality feed, as 50% of the global aquaculture production concerns fed species. Ingredients traditionally used in aquafeeds, like fishmeal and fish oil, are unsustainable, as the majority of global fishmeal and fish-oil production consists of food-grade fish, resulting in feedfood competition. An increase in aquaculture production will also increase waste production, with potentially detrimental effects on the environment due to the discharge of metabolic waste, uneaten feed and feces. In land-based systems, water purification techniques can be used to convert waste into less hazardous forms. This includes the conversion of ammonia into nitrate and the capture and conversion of solid waste into a novel resource like a fertilizer. Nevertheless, a large fraction of these (valuable) waste nutrients nowadays end up in the environment, resulting in adverse effects. This highlights the need for the development of sustainable aquaculture approaches, which allow us to keep up with the growing demand for food and resources with no or minimal adverse impacts on the environment. At this juncture, the concept of Integrated Multi-Tropic Aquaculture addresses the issues of increasing food demand, followed by increasing in waste production by the aquaculture practices.

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