Fishing Tourism Typed IMTA Developed and Applied at Aquaculture Farms

East Sea Fisheries Research Institute of NFRDI is planned to adopt IMTA (Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture), the food-web based eco-friendly aquaculture technology, to utilize sea water of the east coast in an integrated way.

IMTA is a new concept of aquaculture technology designed to reduce water pollution through the food-web based aquaculture.

Under the IMTA system, organic fish waste is consumed by sea cucumber and inorganic fish waste by seaweed.

Continuing aquaculture activities on a certain area of sea water could cause water pollution and reduce self-purification of water, lowering aquaculture productivity.

For sustainable and effective coastal farming, it is needed to adopt IMTA method based on ecology circulation model with no emissions of carbon and nitrogen.

As the first step, East Sea Fisheries Research Institute is planned to develop an optimum IMTA system in which seaweed, fish, shellfish and echinoderms are farmed in an integrated way. The R&D project is scheduled to be completed by 2013 and the success of the project is expected to sharpen competitiveness of aquaculture technology with international technology patent.

East Sea Fisheries Research Institute is regularly meeting with a consultative committee involved by industry, university and research to transfer knowledge to fishermen. Through cooperation with fishing community and local government, the institute will make its utmost efforts to advance the development and commercialization of the technology.