Aquatic Science, General Agricultural and Biological Sciences, Animal Science and Zoology, Food Science
33
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Economic Analysis of Red Tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) Production Under Different Solar Energy Alternatives in a Commercial Biofloc System in Colombia † Daniel Leonardo Cala-Delgado, Jesaías Ismael da Costa, Fabiana Garcia Fishes, 2024 The study investigates the economic aspects of red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) production using biofloc technology under different electrical energy sources. Conducted at the El Vergel Fish Farming Association in Arauca, Colombia, the study examines four energy treatments: conventional energy (CE), combined conventional and photovoltaic energy (CPVE), full photovoltaic energy (PVE), and simulation of photovoltaic energy generating surplus for nighttime use (PVES). The water quality and zootechnical performance met the species requirements, with dissolved oxygen decreasing as fish size increased. The PVE treatment had the highest initial investment due to solar panels and battery costs, but it also had the lowest operating energy costs. However, the overall costs of the PVE treatment increased due to depreciation and maintenance. Feed was the largest production cost, followed by labor in most treatments, while depreciation was a major cost for the PVE treatment. The total operating cost (TOC) of the photovoltaic energy systems (PVE and PVES) was lower compared to that of conventional energy (CE), with PVES showing the highest cost savings. The reduction in energy costs highlights the potential for solar energy systems to enhance the economic viability of aquaculture production, making these systems a favorable option for sustainable production in the long term.
Integrated multitrophic aquaculture in ponds using substrate for periphyton as natural source of food Mariana Negri, Daiane Mompean Romera, Fabiana Garcia Boletim do Instituto De Pesca, 2023 As a productive and sustainable alternative to fish farmers, the present study aims to evaluate the use of substrate for periphyton growth in an Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture (IMTA) with complementary species. The studied species were: Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) and curimbatá (Prochilodus lineatus). The experiment had four treatments with three replicates that evaluated the IMTAs: [T100] Cb:C – tilapia inside hapas fed on recommended feed, with grass carp and curimbatás outside the hapas making use of natural food; [T50] Cb:C – the same species distribution with tilapia fed 50 % of the daily amount of commercial diet. Cb:C 100 and Cb:C 50 – grass carp and curimbatás fed on recommended feed at two feeding rates (100% and 50%) with substrate for periphyton growth in the feeding restriction treatment. In phase II, tilapias were included in all the treatments as a complementary species. Growth performance of fish and physical-chemical parameters of water were evaluated. In the proposed models, the species were efficient in utilizing the feed and in nutrient cycling, achieving productivity of 6 t/ha in the system without water renewal. Inserting secondary and complementary species reduced the feed conversion ratio (FCR) to values of 0.95 in systems under feed restriction and 1.28 in the groups that received 100% of commercial feed. Considering the reduction of the FCR and the high productivity, farmers can diversify their products in the same area without increasing inputs.
Stocking density of red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) reared in a commercial biofloc system in Colombia Daniel Leonardo Cala Delgado, Jesaías Ismael da Costa, Fabiana Garcia Scaloppi Ciencia E Agrotecnologia, 2023 Biofloc technology (BFT) has several advantages, such as low water supply requirements and apparent feed conversion ratio (FCR), and high densities. However, there is no information on adequate densities and their effect on the large-scale production of different species. In this study, we determined the effects of the stocking density of monosex red tilapia reared using BFT on the growth performance, water quality parameters, and chemical characteristics of fish on a large scale and under culture conditions in eastern Colombia. In total, six circular tanks (diameter: 14 m, height: 1 m, and capacity: 153 m³) were used in this investigation. Two stocking densities were considered: treatment 1 (T30: 30 fish/m³) and treatment 2 (T40: 40 fish/m³), in triplicate. The water quality parameters of the two treatment densities were within the normal ranges for the species, but dissolved oxygen decreased throughout the production process. The T30 and T40 treatments did not result in significant differences in growth performance. At the end of the trial, the FCRs were 1.6 and 1.7 from T30 and T40, respectively. Fishes raised at a lower density had a similar weight gain; however, their final biomass was not significantly different. BFT did not affect the nutritional characteristics of fish; the percentage of protein (%) in tilapia was 17.81% ±1% and 16.72% ±1% in the T30 and T40 groups, respectively. None of the fish were infected by Salmonella spp. or Vibrio cholerae.
