Highlights
- Farming of high resilience calcifier species was assessed under Ocean Acidification conditions.
- A bioeconomic model with biologic, environmental, product-appearance and market attributes was used.
- Biologic performance and shell integrity features were assumed as pH-dependant functions.
- A negative market price adjustment due to shell spoils because low pH conditions was included.
- The reduction in the sale price due to damaged shell had the highest negative effect on the culture performance.
Abstract
Although Ocean Acidification OA has been identified as a potential threat to calcifying species, recent research has described a wide variety of possible responses (from vulnerability to high resilience) of these species to OA,. Hence, possible OA effects may be more complex, species-specific, and life-stage related than previously thought. Therefore, research of OA effects on aquaculture should address these complexities even when farming high resilience species. This work used bioeconomic modeling to assess the possible effects of OA on bivalve aquaculture incorporating biological, appearance, and market complexities into the culture analysis. A single batch of cultured mussels was modeled from stocking to harvest. The applied bioeconomic model assumed biological (i.e. growth and mortality rates) and shell integrity features (i.e. physical appearance) as pH functions. Bioeconomic parameters were calibrated based on literature regarding the farming of Mytilus galloprovincialis. The model included a negative market price adjustment due to shell spoils developed because of low pH conditions. The bioeconomic performance effects of the pH-driven features on the farming were assessed in a one by one (i.e. individual changes occurring alone) and jointly based analyses (i.e. all the pH-driven changes occurring together). Two IPCC scenarios were used to forecast future diminishing pH trajectories. Results showed that the reduction in the sale price due to damaged shell surface had the highest negative effect on the culture quasi-profits (35% and 70%). When the assumed pH-driven changes were assessed occurring together the quasi-profits diminished up to 49% and 84% in the analyzed OA scenarios. Nevertheless, in all the assessed scenarios positive quasi-profits were achieved. Finally, some proactive measures to diminish the possible effects of OA on bivalves farming are discussed.
Duarte J. A., Villanueva R., Seijo J. C. & Vela M. A., 2022. Ocean acidification effects on aquaculture of a high resilient calcifier species: a bioeconomic approach. Aquaculture: 738426. doi: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2022.738426. Article (subscription required).
