1. AquaSpace Case Study Great Bay Piscataqua and Long Island Sound, USA: Issues and Tools
The research leading to these results has been undertaken as part of the AquaSpace project (Ecosystem Approach to making Space for Aquaculture, and has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation under grant agreement n°
Horizon 2020

2. Case study background
2011 US NOAA Marine Aquaculture Policy / National Shellfish Initiative supports aquaculture growth for increased production of seafood and improvement of water quality
Aquaculture industry discussed in this study
Oysters, clams in Long Island Sound
Oysters in Great Bay Piscataqua
Issues addressed in this study
Environmental – nutrient related eutrophication
Production – expansion of production
Siting – successful siting for expansion of shellfish aquaculture
Competition for marine space in Long Island Sound and Great Bay Piscataqua
Commercial fisheries / existing leases
Recreational fisheries
Tourism
Viewscape

3. Case study locations Long Island Sound Size: 3,259 km2
Residence time: 2-3 months
Watershed: Highly developed
Population: 1,508 people/km2
45,000 acres leased
Great Bay/Piscataqua
Size: 54.7 km2
Residence time: 28.5 days
Watershed 70% forested
Population: 109 people/km2
25.5 acres licensed

4. Case study issues
Long Island Sound has an historically important / well developed oyster and clam industry, Great Bay Piscataqua has a young oyster industry – both seek to expand their industry for production and water quality improvement per the 2011 US NOAA Marine Aquaculture Policy / National Shellfish Initiative.
Current governance, management, planning and social constraints limit expansion opportunities.
Increasing production and improving water quality while minimizing conflicts in these multi-use waterbodies were issues addressed in these studies.

5. Stakeholder feedback and recommendations
Increase public awareness and support to minimize conflicts in multi-use waterbody;
Promote aquaculture development and expansion, give more space to farm;
Streamline regulations and management;
Investigate impacts of pollution and climate change on shellfish;
Develop a standing committee to meet on regular basis to assure success of aquaculture plan and for discussion of new and emerging issues.

6. Tool(s) used in the case study
Assessment of Estuarine Tropic Status (ASSETS) Eutrophication Assessment Model
A Pressure – State – Response framework.
Evaluates pressures as natural susceptibility and human related load
Uses typical annual pattern of 5 indicators (chlorophyll, macroalgal abundance, dissolved oxygen, changes in seagrass area, occurrence of nuisance / toxic algal blooms) over the space of a waterbody to determine degradation.
Estimates future changes based on expected changes in management, population and land-use.
From: Bricker et al Ecological Modelling 169: 39–60

7. Tool(s) used in the case study
Farm Aquaculture Resource Management (FARM) Model
The FARM model is a local scale model that combines physical and biogeochemical models, shellfish growth models, and screening models at the farm scale for the determination of shellfish production and for the assessment of water-quality changes on account of shellfish cultivation. Results can be upscaled where an ecosystem model is not available.
Farm Aquaculture Resource Management Model (FARM)
Ferreira et al., Aquaculture 264: 160–174.

8. Tool(s) used in the case study
EcoWin (EcoWin.net) and System Wide Eutrophication Assessment Model (SWEM) are ecosystem scale models
The 230 horizontal x 10 layer SWEM boxes were combined into 21 horizontal x 2 layer EcoWin model. A 10 year EcoWin simulation estimated oyster production, and associated drawdown of chlorophyll, particulate matter, and nitrogen using relevant components of transport, biogeochemistry, and shellfish models and allowed appropriate timeframe of data results for economic analysis.
EcoWin and SWEM results can be compared, both can be used to generate outputs for use in ASSETS, and FARM (local scale model)
and as an overall synthesis model. Bricker et al. 2015

9. Tool(s) used in the case study
The Connecticut Shellfisheries Mapping Atlas (
The Atlas is a GIS multi-criteria evaluation tool allows users to access, overlay, and view various types of site information. The GIS tool allows for successful siting of new aquaculture and expansion of existing operations while minimizing use conflicts in this multi-use waterbody.

10. Relevance to Aquaspace
Issues relating to magement of space on three levels (and relate to EAA):
Ecological and environmental
Social
Governance
Tools are being used to increase information which can help inform decisions on location suitability and management at both national and local scales which have impications on an international scale.
Relevant to the EU Framework for Maritime Spatial Planning and the Blue Growth Agenda.