Biofuels and aquaculture are two of many industries that extract resources from ecological systems. Whether it is corn-based biodiesel or fish farming, the production process acquires raw materials from energy-fixing ecological systems such as agricultural fields and oceans. In cases such as intensive salmon farming, large quantities of supplements are applied, including fish meal and fish oil obtained from other ecological systems such as the wild ocean (Naylor and al, 2000). For residue-derived biofuel and shellfish cultivation, energy input from external ecosystems, although relatively small, is still necessary to meet energy needs. These intertwined interaction links determine that the impacts of resource use will diffuse into related systems at different scales. Some praise the expansion of one or the other industry. They argue that both industries are socially benign as biofuels reduce dependence on fossil fuels and aquaculture helps alleviate the problem of world hunger. Environmentally, residue-based biofuels could reduce carbon emissions and shellfish could improve water quality by removing much-needed nitrogen. However, despite these seemingly strong arguments on a larger scale, it is also worth noting that local communities pay high prices for the development of either industry when additional energy materials are included. Problems such as declining land productivity and eutrophication are becoming increasingly evident. Conversion of natural forest lands to corn monoculture, initiated by biofuels, results in enormous ecological impacts and the introduction of exotic species into aquaculture threatens the genetic integrity of native wildlife species (GESAMP, 2008). When people try to solve the problem... middle of paper ... is by no means stable. When the general economic situation undergoes upheaval, as was the case in 2008, and the demand for biofuels falls, profits can hardly be preserved without compromise. On the other hand, current research still cannot address ecological interactions specifically at each local scale (McKindsey, 2006). In bivalve aquaculture, the ability of shellfish to filter particles and purify water is subject to phytoplankton population growth and seasonal variation (Dumbauld, 2009), obscuring the accuracy of assessment of this ecological benefit or cost. These realities add to assessment uncertainties and generate risks when making decisions regarding particular resource extraction activities. To minimize these uncertainties, further research is needed to establish a solid scientific basis on which to conduct local analysis of benefits and costs on a case-by-case basis...