Energetics Of Aquatic Food Production

Question 1

Name 2 factors that may affect the energetic of aquatic food production

Answer 1

Food chain efficiency

Additional energy inputs

Question 2

Outline food chain efficiency

Answer 2

• fish are not warm blooded, so use food in growth more efficiently than warm-blooded livestock
• most fish humans eat are carnivores (food chain efficiency of farming fish is lower than for herbivorous livestock)

Question 3

Outline additional energy inputs

Answer 3

Fishing boats use a lot of fuel; fossil fuels gradually become depleted

Aquaculture has been proposed as an alternative way of producing aquatic food that does not involve fishing, but this is not possible for all types of aquaculture as fish farms that produce carnivorous fish are fed on fish caught by fishing boats