Environmental impacts resulting from construction of a pisciculture installation in Juquiá and region, Brazil

Pisciculture (fish culture) stations are an economic development opportunity adopted in the region of Juquiá, Ribeira Valley (São Paulo, Brazil). This report examines the impact of these farms on the environment from the perspective of the constraints of local settings and the way in which the technology was applied. The characteristics of nine enterprises were compared with the features recommended in the literature and by legislation. The primary impacts identified were erosion, the depositing of silt, and the entry of exotic fish into natural waters. These impacts resulted from poorly built drainage conduits, unplanned and poorly controlled excavation, and poor design decisions.