Is Manila Clam Farming Environmentally Sustainable? A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Approach Applied to an Italian Ruditapes philippinarum Hatchery

Arianna Martini (), Leonardo Aguiari, Fabrizio Capoccioni, Marco Martinoli, Riccardo Napolitano, Giacomo Pirlo, Nicolò Tonachella and Domitilla Pulcini ()
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Arianna Martini: Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria, Centro di Ricerca Zootecnia e Acquacoltura, Via Salaria 31, 00015 Monterotondo, Roma, Italy
Leonardo Aguiari: Naturedulis S.r.l., Piazzale Leo Scarpa 45, 44020 Goro, Ferrara, Italy
Fabrizio Capoccioni: Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria, Centro di Ricerca Zootecnia e Acquacoltura, Via Salaria 31, 00015 Monterotondo, Roma, Italy
Marco Martinoli: Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria, Centro di Ricerca Zootecnia e Acquacoltura, Via Salaria 31, 00015 Monterotondo, Roma, Italy
Riccardo Napolitano: Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria, Centro di Ricerca Zootecnia e Acquacoltura, Via Salaria 31, 00015 Monterotondo, Roma, Italy
Giacomo Pirlo: Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria, Centro di Ricerca Zootecnia e Acquacoltura, Via Antonio Lombardo 11, 26900 Lodi, Lodi, Italy
Nicolò Tonachella: Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria, Centro di Ricerca Zootecnia e Acquacoltura, Via Salaria 31, 00015 Monterotondo, Roma, Italy
Domitilla Pulcini: Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria, Centro di Ricerca Zootecnia e Acquacoltura, Via Salaria 31, 00015 Monterotondo, Roma, Italy

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-9

Abstract: Italy supplies approximately 96% of EU-farmed Manila clams. Following a reduction in wild seed availability, farmers started to depend on hatchery-produced seed, mainly imported from other countries. Indeed, only one hatchery is currently operating in Italy. This study quantifies the environmental impacts of seed production in this Italian hatchery facility to inform future planning for improving the sustainability of the supply chain. The environmental performance of the Manila clam hatchery was evaluated using the Life Cycle Assessment methodology. A cradle-to-gate analysis was performed, covering the following production phases: (1) microalgae production, (2) broodstock maintenance and conditioning, and (3) larval rearing until marketable size. The functional unit adopted was 1 kg of live clam seed. The main driver of the environmental impacts was electricity consumption, contributing over 80% for all impact categories. Other inputs showed minor contributions to different impact categories, including liquid oxygen, water pumps, and high-density polyethylene. This study highlights that the environmental burden associated with seed production could be reduced by switching to alternative technologies to meet energy needs, such as investments in photovoltaic and wind energy production systems.

Keywords: Manila clam; Ruditapes philippinarum; hatchery; Life Cycle Assessment; environmental performance; seed production (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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