Review on Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture System (IMTA)

Aquaculture has been one of the greatest contributors to global food security in recent years. Since the past decade, aquaculture has supplied over half of the fish consumed globally (FAO, 2016) [7]. Aquaculture is expanding rapidly, particularly in regions such as Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, where population growth is on the rise. With increasing productivity, there is a growing demand for professionals skilled in integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA). This approach involves cultivating multiple aquatic species from various trophic levels within a single system to enhance efficiency, minimize waste, and provide ecosystem benefits similar to bio-remediation. IMTA has become a significant focus of global research due to its potential to enhance profitability and sustainability across freshwater, brackish, and marine environments. This method integrates fed species with both organic and inorganic extractive species, which utilize waste byproducts to support their growth. IMTA is recognized for its simplicity and adaptability, making it a practical solution for sustainable aquaculture. IMTA systems can be land-based or open-water systems such as marine or freshwater systems, and may comprise several species combinations (Neori et al., 2004) [9]. Some IMTA systems have included such combinations as shellfish/shrimp, fish/seaweed/shellfish, fish/shrimp and seaweed/shrimp (Troell et al., (2003) [14]. The combination of fish/seaweed/shellfish is very important for IMTA because this combination is cover all trophic level of water bodies.