Site selection and carrying capacity in Mediterranean ... - FAO Sipam

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Decisions regarding infrastructure, such as distance to the nearest harbour, can be made using a cost
benefit analysis. Cost benefit analysis provides a means of determining the net benefit of a specific
project and decision-making criteria. This type of accounting was first put forward by Jules Dupuis in
1848 and formalized by Alfred Marshall. It has become the dominant framework used in the
assessment of public projects worldwide. The objective is to estimate the total economic value (TEV)
of a project in order to select the one with the highest net benefit. In the case of site selection and
management, the TECV will consider the total value of all the costs and benefits of a specific type
(i.e. species cultivated, design and engineering, etc.) and size of a farming operation at a particular
site. This total includes the economic value of externalities (Randall, 2002).
5.8 Risk analysis and site selection
Risk analysis is a technical procedure which is being applied to a broad type of process, including
economical activities such as aquaculture, to manage the risk of undesirable events which can have
negative effects. The risk analysis process has the potential for wide applicability to the aquaculture
industry, especially during the planning process before the definitive location selection. A standard
process for risk analysis has been developed for an objective application to a wide range of situations.
Generally, this process involves identifying, assessing and treating risks, and can include social,
financial and environmental aspects (Crawford, 2003). Risk analysis is an important tool in designing
and justifying regulatory actions in the international market place. For example, the Office
International des Epizootic (OIE) 9 manual for disease control uses risk analysis as the basis for
justifying restrictions on movement of aquatic animals in response to concerns about disease transfer
and control. Furthermore, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has
embraced this approach in their 2003 Code of Practice for the Introduction and Transfer of Marine
Organisms. One part of the ICES Code is specifically designed to address the “ecological and
environmental impacts of introduced and transferred species that may escape the confines of
cultivation and become established in the receiving environment”.
Risk analysis may consider the negative effects of other users on aquaculture. For example, in the
past, most incidents involving chemical spills from ships have occurred at sea during sailing, with
only a few occurring in port or in the coastal zone. However, the increase in coastal traffic will
increase the risk to coastal areas. The transport of hazardous goods by sea is regulated under Annex II
of the MARPOL 73/78 Convention and the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of
Ships carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (IBC), which deals with pollution caused by hazardous
liquid substances transported in bulk. Therefore, when planning to develop aquaculture in areas with
chemical maritime transport, risk analysis should take into account the potential of chemical spills
from ships. Risk analysis should also consider that, after an accident, the effects of chemical spills on
aquaculture facilities can sometimes not be as immediately obvious as in the case of an oil spill, and it
may be necessary to monitor the status of the ecosystem and the fish production over a long period of
time. Indirect effects on the environment must also be considered e.g. the remobilisation of toxic
metals absorbed in sediments that may result from a decrease in pH due to an acid spill. As well as
chemical analysis, biological systems such as bioindicators and biomarkers can also be used.
On other hand, risk analysis can assess the risk of aquaculture to other factors, such as environmental
conditions. For example, Crawford (2003) presents the risk of shellfish farming activities having
detrimental impacts on the ecology of the Tasmanian marine environment. In this study, the results of
the qualitative risk assessment of detrimental impacts of shellfish farming rated the risk of spread of
introduced pests and/or pathogens as high. However, this high risk rating would also apply to many
other activities in the marine environment, such as commercial and recreational fishing and sea
transport. The level of risk due to habitat disturbance was rated as moderate within the lease area, but
9 See http://www.oie.int
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