Predicting aquaculture waste from gilthead seabream ( Sparus aurata) culture using a nutritional approach

A model to estimate the waste production from sea cage culture was established. Using known feed inputs of nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter, the model quantifies waste discharge from seabream culture. Daily feed intake and growth in Sparus aurata fed a commercial diet with known composition were measured and found to be dependent on fish weight and water temperature. Digestibility of the commercial feed was measured using chromic oxide as a marker and collection of feces by stripping. The proximate composition of Sparus aurata at different sizes was determined and nitrogen and phosphorus content were on average 28.5 and 7.2 g·kg −1 body mass, respectively. Excretion of ammonia-nitrogen and inorganic phosphorus after metabolic processes was calculated as the difference.