Development and Validation of Sustainable Aquaculture Indicators: Case of Alborz Dam Basin, Mazandaran, Iran

The present study was conducted to examine the development and validation of sustainable indicators related to aquaculture as a social-ecological system. By reviewing the literature, it was found about 148 indicators related to sustainable aquaculture in economic (market-oriented and responsive aquaculture, capability of risk assessment and crisis management, and financial management in aquaculture), social (participation in food security and healthy food, the role of producer and non-governmental organizations, improving the image of aquaculture, and social responsibility), environment (minimizing the impacts of aquaculture at the national level, minimizing the impacts on the environmental conditions, and biodiversity), and institutional (local development and participation in decision-making) components. The extracted components were used in the form of a questionnaire with a five-point Likert type scale according to six criteria. Questionnaires were distributed among aquaculture experts in Alborz Dam Basin in Mazandaran Province, where 32 questionnaires were returned. Research results include ranking indicators based on a total of six criteria mentioned in methodology, and ranking components, as well as their associated indicators related to sustainable aquaculture using AHP. The findings further suggested that economic and environmental aspects also were placed as the first and second ranks among 10 sustainable aquaculture indicators. Accordingly, it is highly recommended that the agencies related to the country's aquaculture development paid attention to these identified dimensions and used them in their planning.