A framework for sustainable aquaculture within peri-urban green infrastructures protecting the Gulf of Thailand from eutrophication

从20世纪80年代开始，全球对水产养殖产品的需求开始呈指数级增长，作为回应，泰国开发了更集约化的耕作方法，改变了其沿海景观。如今，曼谷和泰国湾之间的大片土地主要由生物多样性低的水产养殖池塘组成，这些池塘容易受到污染和新的虾和鱼疾病的影响。曼谷大都会地区的快速发展导致城市排水渠道的微生物和化学水质非常差，这些渠道为沿海水产养殖提供水。我们BBSRC赞助的研究表明，城市污染如何导致水产养殖池塘中的藻类大量繁殖，无论池塘中是否添加了营养物质，以及小规模生产者如何因此遭受经济损失。藻类大量繁殖以及新奇的虾和鱼疾病给泰国经济造成的总成本高达数十亿英镑。2018年，泰国有35,422公顷的海水对虾养殖，低于2008年的48,590公顷。虽然泰国水产养殖部门目前的衰退令人非常关切，但它也为重新思考和转向更具弹性的生产系统提供了机会。该项目将使泰国渔业部、曼谷大都会管理局水质办公室和小型水产养殖生产者的政府官员参与对水政策和创新水产养殖做法的批判性分析。政策分析将审查用于沿海水产养殖的水质的现行标准，并将认真考虑各种政策对沿海土地利用、粮食生产、减轻洪水风险、水净化和生物多样性的影响。模型将预测不同的废水处理费用结构如何能够扩大曼谷目前仅覆盖50%居民的废水处理基础设施。该模型还将预测这种强化的废水处理规定将如何有利于地表水质量和依赖它的沿海水产养殖业。与小规模生产者的接触将传播BBSRC赞助的关于水产养殖水质管理创新方法的研究成果。这包括生物炭改良的生物滤池，可作为水产养殖池塘及其相关运河之间的高生物多样性缓冲区。它还包括微生物污染源追踪的新方法以及水产养殖微生物群的特征及其对病原体入侵的脆弱性。该项目将调查农民是否愿意采用这种做法和管理方法，以及需要哪些支持和/或激励措施来促进采用最佳做法。社区参与活动将展示蒙古国国王科技大学通布里的水处理方法和新的分子微生物能力，这些能力是通过与纽卡斯尔大学的机构联系赠款建立的。在此次活动中，泰国水产养殖创新者还将介绍他们在认证和有机水产养殖方法方面的经验，以及为游客提供农场住宿等娱乐设施如何提供额外的收入来源。通过与各利益攸关方接触而获得的经验教训将被纳入一个地理信息系统框架，以直观地显示水政策对运河和相关沿海水产养殖水质的影响，以及对沿海带粮食生产和生物多样性的影响，以及对泰国湾的污染排放。这一框架将用于情景分析。在公共专题讨论会上说明各种情景将有助于与决策者和其他利益攸关方进行沟通，并将增进他们对城市和农业活动与自然环境之间相互联系的了解。

Global demand for aquaculture produce began to grow exponentially from the 1980s onwards, and in response, Thailand developed more intensive farming methods that transformed its coastal landscape. The vast tract of land between Bangkok and the Gulf of Thailand nowadays consists mainly of low biodiversity aquaculture ponds that a vulnerable to pollution and novel shrimp and fish diseases. Rapid growth of the Bangkok Metropolitan Region is responsible for very poor microbial and chemical water quality in urban drainage canals which provide water for coastal aquaculture. Our BBSRC sponsored research has shown how this urban pollution is causing algae blooms in aquaculture ponds, with and without nutrient addition to the ponds, and how small scale producers are suffering economic losses as a consequence. Overall costs to the Thai economy from algae blooms and novel shrimp and fish diseases amount to billions of pounds. In 2018, there were 35,422 hectares of seawater shrimp aquacultures in Thailand, down from 48,590 hectares in 2008. While the current decline of the aquaculture sector in Thailand is of great concern, it also provides opportunity for a re-think and movement towards more resilient production systems. The project will engage Thai government officials from the Department of Fisheries, the Water Quality Office of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, and small-scale aquaculture producers in a critical analysis of water policies and innovative aquaculture practices. The policy analysis will review current standards for the quality of water to be used in coastal aquaculture, and will critically consider impacts of various policies on coastal land use, food production, flood risk mitigation, water cleansing and biodiversity. Modelling will predict how different wastewater treatment fee structures could enable an expansion of Bangkok's wastewater treatment infrastructure that currently covers only 50% of residents. The model will also predict how such an enhanced wastewater treatment provision would benefit surface water quality and the coastal aquacultures which depend on it. Engagement with small-scale producers will disseminate BBSRC sponsored research outcomes on innovative methods for water quality management in aquaculture. This includes biochar amended biofilters which could be implemented as high biodiversity buffer zones between aquaculture ponds and their associated canals. It also includes novel methods for microbial pollution source tracking and the characterisation of aquaculture microbiomes and their vulnerability to pathogen invasion. The project will investigate the willingness of farmers to adapt such practices and management methods, and what support and/or incentives would be needed to facilitate the uptake of best practice. A community engagement event will show-case water treatment methods, and new molecular microbiology capabilities at the King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, which were established through an institutional links grant with Newcastle University. At the event, Thai aquaculture innovators will also present their experiences with certified and organic aquaculture methods, and how recreational offerings such as accommodation for tourists on farms can provide an additional income stream. Lessons learned through the engagement with the various stakeholders will be integrated in a GIS framework to visualize water policy implications on water quality in canals and associated coastal aquacultures, with and without treatments, and implications for food production and biodiversity in the coastal belt, and pollution discharges into the Gulf of Thailand. This framework will be used for scenario analysis. The illustration of various scenarios at a public symposium will facilitate communication with decision makers and other stakeholders, and will enhance their understanding of the inter-linkages between urban and agricultural activities and the natural environment.