Environmental impacts of cage fish farming: A review

Abstract

As global fish consumption rises, driven by population growth, aquaculture has emerged as a vital solution to meet fish demand, particularly with the declining capture fisheries and constrained terrestrial food production. A narrative literature review was conducted, focusing on the impact of cage fish farming on the environment, and the economic contributions of aquaculture. While cage farming offers economic opportunities and ensures food security, it also raises serious environmental concerns, including, water pollution, eutrophication, disruptions to water transport and aquatic biodiversity and the risk of disease transmission to native fish populations. The expansion of aquaculture has led to conflicts with traditional fishing practices and environmental degradation. This review analyses literature, focusing on the balance between cage fish farming development and environmental sustainability, emphasizing the need for effective management practices to mitigate negative impacts of cage fish farming and ensure long term health of aquatic ecosystems.