A GLOBAL SPATIAL ANALYSIS TO INFORM AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT TO RESTORE ECOSYSTEM HEALTH

1,2 Seth J. Theuerkauf*, 1 James A. Morris, Jr., 2 Robert Jones
1 NOAA National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Marine
Spatial Ecology Division, Coastal Aquaculture Siting & Sustainability Program
2 The Nature Conservancy, Global Oceans Team, Aquaculture Program
* seth.theuerkauf@tnc.org

Habitat loss, nutrient pollution and other stressors have diminished coastal ecosystem health globally, but bivalve and seaweed aquaculture present significant opportunities to aid their

recovery. For example, while oyster reefs worldwide have declined by over 85% in the past two centuries, oysters produced through aquaculture may enhance water quality and provide habitat

for fish and invertebrates, among other benefits (Figure 1). Knowledge of where bivalve and seaweed aquaculture might provide the greatest ecosystem health enhancement (e.g., in areas of

known nutrient pollution and/or degraded habitat) can inform global-scale prioritization of aquaculture development. Within a Geographic Information System (GIS) framework, we conducted a global assessment of where bivalve and seaweed aquaculture could be expanded to aid in ecosystem health recovery. Specifically, we integrated spatial data on the global extent of eutrophication, estuarine habitat degradation, overfishing, ocean acidification, and other relevant factors to identify priority marine ecoregions for "restorative" bivalve and seaweed aquaculture. The outcome of our assessment provides a global perspective on the magnitude of the opportunity for bivalve and seaweed aquaculture expansion to aid the recovery of coastal ecosystem health.