Integration of environmental sustainability and product quality criteria in the decision-making process for feeding strategies in seabream aquaculture companies. (20th April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Luna, Manuel; Llorente, Ignacio; Cobo, Ángel
• Is Part Of: Journal of cleaner production. Volume 217(2019)
• Page Start: 691
• Page End: 701
• Publication Date: 2019-04-20
• Subjects: Clean production -- Environmental management -- Multiple-criteria -- Decision-making -- Feeding strategies -- Aquaculture; Factory and trade waste -- Management -- Periodicals; Manufactures -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Déchets industriels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Usines -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; 628.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.01.248
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-6526

Abstract

Abstract: Economic criteria have traditionally been taken into account as the most important factor for the selection of the most suitable feed in aquaculture. However, currently, management decisions have become increasingly complex, taking into account issues such as environmental sustainability and product quality. In this regard, there is growing recognition that the quality of the environment in which an organization operates has a direct effect on its financial results. Unfortunately, the complex integration of all these factors, which are sometimes opposing, limits the ability of aquaculture producers to adapt their production strategy to cleaner production systems. In this context, the aim of this work is to address this problem with the development of a novel, multiple-criteria decision-making optimization methodology that allows producers to include different preferences in the design of feeding strategies. Here, this methodology is applied to gilthead seabream production. The results obtained show the utility of this methodology for integrating numerous criteria in the evaluation of various alternatives and for carrying out an efficient sensitivity analysis which test the impact of different hypotheses on stakeholders' preferences. Highlights: Environmentally concerned production implies substantial changes in feeding decisions. These decisions are also conditioned by economic and quality factors. The integration of multiple criteria increases complexity and data needs. MCDM techniques have proven to be ideal for feeding strategy selection in aquaculture. An efficient environmentally sustainable production strategy is possible.