Nitrogenous and phosphorous waste production in a flow-through land-based farm of European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

Abstract

A study on nitrogenous and phosphorous waste production in European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) was carried out in a flow-through land-based farm. The main objectives were (i) to calculate nitrogenous (N) and phosphorous (P) waste production (particulate and dissolved) from in situ measurements for different rearing ponds with specific fish biomasses, fish sizes and flow rates, (ii) to establish nitrogenous and phosphorous waste production budgets, ratios and equations, and (iii) to compare, for the whole farm, in situ measurements to estimate N and P waste production from waste equations. Waste production was manifest by an increase in concentrations of total ammonia nitrogen, total Kjeldhal nitrogen, particulate nitrogen, dissolved phosphorus and total phosphorus concentrations in the outlet water compared to the inlet water for both batches and whole farm. However, no production of nitrite or nitrate was observed. In our budgets, the N and P amounts from biomass gains and wastes were explained by the N and P derived from feed over the range 83.9−105.2 % and 66.5−104.6 % respectively, depending on the fish batch. Values were respectively 103.4 and 87.5 % for the same calculations in the farm. When the whole-farm waste production was calculated from previous equations derived from batches, and then compared with the measured data, the percentages of recovery (estimated by the ratio predicted data/measured data) were 88 and 94 % for total-N and total-P respectively.