Societal impacts of plastic pollution in aquaculture ecosystems – A Review

Aquaculture is a crucial industry required to meet the growing demand for aquatic foods. It is practiced globally in small, medium and large scale, and provides many economic and social benefits such as employment, healthy foods, sustainable food production, and efficient resources utilization. However, the aquaculture ecosystem is faced with environmental pollution issues from plastics and associated toxic organic chemicals and heavy metals like other components of the environment. Furthermore, the changing climate exacerbates the release of plastic litter from both marine and freshwater aquaculture ecosystems. Internal release of worn fishing gears, other plastic equipment, cages and plastic packaging materials facilitate the accumulation of plastic litter in the aquaculture ecosystems. Aquatic organisms ingesting plastic particles and exposed to chemical pollutants are potential threats to food safety, livelihoods and ecosystem health. This article evaluates the impacts that plastic pollution in aquaculture poses on society and recommends mitigation strategies to prevent food safety issues.