Integrated study for the assessment of an inshore mariculture plant impact on the sourronding environment (Ionian Sea)

This study represents an integrate approach on the ecological assessment on the environmental impact of a marine fish farm located in the Mar Grande of Taranto (Ionian Sea). The investigation was performed in two seasons in the years 2018-2019. In each time, water and sediment samples were collected from four replicates sampling points located at the four corners of the farming plant to investigate on physical and biological characteristics of the area. All the measurements indicated that the effect of the fish farm waste discharge is concentrated and limited to a small portion of the investigated area, which can be related to the direction of the main current.