A size distribution model applied to fish farming

Abstract

This paper presents an age-structured control model applied to the size variability problem in fish farming. This phenomenon is common in commercial culture due to the principal of competition among individuals in ecosystems with high density. The usual consequences are higher differences in fish growth, together with an increase in mortality rate affecting mainly the smaller sizes. Control models are particularly appropriate for aquacultural system, where a great amount of factors can be in fact predetermined by farmers. The formulation of the model involves a series of hypothesis for the system. However, we can induce some practical managerial recommendations from the model analysis. The numerical solution of the related optimal control problem is a challenging issue that we also discuss. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2003.