Influence of intensive trout production on the aquatic environment and sediments of Titicaca Lake in Peru

Title : Influence of intensive trout production on the aquatic environment and sediments of Titicaca Lake in Peru

Abstract:

Trout production in the Puno region has increased to around 35 thousand tons per year and is mainly carried out in Titicaca Lake, the highest navigable lake in the world. However, approximately 10 thousand tons of solid waste from trout production have been generated in recent years. In the study, the physicochemical parameters of water, chlorophyll, and turbidity were determined in two zones of Lake Titicaca (bay and open lake) comparing areas with trout cages and areas without trout cages. The stable isotope of N and C in the waste collected from trout cages and in sediments collected from the lake bottom were also analyzed. The results indicate that there is a greater impact of trout production on the aquatic environment in the bay than in the open lake. However, minor differences are observed in both zones between the areas with trout cages and those without trout. Internal water currents could reduce the impact of trout production on the aquatic environment. Stable isotope analysis of N and C in waste and sediments indicates that the greatest impact comes from the commercial feed given to trout. In conclusion, there are indications of a negative impact of the trout production on the aquatic environment and avoiding it will be a decisive factor in its sustainability in the coming years for the development of trout farming in the region.
Key words: aquatic environment, sediments, trout production, Titicaca lake.

Biography:

Dr. Marcelino studied Veterinary Sciences at the Universidad Nacional of the Altiplano (UNAP), Perú and graduated as MS in 1995 at the Pontificia Universidad Católica of Chile. He then joined the research group of Prof. Gonzalo G. Mateos of Animal Nutrition at the Universidad Politécnica of Madrid. He received his PhD degree in 2002 at the same institution. In 2007 He was obtained a Norman E. Borlaug fellowship from USDA and supervised by Dr. Gita Cherian in Animal Science Department at the Oregon State University. He has actual position of a full Professor at the UNAP. He has published more than 20 research articles.