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Simulation of the impact of nutrients caused by fish farming in cages Using the CORMIX numerical model technique
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Omidreza Touni   , Nooshin Sajjadi * , Farhad Moosakhani , Rooholah Mahmoudkhani |
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Abstract: (847 Views) |
Introduction: Besides its advantages, aquaculture in cages also has environmental effects. Cage farms can transfer relatively large loads of organic and nutritious substances to the environment. As a result, it seems necessary to investigate the quality consequences of water caused by fish farming in cages. Therefore, the use of modeling to predict and analyze the impact of pollutants on the aquatic ecosystem is very vital and provides the basis for predicting the fate of the ecosystem in the future. The purpose of the present study is to simulate the effect of pollutants coming out of fish breeding cages with an emphasis on the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus.
Materials & Methods: In the present study, according to the designs of fish breeding in cages in the sea, the cages were considered as 30 cages in two rows of 15 each, with each pair of cages placed parallel to each other. The exit of pollutants from the cages was assumed to be in the same direction. It should be noted that CORMIX models each pollutant separately. As a result, modeling was done for nitrogen and phosphorus variables separately. The modeling of the present study was done in four different seasonal scenarios for each of the nitrogen and phosphorus variables and the model was implemented for spring, summer, autumn and winter seasons.
Results: The results of this study showed that the concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus decreased drastically from the distance of 50 meters from the cage and this trend is similar in all four seasons. The amount of effluent dilution and decrease in the concentration of both nitrogen and phosphorus variables had a similar trend in all four seasons. Considering that the concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus, wind speed, temperature, speed and density of sea water and effluent from the cage were different variables in each season and other input data were constant, the concentrations decreased with a relatively similar percentage.
Discussion: The current study shows that the effect of fish farming in cages is limited to the area around the cage, but due to the closure of the Caspian Sea, with the increase in the number and capacity of fish farming projects in cages, there is a possibility of accumulation of nutrients and as a result, it is possible to ncrease the trend of trophies in the sea. |
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| Keywords: Nitrogen concentration, Phosphorus concentration, Modeling, CORMIX model, Cage Culture |
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Full-Text [PDF 1040 kb]
(303 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/09/6 | Accepted: 2025/10/2 | Published: 2025/10/2
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