Sustainability assessment of FLOCponics compared to stand-alone hydroponic and biofloc systems using emergy synthesis Sara M Pinho, Luiz H. David, Fabiana Garcia, Maria Célia Portella, Karel J. Keesman Ecological Indicators, 2022 FLOCponics is an intensive integrated agri-aquaculture system that combines biofloc-based aquaculture with hydroponics. Since research on FLOCponics is in its early stage of development, and many aspects of this system still need to be explored, the objective of this study was to assess and discuss the sustainability of a FLOCponics system and compare it to stand-alone biofloc and hydroponic cultures. This investigation will lead to a novel perspective of what troubling points need to be covered in the FLOCponics research field before they turn into a commercial scale problem. To do this, we conducted an experiment-based study by applying emergy synthesis to assess the sustainability of tilapia juveniles and lettuce production in FLOCponics, biofloc and/or hydroponic systems. The results indicate that the resources from the larger economy were the inputs that made the greatest contribution in all systems. Overall, most of the emergy indicators are similar for all systems, suggesting that FLOCponics, biofloc and hydroponic systems use low amounts of natural renewable resources, cause a moderate environmental load (EIR and ELR of 3.1 to 3.6), and lead to environmental stress seven times higher than the contribution to the economy (ESI of 0.3). Unit emergy values (UEVs) are different for each system, indicating that, under the evaluated conditions, FLOCponics (UEV: 2.54E + 06 sej/J) is more efficient than hydroponics (UEV: 5.55E + 10 sej/J) and less efficient than a biofloc system (UEV: 1.42E + 06 sej/J). Our findings provide valuable insights regarding the (un)sustainable aspects of FLOCponics and direct further research to improve the system's emergy performance. Based on the emergy performance, FLOCponics can be considered a promising sustainable food production approach, mainly considering that it is a system under development and there are still many opportunities for improvement.
Growth performance of Nile tilapia reared in cages in a farm dam submitted to a feed reduction strategy in a periphyton-based system Luiz H. David, Denis WJ. Campos, Sara M. Pinho, Daiane M. Romera, Fabiana Garcia Aquaculture Research, 2022 The periphyton-based system is a low-cost and sustainable strategy for small-scale producers who have limited technology and budgets. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different feed restriction levels (50% and 67%), using periphyton as a natural food source, on the growth performance of Nile tilapia reared under real culture conditions in cages placed in a farm dam. Three treatments were tested: F100—fish fed daily only on feed; F50—fish fed every other day, plus periphyton; and F33—fish fed every two days, plus periphyton. Considering the results of fish growth in F50 and F33 compared with F100 and the low amount of periphyton dry matter, it is reasonable to state that the fish under feed restriction did not take advantage of the periphyton due to its low availability. This low availability of the periphyton is possibly associated with the water N:P ratio and its variation over the experimental period. Therefore, periphyton-based systems are not indicated for conditions with a low N:P ratio or subject to great variations in this ratio.
Sustainability of urban aquaponics farms: An emergy point of view Luiz H. David, Sara M. Pinho, Feni Agostinho, Jesaias I. Costa, Maria Célia Portella, Karel J. Keesman, Fabiana Garcia Journal of Cleaner Production, 2022 Aquaponics is a food production system that aims higher sustainability by integrating advantages gained from aquaculture and hydroponic production. Aquaponics aims to mimic the biological process that happens in the natural environment in a controlled production system. As it can be applied to small scales, aquaponics is considered an important alternative for urban regions, which have low availability of agricultural land and water resources. Furthermore, the advantage is that it is located close to final consumers. Aquaponics has been labeled as an environmentally friendly food production system, but its demand for energy and materials cast doubt on its sustainability. A systemic understanding of aquaponics production systems is needed to determine the magnitude and balance between its potentialities and constraints, in which emergy synthesis appears as a powerful tool for this purpose. This study applies emergy synthesis to assess the sustainability of two different (scale and marketable products) urban aquaponics farms in Brazil, but differently from other emergy studies, ecosystem services and disservices are included in the analysis as an attempt to represent the system performance holistically. Results show that the type of materials used in aquaponics infrastructures has the highest influence on total emergy demand. Surprisingly, electricity and fish feed showed a low influence on the total emergy, reinforcing the idea that aquaponics systems have a more efficiency feeding management than traditional aquaculture systems. Besides producing vegetables and fish, the inclusion of ecosystem services highlights the importance of aquaponics for educational and tourism purposes. Finally, the obtained indicators from modeling scenarios revealed that replacing the water source and some materials deserves priority attention to increase the sustainability of urban aquaponics farms.
