Trout farming, as a key component of the Mediterranean aquaculture, faces escalating challenges from the combined impacts of climate change, water scarcity, re/emerging diseases, and environmental contaminants. These issues are of paramount importance to aquaculture research and innovation, necessitating advanced scientific and technological solutions. Climate change, notably through rising temperatures, poses severe risks to trout farming by affecting water quality, altering trout physiology and behavior, and intensifying disease pressures. Warmer waters disrupt the carefully managed conditions essential for trout, making them more vulnerable to disease outbreaks, reduced growth rates, and even mass mortality events.
Additionally, changing precipitation patterns worsen water scarcity, directly limiting the availability of high-quality freshwater critical for trout farm productivity. Reduced water supply and altered flow patterns challenge the maintenance of ideal rearing conditions, pressuring farms to optimize water.
A further pressing issue is the re/emergence of diseases exacerbated by environmental stressors. Effective disease management is essential for protecting trout farm productivity and maintaining ecological balance, as unchecked disease spread can lead to extensive stock losses and impact biodiversity in surrounding water systems. Meanwhile, the influx of emerging contaminants such as micro(nano)plastics, pharmaceuticals, and persistent organic pollutants presents additional risks to trout farming sustainability. These contaminants accumulate in aquatic environments, potentially compromising fish health and posing concerns for human consumers of trout products.
This presentation will examine innovative research strategies and technological advancements crucial for enhancing the resilience and sustainability of trout farming amid global change and pollution. Focus will be placed on the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge sharing to address these challenges comprehensively. By exploring current practices and future-oriented strategies, this talk aims to provide actionable insights for strengthening trout aquaculture’s adaptability, ensuring its sustained role in global food systems despite increasing environmental pressures.