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Concept and Scope of Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA)

Article · October 2021

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 The concept and scope of
Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture Systems (IMTA)
Nitesh Kumar Yadav, Sampa Baidya
Division of Aquaculture
College of Fisheries, Central Agriculture University (Imphal) Lembucherra, Tripura

I
ntroduction : The growth of
aquaculture sector is immense
worldwide. In India it is a
promising sector for the economic
development of the country. The
export of marine products in India
stood at 11,49,341 MT worth Rs
43,717.26 crore during FY 2020
21 even if the COVID pandemic
had casted a shadow on it. The
expansion of aquaculture in the
country is attributed to the
commercialization of the sector
through different innovative
initiatives.
The integrated multi-trophic
aquaculture (IMTA) concept was
developed as a way to increase
the sustainability of intensive
aquaculture systems, using an
ecosystem-based approach.
IMTA can promote aquaculture
sustainability, with environmental,
economic, and social advantages.
This can be achieved through
nutrient cycling, increased
economic resilience arising from
increased production efficiency,
product diversification, and
potential price premiums.
What is IMTA, exactly?
Integrated multi-trophic
aquaculture aims at the integrated
production of aquaculture species
of different trophic levels under a
circular economy approach,
minimizing energy losses and
environmental deterioration.
Under IMTA production, the
uneaten feed and wastes of one
species are recaptured and
converted into feed, fertilizers, and
e n e r g y t o a n o t h e r
species.Farmers combine fed
aquaculture (e.g., fish, shrimp)
with inorganic extractive (e.g.,
seaweed) and organic extractive
(e.g., shellfish) aquaculture to
create balanced systems for
environment remediation
(biomitigation), economic stability
(improved output, lower cost,
product diversification and risk
reduction) and social acceptability
(better management practices).
Origins of IMTA: IMTA can be
traced back to the origins of
aquaculture. In 2200-2100 B.C.,
the document You Hou Bin
detailed the integration of fish with
aquatic plants and vegetable
production in China. There is
evidence of tilapia grown in
integrated agriculture-aquaculture
drainable ponds on bas-reliefs in
tombs built during the era of the
New Kingdom in Egypt, which
occurred about 1550-1070 B.C.
Concept of Integrated multi-
trophic aquaculture (IMTA):
"Multi-Trophic" refers to the
incorporation of species from
different trophic or nutritional
levels in the same system. This is
one potential distinction from the
age-old practice of aquatic
polyculture, which could simply be
the co-culture of different fish
species from the same trophic
level.

Agro India 22 SEPTEMBER 2021

 settle below the cage system,
they are eaten by deposit
feeders, like sea cucumbers
and sea urchins.
! At the same time, the fine
suspended particles are filtered
out of the water column by filter-
feeding animals like mussels,
oysters and scallops.
! The seaweeds are placed a little
farther away from the site in the
direction of water flow so they
can remove some of the
inorganic dissolved nutrients
from the water, like nitrogen and
phosphorus.

Species selection criteria:

! Complementary roles with other
species in the system
! Adaptability in relation to the
species which are having varied habitat
In many monoculture farming
feeding habits is highly relevant. ! Culture technologies and site
systems the fed-aquaculture
species and the organic/ inorganic environmental conditions
Other variations of the IMTA ! Ability to provide both efficient
extractive aquaculture species
concept and continuous bio-mitigation
(bivalves, herbivorous fishes and
! Aquaponics, ! Market demand for the species
aquatic plants) are independently
! fractionated aquaculture, and pricing as raw material or
farmed in different geographical
! IAAS (integrated agriculture- for their derived products
locations, resulting in pronounced
aquaculture systems), ! Commercialization potential
shift in the environmental
! IPUAS (integrated peri-urban- ! Contribution to improved
processes. Integrated multi-
aquaculture systems), and environmental performance.
trophic aquaculture (IMTA)
! IFAS (integrated fisheries- ! Compatibility with a variety of
involves cultivating fed species
aquaculture systems). social and political issues.
with extractive species that utilize
the inorganic and organic wastes
Selection of species: The advantages of IMTA are:
from aquaculture for their growth.
Environmental sustainability is the Additional production of a
This farming method is different !
major consideration in IMTA, marketable product for little or
from finfish “polyculture”, where
therefore the criteria guiding no additional input costs
the fishes share the same
species selection is the imitation of ! Decrease in waste outputs from
biological and chemical processes
natural ecosystem. Fed overall farming activities
which could potentially lead to shift
organisms, such as carnivorous ! More environmentally
in ecosystem. Multi-trophic refers
fish and shrimp are nourished by sustainable farming operations
to the combination of species from
feed, comprising of pellets or trash ! No or less reliance on fish meal
different trophic levels in the same
fish. The two economically or fish oil
system.
important cultured groups that fall ! Low cost farming
into this category are bivalves and
Need for adoption of IMTA: One
seaweed. Disadvantages of IMTA are:
of the major issues foreseen while
expanding the sea cage farming is ! Lower productivity than fed
IMTA system designs: The monocultures
the environmental degradation
selected species and system ! Food safety concerns
and consequent disease
design should be engineered to (coliforms and parasites)
problems. In this context, the idea
optimize the recapture of waste ! Public perception issues
of bio-mitigation along with
products. ! Species limitations
increased biomass production by
integrating different groups of ! Requires good management to
! As larger organic particles, such balance inputs and nutrient
commercially important aquatic
as uneaten feed and faeces, flows.
Agro India 23 SEPTEMBER 2021

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