A newly approved scientific report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), involving researchers from Norway, Spain, and Greece, establishes a more precise and standarised approach for assessing the environmental impact of feed additives used and other chemical substances such as veterinarian products and biocides in aquaculture.
Led by experts from Akvaplan-niva, the University of Valencia, the Hellenic Centre for Marine Reseach (HCMR), and the Norwegian Institute of Water Research (NIVA), the study defines exposure scenarios and key parameters to improve predictive models for future research phases.
The model developed is designed for both initial risk assessment and more in-depth analyses. Its implementation considers critical factors such as the concentration of additives in feed, the influence of ocean currents, and the deposition rate of uneaten feed in the seabed.
Additionally, standarised scenarios have been stablished for different species and regions, ensuring a conservative, worst-case approach when predicting environmental concentrations.
Key findings
Throughout the study, researchers defined standard exposure scenarios for predicting environmental concentrations, identified critical factors influencing chemical concentrations in sediments, and developed methods for estimating expected environmental concentrations.
One notable finding is that chemical concentrations in sediments can vary significantly, highlighting the model’s sensitivity to production parameters such as feed volume, uneaten feed percentage, and sediment type.
Furthermore, the deposit area of residual waste plays a crucial role in the final chemical concentration in sediments. Adjustments have been made in calculations to reflect different contaminant dispersion scenarios.
Recommendations and Regulatory Implications
The experts recommend the adoption of an environmental fate model for more accurate assessments, advocating for a dispersion model based on real oceanographic data rather than assuming that all residues simply settle beneath the cages.
Additionally, the study identifies opportunities to enhance the regulation and management of feed additives in aquaculture. The findings could inform future policy frameworks, ensuring better control over additive use.
The researchers also suggest a phased risk assessment approach, combining simplified analyses in Phase I with more detailed evaluations in Phase II.
🔗 Read the full report:
Model development to predict environmental concentrations of chemical substances in marine sediment when the substance is applied via feed in marine aquaculture: Task 1.1. Developing standard exposure scenarios. Magnus Drivdal, Gro Harlaug Refseth, Kristine Bondo Pedersen, Michael Bedington, Kjetil Sagerup, Andreu Rico, Manolis Ntoumas, Giorgos Chatzigeorgiou, Ailbhe Lisette Macken, Adam Lillicrap. https://doi.org/10.2903/sp.efsa.2025.EN-9295
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