In order to reduce the water pollution caused by trout farms Turkey has been implementing the water quality improvement program since 2012. As part of it, the General directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock introduced effluent management (treatment), to prevent the potentially negative effects of trout farm and conflicts with other users, especially in places where fish farms have to be considered as point-source polluters. The use of drum filters for the effluent treatment in trout farms in Eşen Region, Muğla, Turkey was made compulsory by the government.

To pilot the solution fish farms were selected in Eşen Stream area, Ören Town, Seydikemer, Muğla. This region has a particular significance because a number of fish farms are located very close to each other on one river and the farms discharges are also very close to one another. Therefore waste removal through final treatment facilities (e.g. screen filters) is needed to allow the water to be used by the multiple users. A total 10 drum filters were set up water at the outlet water of the farms to evaluate the effectiveness of the filters over one-year period.

The evaluation results showed that micro-screen rotary drum filters with a mesh size of 200 µm achieved a removal efficiency of average 28% and 48% for total and farm-derived suspended solids, respectively, in flow-through aquaculture farm effluents with high inflow rates.

The implementation of the solution also positively affected relations between users of the water resources, such as fish farmers, agricultural farmers and local environment agencies that was formalized in an agreement.  

Budget: There is a requirement of one drum filter per 250 ton fish production and its cost is 20.000 USD when the outflow rate of 1 m3/sec is considered.

Partners: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Livestock of Turkey, Muğla Rainbow Trout Aquaculture, Mediterranean Fisheries Research and Training Institute

Contact information:
Mediterranean Fisheries Research and Training Institute
Name and title: Dr. Mehmet Ali Turan KOÇER (Fisheries Engineer)
Telephone: +90 242 251 0587
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.