Overfishing is an environmental issue that the eco-system has had to contend with for many years now. Its effects are devastating yet often taken foregranted until they are no longer dismissible. In answer to the dilemma, fish farming was introduced but soon enough, that too proved to be nothing more than just a temporary solution as the equally overwhelming repercussions of the aquaculture industry on the environment began to surface.
Respecting that aquaculture is an important element to the sustainability of the ocean’s eco-system, the science was expanded, diversified, intensified and amended with technological advances in order to enhance the benefits (local food security, alleviate poverty, improve rural livelihoods, sustain the balance of the aqua-world) and alleviate as much of the adverse effects it posed to the environment as it is possible.
Whilst Aquaponics (the practise of farming herbs, vegetables and fish in a self contained and self-sustaining eco-system) in itself is not a new system, in these modern days it has become the scalable eco friendly farming system for producing sustainable fish and plant crops.
The science in its simplest form is the synergistic combination of aquaculture and hydroponics with the appeal of giving the promise that through it we will be able to deal with the potential negative aspects of both individual activities in a viable and sustainable manner whilst reaping their positive aspects.
The science behind Aquaponics works to tackle a few issues that would otherwise be a major concern under the individual systems of aquaculture and hydroponics. The superiority of the system is mainly visible in the areas of :
- The environmental effects of organic wastes from net-cages
- Efficiency of water use
- The use of drugs, pesticides and other chemicals in the industry
In Aquaponics, the organic wastes from the growing fish’s net-cages/tanks is not disposed of but instead efficiently reused as a natural nutrient source for plants. The nutrient rich fish water will be pumped into the plant growing area (trough type tanks, hydroponics NFT tanks, drip feed systems or even gravel beds) allowing the vegetation to extract the nutrients from it (indirectly assuming the role of a natural water filter/purifyer).
This in turn also aids both the cost of farming hydroponics and the environment as fertilizers, chemical pesticides and medication will not be required. The nutrient rich water from the fish already provides them.
The water can then after be oxygenated and re-pumped back into the fish rearing system, making efficient use of ‘organic waste’ and the water itself. Aquaponics ensures minimum effluent runoff.
A well designed and properly operated Aquaponic system will only consume about one tenth of the water normally required in conventional vegetable growing and reduce the water requirement for a single usage fish farming by 95% or even greater!
