Investigating Cross-Sectoral Synergies through Integrated Aquaculture, Fisheries, and Agriculture Phosphorus Assessments: A Case Study of Norway by Hamilton, Helen A., and Brod, Eva, and Hanserud, Ola S., and Gracey, Erik O., and Vestrum, Magnus I., and Bøen, Anne, and Steinhoff, Franciska S., and Müller, Daniel B., and Brattebø, Helge (2015)

Future phosphorus (P) scarcity and eutrophication risks demonstrate the need for systems-wide P assessments. Despite the projected drastic increase in world-wide fish production, P studies have yet to include the aquaculture and fisheries sectors, thus eliminating the possibility of assessing their relative importance and identifying opportunities for recycling. Using Norway as a case, this study presents the results of a current-status integrated fisheries, aquaculture, and agriculture P flow analysis and identifies current sectoral linkages as well as potential cross-sectoral synergies where P use can be optimized. A scenario was developed to shed light on how the projected 2050 fivefold Norwegian aquaculture growth will likely affect P demand and secondary P resources. The results indicate that, contrary to most other countries where agriculture dominates, in Norway, aquaculture and agriculture drive P consumption and losses at similar levels and secondary P recycling, both intra- and cross-sectorally, is far from optimized. The scenario results suggest that the projected aquaculture growth will make the Norwegian aquaculture sector approximately 4 times as P intensive as compared to agriculture, in terms of both imported P and losses. This will create not only future environmental challenges, but also opportunities for cross-sectoral P recycling that could help alleviate the mineral P demands of agriculture. Near-term policy measures should focus on utilizing domestic fish scrap for animal husbandry and/or fish feed production. Long-term efforts should focus on improving technology and environmental systems analysis methods to enable P recovery from aquaculture production and manure distribution in animal husbandry.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jiec.12324

Investigating Cross-Sectoral Synergies through Integrated Aquaculture, Fisheries, and Agriculture Phosphorus Assessments: A Case Study of Norway

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