Novel use of peatlands as future locations for the sustainable intensification of freshwater aquaculture production - A case study from the Republic of Ireland

Abstract

There has been an increasing interest in enhancing freshwater aquaculture processes without hindering the progress of the Water Framework Directive. This constitutes the first study to describe a new concept in integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) that uses cutaway peatlands (bogs) to farm rainbow trout and Eurasian perch with associated organic status that is powered by wind energy and utilizes algae and duckweed to treat rearing water. Approximately 5% of Ireland comprises bogs that support natural ecosystems where there is a pressing need to develop alLemalive innovation to that of burning peal in order to reduce Ireland's carbon emissions. Specifically, this study evaluates water quality from this new IMTA where intake and terminal holding tank samples were evaluated from May to August 2019. Physicochemical parameters (temperature, pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen, suspended solids, hardness and alkalinity), and ecoloxicological bioassays (Pseudukirchneriella subcrapilutu and Daphnia pulex), were used to investigate the potential effects that introducing aquaculture processes may have on peaLlancls. Nitrite (P