AquaModel
AquaModel contains flow models and site data to be modeled.

 

EASy

EASy is the GIS program that simulates the sites, integrating high quality imagery and analytical tools.

 

Introduction

Aqualine cagesWith the growing worldwide demand for seafood, and the depletion of many species in the natural environment aquaculture has become a crucial source of protein and now accounts for nearly half of the worldwide supply of fish consumed by humans.

The development of open ocean marine aquaculture (mariculture) farms within the United States Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) offers the promise of profitable commercialization with low risk to the environment and wild fish stocks. 

Still concerns with the impact of fish farming on the ecosystem and with the quality of the fish grown require a thorough analysis of potential sites and other parameters of the mariculture operation.

System Science Applications with the support of the USDA, has expanded its site evaluation tool AquaModel so that it can be used by government agencies for planning, permitting and public relations.  It also provides support for objective consulting services and decision support tools for the future offshore mariculture industry.

Expanded Capabilities (See menu tabs or click on links for detail)

Model Calibration by Growing Fish in a Laboratory

We have completed laboratory studies on the growth and metabolic activity of species that are candidates for large open water commercial farming in Hawai’i or in other tropical areas.

The results of these physiological trials were used to construct mathematical physiological submodels for incorporation as computer code into AquaModel.

Development of a Mariculture Information System for Hawai'i

Using the updated AquaModel, We have developed a Mariculture Information System for the Island of Hawai'i. We incorporated the University of Hawai'i flow model and simulated the placement of both single and multiple fish farms there.

Observed Results

The simulations were run near the NW coast of the big island of Hawai'i where we forcasted water column and benthic effects.

Studies were run of both a single modestly-sized fish farm site and, for six slightly larger farms in the same region. We found:

This analysis indicates that some level of net pen based fish farming would be sustainable along the subject coastal area, but that there are limits or a carrying capacity where the effects would shift from non measurable or insignificant to measurable and potentially adverse.

Presently, AquaModel is the only computer software in the world that is specifically designed for forecasting these effects.