The waste nutrients reutilisation capacity of combined pond aquaculture systems.

In the frame of the SustainAqua project two pilot scale experiments were implemented in order to investigate the potential of nutrient reusing capacity of integrated aquaculture: (1) combined intensive-extensive aquaculture system (IES) and (2) constructed wetland system (ACS). The IES was a combined pond fish production system operated in a close interaction of the intensive and extensive production units. The ACS was built for the water treatment of the effluents of an intensive flowthrough African catfish production farm. Besides the water treatment the constructed wetland system was able to transform the waste nutrients into valuable by-products such as fish and energy plants. The aim of this study was to estimate the potential of nutrient recovery by additional production activities in combined systems. Keyword: aquaculture, nutrient inputs, fish biomass