Effects of feeding frequency on the productive performance of different tilapia strains.

This study was conducted during 251 days from April 13th to December 20th in 2010, and it aimed the evaluation of zootechnical performance of three tilapia strains submitted to two feeding frequencies, fed twice a day (2x) and fed once a day (1x)

Monitoramento e gestão ambiental da piscicultura em tanques-rede em reservatórios.

A estratégia mais adequada e eficiente para manter o ritmo atual de crescimento da aquicultura no Brasil é a adoção de sistemas de produção mais competitivos e sustentáveis. Dessa forma, a aquisição de dados em alta frequência temporal e a descoberta de possíveis relações entre os parâmetros ambientais e os sistemas de produção de peixes em tanques-rede podem-se tornar ferramentas para a melhoria da gestão dos empreendimentos, diminuindo possíveis impactos ambientais. Apresentam-se ferramentas já consolidadas em outras cadeias de produção e sua adaptação ao monitoramento ambiental da aquicultura em reservatórios. Geotecnologias, como imagens de satélite e Sistema de Informações Geográficas (SIG) estão sendo utilizadas para estudar a relação entre a qualidade da água no sistema aquícola e as condições do seu entorno. Nesse sentido, aspectos de uso e ocupação do solo, manejo dos sistemas agropecuários e condições meteorológicas e de relevo estão sendo avaliados com vistas a compreender sua influência no sistema de produção de peixes em tanques-rede. Assim, métodos quantitativos de análises dos dados, incluindo modelos matemáticos, serão aplicados na busca de melhor compreensão sistêmica dos processos biogeoquímicos diretamente envolvidos com a produção de peixes em tanques-rede. Apresenta-se ainda a adequação de um procedimento integrado para avaliar os impactos, verificar as Boas Práticas de Manejo (BPM) e a gestão ambiental da aquicultura. As ferramentas apresentadas são parte de um projeto em execução. Espera-se que os avanços e os resultados obtidos possam subsidiar, com bases científicas e tecnológicas, a elaboração de políticas públicas e estratégias de gestão, e fazer parte de processos de monitoramento, prevenção e redução de impactos ambientais

Avaliação automática online de boas práticas de manejo e gestão ambiental para o sistema de produção de tilápia em tanques-rede.

Resumo: Este trabalho apresenta a funcionalidade de avaliação automática das BPM e GA para o sistema de produção de tilápia em tanques-rede (TTR) desenvolvida no sistema informatizado Aquisys

Aquisys 1.3 - validated version of the computer system to support best management practices (BMP) and environmental management for aquaculture in Brazil.

The present work presents the validated version of the computer system to support Best Management Practices (BPM) and Environmental Management for aquaculture in Brazil ? Aquisys 1.3, resulting from Aquisys Validation Project conducted by Embrapa Environment. The prototype version, Aquisys 1.0, developed in the ?Management and Environmental Management of Aquiculture? Project (?Aquabrasil? network Project) makes use of information acquired by the user via visual observations, low cost water quality kits and common samples held on the farm. This data is input in the system in a questionnaire, which will enable the system to manage this information and provide the user with necessary guidance, assessment and calculations to achieve best manage practice and streamlinedproductivity. Aquisys 1.0 was presented and evaluated by different users like fish farmers, aquaculture researchers, technical extensionists, aquaculture post-graduation and graduation students, among others. Its access, guidance and calculation features have had their results observed, specially focusing on the routine for tilapia production system in order to make it fitted to Brazilian different regional characteristics. The evaluations consider characteristics both of properties and of production place. They also took into account given indicators of management and production, of water quality, and of economical profitability. The validated version, Aquisys 1.3, enabled significant updates on the production system options turning available, both rapidly and in an appropriate language, information ready to use, and enabling a rapidly access both to information, guidance of a minimum set of BPM and Environmental practices and calculations, initially focusing on pond production system. Aquisys 1.3 is a systematic unpaid and on-line available on the Internet at http://www.cnpma.embrapa.br/aquisys. As an indicatory system its use does not exclude the necessity of qualified professional monitoring for more precise diagnoses

Best management practices and environmental management in aquaculture: indicators for monitoring in multiple scales.

Abstract: The promotion of sustainable aquaculture depends on the documented adoption of Best Management Practices (BMPs), associated with the monitoring of environmental health, of the availability of natural resources (especially uncontaminated waters and sediments), and of the efficient use of inputs. In order to ensure a traceable and organized procedure to help fish farmers to comply with these requisites, a set of environmental performance indicators has been integrated into an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) system, under the coordination of the Brazilian Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture (MPA), through a research project carried out in the Furnas reservoir (Minas Gerais State, Brazil). This choice of location aims at supporting a national policy, dedicated to implement ?Aquaculture Parks? in the large reservoirs associated with hydroelectric facilities in the country. These ?Parks? have been delimitated in selected areas, following careful diagnostics of hydrodynamics, carrying capacity evaluations, multiple water uses and conflicting interests, to receive permits to install cages for fish production. One provision of said policy charges MPA to offer producers with monitoring programs related with environmental impact and social benefit assessments of these aquaculture ventures. A challenge for such monitoring programs is to encompass the multiple scales represented by (i) the individual aquaculture ventures (be these small or large numbers of fish cages for each fish farmer), (ii) the collective association of producers in an ?aquaculture park?, and (iii) the community at large eventually affected by these businesses. Furthermore, the monitoring procedure should emphasize the ability to promote and recommend adoption of BMPs, while facilitating the record keeping of environmental quality and resource carrying capacity information. The primary component of this record keeping, environmental management and resource monitoring procedure has been formulated as a ?Weighted Impact Assessment System for Best Management Practices in Aquaculture? (APOIA-Aquaculture), comprised of 68 indicators integrated in a multi-attribute platform to assess the ?Spatial organization? of the enterprises (in a set of 22 indicators), the analytical conditions of ?Water quality? (14 indicators), and ?Quality of the sediments? (09 indicators), and the conditions regarding ?Management, nutrition and safety? (23 indicators). A series of case studies has been carried out at the Furnas reservoir, in order to check the flexibility of the impact assessment system towards the different enterprise typologies, and its applicability as an environmental management tool for producers. Interestingly, a subset of ?sediment quality indicators? is frequently showing sensitivity as a record of mismanagement, especially those linked with inadequate feeding management. For instance, organic matter and phosphate contents increased markedly from sediments sampled ~10m upstream (considering the local current lows) as compared to just under the cages. The main reasons for these changes seemed to be the inadequate identification of cages, with consequent poor control on feeding practices and impossible bookkeeping. Such indicator interactions, and related management tradeoffs and improved practice recommendations, are stressed in 4th International Worksho