Assessing the sustainability of tilapia farming in biofloc-based culture using emergy synthesis Luiz H. David, Sara M. Pinho, Karel J. Keesman, Fabiana Garcia Ecological Indicators, 2021 Biofloc technology (BFT) has been called an environmentally friendly aquaculture approach. The sustainable characteristics of biofloc-based culture are usually linked to the efficient use of water and nutrients and the minimal discard of effluent to the environment. Given the scarcity of sustainability assessment of biofloc-based systems, it is still unclear whether the positive characteristics of BFT make it a real sustainable approach for aquaculture. This study aimed to investigate and apply the emergy synthesis to assess the sustainability of commercial Nile tilapia fingerlings production in a biofloc-based system. The tilapia fingerlings produced on the BFT farm showed a UEV of 2.04E + 03 sej/J, renewability of 32.73%, EYR of 1.00, EIR, and ELR of 2.05, and ESI of 0.49. Compared to other aquaculture systems, the evaluated BFT farm presented emergy indicators with values characteristic of potentially sustainable production. Electricity has the highest representativeness in the emergy input, making the system dependent on resources from the larger economy. The low UEV indicates that the BFT farm is efficient in terms of converting the invested emergy into the system's output (tilapia fingerlings). A sensitivity analysis shows that replacing the hydroelectric source of electricity with photovoltaic will not improve the emergy performance of the evaluated BFT farm.
South American fish species suitable for aquaponics: a review Sara M. Pinho, Luiz H. David, Fabiana Garcia, Karel J. Keesman, Maria Célia Portella, Simon Goddek Aquaculture International, 2021 Tilapia and catfish are the most popular fish species in aquaponics. However, they are not well-accepted in all markets, and finding alternative species is important in order to increase the variety of food products and meet market demands. South America has several potential fish species for aquaponics systems. Encouraging the implementation of integrated aquaculture systems by providing information about the production of South American species can help to increase the supply of high-quality food and aquaculture diversification. Thus, data for five South American fish species with potential for aquaponics were compared with existing data for the main traditional warm water species in this system, tilapia and catfish. Moreover, the degree of suitability of the novel species for these systems in terms of zootechnical performance, tolerance to water quality and nutritional composition of fish flesh were discussed. The South American species considered were jundia or silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen), yellowtail lambari (Astyanax lacustris), pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus), tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) and snook (Centropomusspp.). Their description and the tabular comparison with the most traditional aquaponic-cultured species show they are suited for this production system. How suitable they are will depend on the system design, as well as the regional characteristics of the market where they will be produced.
Emergy synthesis for aquaculture: A review on its constraints and potentials Luiz H. David, Sara M. Pinho, Feni Agostinho, Janaina Mitsue Kimpara, Karel J. Keesman, Fabiana Garcia Reviews in Aquaculture, 2021 The search for healthier protein sources and the growing demand for food by an increasing world population require aquaculture systems to not only be economically and technologically viable, but also sustainable. Among other methods, emergy synthesis is a powerful tool to assess the sustainability of production systems in a biophysical perspective. However, applications of emergy synthesis on aquaculture systems are seldomly found in the scientific literature. This work provides a literature review on emergy synthesis applied to aquaculture systems and discusses its constraints and potentials. The sixteen papers published between 2000‐2020 support the adoption of polycultures more than monocultures and highlight the importance of feed (4–70%) in the total emergy required by aquaculture systems, which require efforts for natural food. Methodological aspects of emergy synthesis applied in aquaculture systems that deserve attention by developers and analysts to avoid mistakes and erroneous conclusions were identified and discussed, and we propose some ways to solve them. These aspects are mainly related to inaccurate unit emergy values for water and feed, dubious procedures in quantifying and classifying water as renewable or non‐renewable resources, and the need to recognize the importance in accounting for ecosystem services and disservices. After overcoming these methodological inconsistencies, we foresee that emergy synthesis has potential political implications in supporting most sustainable aquaculture systems through economic (tax reduction and loans with reduced interests) and political (green labels) incentives. All these policies are important to achieve the ultimate goals of the United Nations’ Agenda 2030.
Celebrating 50 years of the boletim do instituto de pesca Boletim do Instituto De Pesca, 2021
Trichodinidae in commercial fish in South America Patricia Oliveira Maciel, Fabiana Garcia, Edsandra Campos Chagas, Rodrigo Yudi Fujimoto, Marcos Tavares-Dias Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 2018
Environmental conditions, fish diseases, management and economic evaluation of tilapia cages in a Brazilian hydroelectric reservoir Tilapia Biology Management Practices and Human Consumption, 2014
Stocking density of Nile tilapia in cages placed in a hydroelectric reservoir Fabiana Garcia, Daiane M. Romera, Kátia S. Gozi, Eduardo M. Onaka, Fernando S. Fonseca, Sérgio H.C. Schalch, Pedro G. Candeira, Luis O.M. Guerra, Fernando J. Carmo, Dalton J. Carneiro, Maria Inez E.G. Martins, Maria Célia Portella Aquaculture, 2013
Fish silage in farm-made feed for Nile tilapia Eduardo Gianini Abimorad, Wilson Luiz Strada, Sérgio Henrique Canelo Schalch, Fabiana Garcia, Daniela Castellani, Marcelo da Rocha Manzatto Pesquisa Agropecuaria Brasileira, 2009
