Developing bio-tracer tools for the aquaculture industry to monitor environmental effects**********

目前，人类面临的最紧迫的问题之一是，我们将从哪里获得高质量、环境可持续的蛋白质来源，以满足预计在未来50年内将达到90亿人的迅速增长的人口。 虽然网箱养殖在帮助满足这些需求方面有很大的希望，但该行业发展的一个障碍是该做法对当地生态系统生物多样性、结构和功能的潜在有害影响的不确定性。 目前，监管框架处理水产养殖对营养水平和无脊椎动物多样性和丰度的影响。 然而，研究表明，公众对水产养殖作业的最大关切是对当地野生鱼类群落的潜在影响。 有趣的是，最近的研究表明，虽然网箱养殖对营养和无脊椎动物种群有局部的不利影响，但对当地鱼类种群也有潜在的有益影响。 这个NSERC CRD研究计划的目标是利用生物示踪技术的最新进展来开发工具，以量化休伦湖乔治亚湾网箱养殖对当地鱼类种群的影响。 通过将这些工具部署到当地环境条件和管理实践各不相同的一些地点，该计划的结果将有助于告知养鱼户网箱放置和喂养的最佳实践，并为纳入水产养殖对当地鱼类社区影响的监管框架提供基础。 在追求这一研究途径时，安大略水产养殖业将定位于可持续发展，以满足安大略、加拿大和国外不断增长的蛋白质需求人口不断增长的需求。********

Currently, one of the most pressing issues facing humankind is where we will obtain high quality, environmentally sustainable sources of protein for a burgeoning population that is predicted to reach 9 billion people within the next 50 years. While cage aquaculture holds great promise in helping to meet these needs, one impediment to the growth of the industry is the uncertainty surrounding potential detrimental effects of the practice on local ecosystem biodiversity, structure and function. Currently, regulatory frameworks address the effects of aquaculture on nutrient levels and invertebrate diversity and abundance. However, research has shown that the greatest public concern surrounding aquaculture operations is the potential effects on local wild fish communities. Interestingly, recent research has shown that while there are localized detrimental effects of cage aquacultural practices on nutrient and invertebrate populations, there also exist potentially beneficial effects on local fish populations. The goal of this NSERC CRD research program is to use recent advances in biotracer technology to develop tools to quantify effects of cage aquaculture on local fish populations in Georgian Bay, Lake Huron. By deploying these tools to a number of sites that vary in local environmental conditions and management practices, the results of this program will help to both inform fish farmers as to best practices in cage placement and feeding, as well as to provide a basis for a regulatory framework that incorporates the effects of aquaculture on local fish communities. In pursuing this avenue of research, the Ontario aquaculture industry will position itself to sustainably grow to meet the ever growing needs of a growing and protein demanding population in Ontario, Canada and abroad. ********