In integrated multi‐trophic aquaculture (IMTA), species from different trophic levels are raised in proximity to one another and the co‐products (organic and inorganic wastes) of one cultured species are recycled to serve as nutritional inputs for others. IMTA can reduce the ecological impacts near aquaculture operations, improve social perceptions of aquaculture and provide financial benefits for aquaculture producers via product diversification, faster production cycles and price premiums on IMTA products. We review aspects of IMTA’s economic potential and market acceptance and consider ways to address the current gaps in our understanding. We find that adopting IMTA raises the assimilative capacity of the farm and that IMTA substantively reduces the environmental cost of aquaculture. Moreover, integrating extractive species (e.g. invertebrates and/or seaweeds), with existing fed‐monoculture operations, can increase farm profits. The presence of positive public attitudes towards IMTA, as expressed by a willingness to pay a premium for its products, can further increase the profitability of adopting IMTA. Areas requiring more economic research include the development of comparative bioeconomic models of IMTA and the evaluation of competing production systems and their ability to internalize externalities to demonstrate the true value of IMTA to society. Further exploration of economic incentives, such as instruments needed to foster adoption of IMTA, and investigation of marketing opportunities, such as promoting the eco‐certification of IMTA products, are also needed. Our paper aimed to inform economists and non‐economists alike about the latest developments in IMTA economics, and spur further research on critical topics concerning this important subject.

中文翻译：

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综合多营养水产养殖的经济学：我们现在在哪里，我们需要去哪里？

在综合多营养水产养殖（IMTA）中，来自不同营养水平的物种彼此靠近生长，一种养殖物种的副产品（有机和无机废物）被回收用作其他物种的营养投入。IMTA可以通过产品多样化，更快的生产周期和IMTA产品的价格溢价来减少水产养殖场附近的生态影响，改善社会对水产养殖的认识，并为水产养殖生产者提供经济利益。我们回顾了IMTA的经济潜力和市场接受度的各个方面，并考虑了解决现有差距的方法。我们发现采用IMTA可以提高农场的同化能力，而IMTA可以大大降低水产养殖的环境成本。此外，整合提取物种（例如 无脊椎动物和/或海藻），并采用现有的单一饲养养殖操作，可以增加农场利润。愿意为产品支付溢价表示公众对IMTA持积极态度，可以进一步提高采用IMTA的盈利能力。需要进行更多经济研究的领域包括开发IMTA的比较生物经济模型，评估竞争性生产系统及其内部化外部性以证明IMTA对社会的真正价值的能力。还需要进一步探索经济激励措施，例如促进采用IMTA所需的工具，以及调查营销机会，例如促进IMTA产品的生态认证。