MCE modeling in zoning areas with warm water and cold water aquaculture capability by IDRISI (case study: Golestan province)

This study aimed to fulfill demands of information on aquaculture capability and to estimate ecological potential in Golestan Province. Aquaculture site selection (warm and cold water fishes) was conducted by MCE[1] method using GIS. The aquaculture suitability maps were produced by multi-criteria evaluation model (MCE), Fuzzy and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) in ArcGIS 9.3. The most appropriate site for warm and cold water aquaculture was identified by improving the quality and data precision including elevation digital model map with an appropriate pixel size, rock map, agrology, water quality parameters (water temperature, acidity salinity) and etc. Results implicated the potential of the study area for aquaculture development in commercial scale. The other finding in terms of commercial aquaculture obtained in the present study was the near-by road which accelerates delivery of the fish pond products to the civil markets.