Feces and other wastes from agricultural feedlots are one of the largest sources of water pollution in the United States. We need your help because EPA is under pressure from the fish farming industry not to develop these guidelines. Fish cultivated include catfish, trout, salmon, and shrimp. These fish may be grown in ponds, tanks, or cages placed directly in bays and estuaries.
Producers range from individual owner-operators to large corporations.
You have probably heard about water pollution from the massive amounts of wastes produced by modern hog and chicken farms. Similarly, fish farms can produce large quantities of polluting wastes - including feces, other excretory products, uneaten feed, and farm chemicals. In contrast, fish farm wastes are often released directly into lakes, rivers, bays and estuaries. High levels of nitrogen and phosphorous in fish feces and other fish farm wastes contribute to nutrient pollution - now recognized as the most prevalent type of water pollution in the United States. Problems caused by nutrient pollution include contamination of drinking water and shellfish, algal blooms, and fish kills.