Aquaculture businesses must operate on sound environmental principles, most especially because marine aquaculture occurs in an open system: the ocean. While all farming activities, on land or at sea, have some degree of environmental interaction, farmers should understand these processes, with best management practices to minimize negative impacts. Successful farms must cope effectively with any changes to the marine system, and an organized system of monitoring and recordkeeping will improve your chances of business success, while maintaining a healthy environment. This fact sheet provides a summary of direct and indirect environmental factors that may affect your marine aquaculture business; more detail on equipment and methods is covered in the companion fact sheets on Site Selection, and Husbandry
