Sport Fisheries 



Aquaculture benefits sport fisheries by producing fish and 

 shellfish to be taken from small impoundments and public waters. 

 In fact, in many urban areas, much of the available fishery is 

 supplied by cultured fish stocked in "fee fishing" lakes. In 

 coastal waters, sea-ranching holds the potential to replenish 

 stocks of depleted sport and commercial fish such as salmon, 

 sturgeon, and striped bass (see Chapter 2) . 



Esthetics and Recreation 



Impacts on esthetics and recreational use of waters is an important 

 consideration for facility siting in the U.S.. Overall, inland 

 aquaculture facilities are considered an asset, but facilities 

 constructed in coastal environments may blend in poorly with the 

 landscape and may thus be visually unacceptable to some segments of 

 the public unless carefully planned. Large-scale development of 

 coastal areas should proceed with caution, as such development 

 creates conflicts with environmental groups, recreational groups, 

 and adjacent landowners. 



Recreation 



There is a long tradition in the U.S. of using hatcheries to 

 enhance fisheries and provide commercial and recreational fish 

 stocks. 



Public trout and salmon hatcheries are found in many States. 

 Private aquaculture operations are akin to these public hatchery 

 systems and may provide additional opportunities for stock 

 enhancement in nearby waters or provide onsite recreation. 

 Recreational enhancement may provide a useful mitigating point in 

 cases where adverse sociocultural impacts have been predicted or 

 observed. 



Impacts on Wildlife 



Because of the uniqueness of most aquaculture facilities, it is not 

 possible to list specific positive or negative impacts on wildlife 

 that would be representative of all operations. 



Technologies concerned with facility siting and effluent management 

 are such that the impacts of an aquaculture operation can be 

 reduced to a minimum. Positive benefits can be gained through the 

 development of additional aquatic environments which provide 

 habitat for a variety of animals. 



Impacts of Escaped or Released Nonindigenous Organisms 



Nonindigenous organisms introduced for culture or other purposes 

 may pose a threat to the environment. Adverse experiences with 

 some species such as the common carp and water hyacinth have 



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