Bioproducts are often considered more environmentally-friendly than their conventional counterparts owing to biodegradability, biocompatibility and sustainability. Better utilization of side streams and low value fish can simultaneously improve both the environmental and ecological sustainability of production. Nonetheless, there are a number of environmental considerations associated with the production of bioproducts that need to be taken into account. For example, the environmental hazards and risks associated with fisheries and aquaculture can be broken down into biological pollution, organic pollution, chemical pollution and habitat modification (Table 3.4.1).
| Hazards/risks | Cause | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Biological pollution |
|
|
| Organic pollution | Effluents from aquaculture facilities (fish and feed wastes) that contain large quantities of nutrients |
|
| Chemical pollution | Chemicals used in ponds and laboratories (fertilizers, pesticides, antifoulants, fungicides, etc.) |
|
| Habitat modification | Changes in landscapes of aquatic systems due to construction of aquaculture sites |
|
Failure to maintain adequate management in aquacultures and fisheries can bring about ecological and environmental problems. For example, the practice of throwing back into the sea the discards and side-streams of on-board fish processing can lead to a change in the overall structure of marine trophic webs and habitats and/or spread of parasites present in fish viscera. In addition, subproducts and wastes originated in land during the industrial processing of fishery products are known to cause environmental, pollution and disposal problems.
According to Directive 2011/92/EU, "environmental impact assessment shall identify, describe and assess in an appropriate manner, in the light of each individual case, the direct and indirect significant effects of a project on…: (a) population and human health; (b) biodiversity …; (c) land, soil, water, air and climate; (d) material assets, cultural heritage and the landscape; (e) the interaction between the factors referred to in points (a) to (d)".
Directive 2011/92/EU further defines "environmental impact assessment" as "a process consisting of:
- the preparation of an environmental impact assessment report … ;
- the carrying out of consultations …;
- the examination by the competent authority of the information presented in the environmental impact assessment report and any supplementary information provided, where necessary, by the developer …, and any relevant information received through the consultations …;
- the reasoned conclusion by the competent authority on the significant effects of the project on the environment, taking into account the results of the examination referred to in point (iii) and, where appropriate, its own supplementary examination; and
- the integration of the competent authority's reasoned conclusion into any of the decisions…
This Unit is focused on the methodologies that are commonly used for environmental impact assessment (EIA) and some key regulations on environmental assessment associated with the production of biobased products (and specifically ones from fisheries and aquaculture).