Developing an environment-friendly aquaculture system for the remediation of bottom sediment pollution: a sustainable solution to conserve the aquaculture environment.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H03069
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 40030:Aquatic bioproduction science-related
• Research Institution: Fisheries Research and Education Agency
• Principal Investigator: ITO Katsutoshi 国立研究開発法人水産研究・教育機構, 水産技術研究所(廿日市), 主任研究員 (80450782)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 中村 龍平 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 環境資源科学研究センター, チームリーダー (10447419) ; 羽野 健志 国立研究開発法人水産研究・教育機構, 水産技術研究所(廿日市), 主任研究員 (30621057)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 環境電位 / 底質汚染 / メタボローム解析 / 底生動物 / 硫化物量

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We focused on sediment pollution as an alarming issue that has evolved due to aquaculture practices. The effect of sediment pollution was examined by exposing the sea bream and shrimp. Individuals of both species were found to be significantly affected in terms of growth and behavior. Aquaculture environments were diagnosed using a continuous potentiometer and sediment metabolome analysis in which both inhibited correlation with sulfide as an indicator of sediment pollution, suggesting the potential of those methods for assessing the polluted sediment. Since sea bream feeds mainly on benthic organisms in nature, we developed and tested a rearing device that allows fish individuals to access the sediment freely. As a result, the sea bream fed on the residues that settled on the sediment could grow and reduce the sediment pollution. This new approach could dramatically change the remediation progress of sediment pollution and the global advancement of sustainable aquaculture practices.

Free Research Field

環境保全学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

世界的に広がる環境に対する意識の高まりから、水産従事者もAEL（養殖エコラベル）やASC（水産増殖管理協議会）等各種認証制度を積極的に取得する傾向になりつつあるものの、認証の取得には環境への配慮が必須であり、特に底質環境が問題となるケースが多い。今後増加するであろう国内外の需要を見据えた水産生産の拡大のためにも、底質汚染改善に向けた本研究課題の実施により得られた研究成果の社会的意義は大きい。また底質汚染が養殖魚に与える影響を科学的に明らかにすると共に、養殖現場において、養殖場の環境全体を診断する技術を開発することは、環境診断技術としての汎用性も高く、学術的意義も大きいと考えられる。