RETRACTED: Does aquaculture growth affect environmental health hazards? New insights from robust least square regression

Abstract

Accidents in the aquaculture and fish farming sectors of the 27 European Union members (EU27) have the potential to have major repercussions for fish farm operators, the environment, and the farmed fish. The aquaculture industry's sustainability and green growth are impeded by fatalities, severe injuries to staff, and problems involving human health both during and after operations. Therefore, the primary goal of this research is to examine how, between 1990 and 2023, the expansion of the aquaculture business has affected environmental health hazards in both European Union developing countries (EU13) and European Union developed countries (EU14). The endogeneity issue was solved using resilient least square (RLS), two-stage least square (2SLS), and ordinary least square (OLS) estimators, yielding the major conclusions. The precise effect sizes demonstrate that in EU13 developing countries more than in EU14 developed countries, the aquaculture sector and the use of fossil fuels are major contributors to environmental health hazards. The precise effect amounts, however, indicate that the economic rise of aquaculture contributes significantly to environmental health hazards in EU14 developed countries more so than in EU13 developing countries. However, the precise magnitudes of the three estimators demonstrate that, in EU14 developed countries compared to EU13 developing countries, institutional quality is more important in minimizing environmental health hazards. Specifically, in EU13 developing countries with low institutional quality, low safety, and eco-friendly standards in the outgrowth of the aquaculture industry, the research recommends policymakers prioritize policies aimed at enhancing the efficiency and green development of the aquaculture industry based on its conclusions. While growing the aquaculture industry's economy within safety and security criteria in the developed EU14 countries.