Aquaculture effluents comprise of inorganic and organic particles from fish waste, residual feed and fertilizer which can result in eutrophication and changes to natural ecosystem if not managed properly or treated before release. Sustainable aquaculture is on the agenda worldwide, and as the aquaculture industry continues to grow, the increase in aquaculture effluents has been gaining traction with increased criticisms from the environmental community regarding effluent composition and release on receiving ecosystems. As Jamaica seeks to increase food security for its population, where current production reached 954.23 metric tons and is expected to reach 3400 metric tons in 2028, the demand for aquaculture products continues to grow, increasing production and effluent volume. This paper provides a review on the various methodologies utilized in Jamaica to dispose of aquaculture effluents from commercial Tilapia spp. fish farms and an evaluation of effluent composition on selected farms.
The results from analysis of the effluent composition indicated that the majority of the parameters tested were within the standard effluent limit set by the environmental agency. The physiochemical characteristics tested resulted in these values (TL1,TL2 (NEPA limit)): total phosphorous (0.93 mg/l, 1.04 mg/l (5 mg/l)), nitrate (0.9 mg/l, 0.9 mg/l (10 mg/l)), nitrite (102 mg/l, 87 mg/l (10 mg/l)), ammonia (0.05 mg/l, 1.12 mg/l (1.0 mg/l, TL2)), pH (8.3, 7.5 6-9)), total suspended solids (44.7 mg/l, 60 mg/l (150 mg/l)) and total dissolved solids (1060 mg/l, 544 mg/l (1000 mg/l)).Though no aquaculture effluent management plan exists for the current production systems, the best aquaculture practices, such as good water source, low feed conversion ratio, and use of settlement canals employed by fish farmers in semi-intensive production systems in Jamaica has aided in the management of nutrient load in aquaculture effluents before release. Continuance of these practices integrated with the postulated guidelines in the implementation plan will maintain the productivity of the sector and current ecological health.