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Refining the Farm Aquaculture Resource Management Model for Shellfish Nitrogen Removal at the Local Scale

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Abstract

Nutrient-related environmental degradation in coastal waters is a continuing global problem. Bivalve shellfish farms show nutrient removal capabilities similar to some traditional management strategies and in some places have been incorporated into nutrient management programs to help achieve water quality goals. Bioextractive nutrient removal varies by farmed species and is influenced by environment parameters; thus, data and information for both are needed to estimate nutrient mitigation potential of shellfish farms. The Farm Aquaculture Resource Management (FARM) model, calibrated for farmed species, uses local environmental and farming practice data to simulate interactions between the farmed population and the local environment and to optimize cultivation practices for economic gain. We calibrated the model to predict nitrogen removal by Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) farms with specific field and experimental data on oysters, their local environment, and farm practices in Long Island Sound, CT, USA. Previous FARM applications were not validated for nitrogen removal with local data. In the harvest when ready (HWR) model scenario (oysters are harvested when they reach harvest size), the farm removed 159 kg N ha−1 year−1 while the non-HWR scenario (all oysters are harvested at one time) removed 274 kg N ha−1 year−1. These estimates are within the range of previously reported in-water bioextraction studies in the Northeastern USA. The robust outputs from this validated model can be reliably used in marine spatial planning efforts and by nutrient managers to predict the nitrogen removal benefits that could be achieved through new or expanded eastern oyster farms in eutrophic environments.

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Data Availability Statement

Data collected for the model optimization in this study is available in the supplementary materials. Additional data requests can be sent to the first author of the manuscript.

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Acknowledgements

We thank our industry partners on this project, Steve Schafer of Stella Mar Oysters, for providing oysters for monthly sampling and experiments, as well as farming practices. The project was also heavily supported by members of the Greenwich Shellfish Commission, specifically Roger Bowgen, Sue Baker, Joan Seguin, and Steve Kinner. Thanks to Andreas Duus, Nancy and Bob Sadock for access to Elias Point. During the pandemic, we unexpectedly had to conduct more remote work, so we thank Jacquelyn Gill from University of Maine for loaning her tissue grinder and Pete Countway, Erin Beirne, and Paty Matrai from Bigelow Laboratories for their facilities, muffling ovens, and extra filters. Many thanks to Eric Karplus of Science Wares who shared his shell-grinding protocol for our project. Barry C. Smith and Renee Mercaldo-Allen from the Milford Laboratory lent us their YSI for monthly sampling, and Lisa Milke provided the use of her laboratory space for our excretion rate experiments. Thank you to intern Adam Armbuster who helped fold filters for nitrogen analysis. Thank you to the Riverside Yacht Club who lent us a boat when the project’s boat was unexpectedly broken.

Funding

This project was funded by the NOAA Office of Aquaculture.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center Milford Laboratory, 212 Rogers Ave, Milford, CT, 06460, USA

    Skylar R. Bayer, Julie M. Rose, Mark Dixon, Annita Alvarado, Genevieve Bernatchez, Shannon Meseck, Matthew Poach, Emilien Pousse & Gary H. Wikfors

  2. NOAA Fisheries Alaska Regional Office, 709 W 9th Street, Juneau, AK, 99801, USA

    Skylar R. Bayer

  3. Longline Environment Ltd, 63, St. Mary Axe, London, W1G 8TB, UK

    Alhambra M. Cubillo & Joao G. Ferreira

  4. Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, DCEA, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NOVA), Quinta da Torre, 2829-516, Monte de Caparica, Portugal

    Joao G. Ferreira

  5. University of Connecticut, 55 N. Eagleville Rd, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA

    Annita Alvarado

  6. Rutgers State University of New Jersey, 33 Livingston Ave #400, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA

    Janine Barr

  7. Univ Brest, Ifremer, CNRS, IRD, LEMAR, Plouzane, France

    Emilien Pousse

  8. NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Cooperative Oxford Laboratory, 904 S Morris St, Oxford, MD, 21654, USA

    Suzanne Bricker

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  1. Skylar R. Bayer
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  2. Alhambra M. Cubillo
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  3. Julie M. Rose
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Skylar R. Bayer.

Additional information

Communicated by Eric N. Powell

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Bayer, S.R., Cubillo, A.M., Rose, J.M. et al. Refining the Farm Aquaculture Resource Management Model for Shellfish Nitrogen Removal at the Local Scale. Estuaries and Coasts (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-024-01354-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-024-01354-7

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