Ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea ... - Naturvårdsverket

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SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Report 5873 • Ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak Economic Marine Information Salmon and sea trout production and release into rivers and coastal areas is primarily carried out to compensate for loss of natural reproduction sites due to the development of hydro-electric power and therefore, do not bring additional value. The compensational release can be considered to replace a natural ecosystem service. Its original value is represented to the cost of releasing 1 701 tons of salmon and 744 tons of sea trout into the Baltic and 173 tons of salmon and 5 tons of sea trout into Skagerrak. In 2003, 1 742 tons of blue mussel were produced in Sweden and still, according to mussel farmers, Skagerrak holds great potential for mussel farming. Swedish consumption of mussels is however limited to 2000 tons, among which 600 tons are consumed fresh, and a large part are imported from e.g. Denmark, a large producer of processed mussels. Although the majority of Danish mussels are farmed in Limfjorden, on the Danish west coast, 20 - 30 000 ton are landed in the Belt and Kattegat. Germany produces 11 000 tons of mussels of which a minor part originates in Schleswig Holstein and Nieder Sachsen. Compared to the farming of carnivorous fish, the farming of shellfish is for many reasons considered an environmentally friendly form of marine aquaculture. Its benefits are discussed in several chapters dealing with regulating ecosystem services (chapters R3–R5). With the energy pyramid in mind (chapter S3), the harvesting of bivalves is energy efficient. In fact, the production of 1 kg mussels requires 5 -10 kg phytoplankton. This should be compared to the production of 1 kg cod, which requires approximately 1000 kg phytoplankton. In the near future, farming of the European flat oyster may become commercially viable in Skagerrak (Fig. 11). According to a representative of the industry Swedish oyster farming could yield at least 300 tons per year, with an estimated value of 3 million EUR (118). An oyster farm is under development in close cooperation with scientists at nearby Sven Lovén Research Institute (previously Tjärnö Marine Biological Laboratory), and the first larvae are to be reared during 2008. Given the last decades’ collapse of flat oyster farming in southern and western Europe, Swedish farmers foresee a market opportunity in these countries, where only the less valued Japanese oyster is farmed nowadays. Due to recent mild winters, the Japanese oyster now resides in our waters as well, and could potentially be farmed here too. Japanese oysters have broader salinity requirements and could thrive as far down as Falkenberg, given relatively ice-free conditions. 91
SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Report 5873 • Ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak Economic Marine Information Figure 11. Farming of the European flat oyster is expanding in Skagerrak. Oyster farmers are optimistic about the future and see potential customers in southwest Europe where the flat oyster is very sought-after. © Ostrea Sverige AB Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture in Sweden initiated an investigation with the aim to promote aquacultural sectors with potential for economic and social benefits (135). Whether the farming of filter feeders will receive attention in this investigation, is almost certainly related to whether or not an ecosystem approach will be applied. Global production of algae is considerable and chiefly located in the far east. For example the Chinese production of Laminaria japonica is 3.8 million tons/ year. Only in Japan, farming of the most economically valuable algae, nori (Porphyra sp.) generates 1 billion USD. The use of seaweeds as food in Europe is currently limited to a few countries, including Ireland and Scotland. Algae have relatively low nutrient content, but high protein, mineral and vitamin contents (vitamin C content in Porhyra sp is 50 % higher than in oranges). A market for the algae as health food is currently expanding. Although the farming of filter feeders or even algae for consumption may be more environmentally friendly, it will nevertheless result in a lower intake of health-promoting fatty acids. Interactions with other ecosystem services The provision of food for human consumption basically depends on our marine ecosystems’ capacity to provide nutrients in an accessible and digestible form. Although primary producers rarely are consumed in our part of the world, we are dependent on them to provide our food with food. By means of photosynthesis, primary producers convert solar energy and nutrients to biomass and starts off a flow of nutrients, which at higher levels in the food web, will be consumed by humans. Hence, food availability in the marine environment relies on 92
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Ecosystem services provided by the
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