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Methodology for assessing the environmental impact of aquaculture in relation to other sources of impact at a regional scale (MetoMilo)

The complex network of human activities and natural processes affecting coastal areas makes it difficult to manage for blue growth while safeguarding marine environment and ecosystem health. Several different methods are used to assess environmental status, but these cannot identify areas at high risk of high overall impact or identify and assess the contribution of the various sources of impact.

Project period
-
Funders
Norwegian Seafood Research Fund (FHF)
Total budget (NOK)
9,980,000
External webpages
fhf.no
Contact persons
Trine Dale

About the project

The main objective of the project is to develop, evaluate and verify methods (modelling & in situ approaches) that can identify "hotspots" with high overall environmental impact and make it possible to identify the main sources of impact at regional scale. The sub-objectives are:

  1. Test and assess the feasibility of practical implementation of Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) at "water area" scale in Norwegian coastal waters based on case studies. 
  2. Provide recommendations that will support management in more effective use of environmental data and contribute to the implementation of CIA as a basis for decision-making.
  3. Compile literature on tracers from other important impact sources with likely overlap with impacts from aquaculture. 
  4. Identify, verify and develop tracers that individually or in combination are suitable for distinguishing impact sources from each other, and assess their suitability for Norwegian conditions. 
  5. Develop a decision tree/guidance with methods and approaches that can be used in water management and relevant sectoral management when assessing the contribution of aquaculture and other sectors to the overall impact on the coastal water environment.
  6. Analyze how the use of the developed methods can affect the dynamics between sectors in the management of coastal water environments.
  7. Dissemination activities and user dialogue that contribute to the decision tree/guidance actually being used in management.

FoU-partnere

  • Akvaplan-niva (APN)
  • Nofima
  • IFE
  • Blue Planet
  • Nova Sea