The objective of the study is to conduct a comparative analysis of the bioeconomic efficiency of a biofloc system (BFT) and a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) for growing aquatic organisms. Objectives: to examine the technological features of growing aquaculture objects using biofloc technology and a recirculating aquaculture system; to create evaluation tables; to adapt a methodological tool for assessing the economic efficiency to compare the feasibility of using each technology in industrial fish farming. The object of the study was the African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus). The experiments were conducted in the Industrial Aquaculture Laboratory of the Don State Technical University over a period of 6 months. Two fish-breeding tanks with a volume of 1 m3 each were used, with an initial stocking density of 310 individuals and an average initial weight of 0.016 kg per individual. The biofloc system used Bacillus velezensis microorganisms, feeding was carried out every 5–6 hours at a daily rate of 3–5 % of the total fish weight and a feed coefficient of 1.3. The bioeconomic efficiency assessment methodology was adapted to compare these technologies. Based on the results of the 6-month cycle, the final average weight of one catfish individual in the biofloc system reached 0.962 kg (98 % survival rate), while in the RAS it was 0.621 kg (96 % survival rate). The monthly total costs for the biofloc system were 36,446.4 rubles, which is 37.7 % lower than for the RAS (58,562.7 rubles). The cost of 1 kg of fish grown in the biofloc system was 760.89 rubles, while in the RAS it was 1,951.57 rubles (2.56 times higher). The cost of achieving 1 % fish weight gain in a biofloc system was 372.2 rubles, 46.6 % lower than in a recirculating aquaculture system (697.134 rubles). Biofloc technology demonstrated greater bioeconomic efficiency, delivering improved aquatic growth rates with significantly lower operating costs under laboratory conditions.
Matishov et al. (Fri,) studied this question.