The role of the water temperature in the optimal management of marine aquaculture

This paper analyses the influence of the water temperature over the optimal management of aquaculture farms. A fish growth model is presented and included in a general profit optimisation framework. Results reveal a positive influence of the average water temperature over the optimal harvesting time. The optimal ration size exhibits an uneven path with an upward phase in the warmer season followed by downward phase in winter time. An application for the seabream culture in the Mediterranean countries shows harvesting time and ration size very dependent on the water temperature and the stocking date. The risk involved with uncertainty of the environmental conditions is also estimated, which could explain the difference between the predicted optimal harvesting sizes and the real practice in commercial culture.