Developing a GIS-Based Decision Rule for Sustainable Marine Aquaculture Site Selection: An Application of the Ordered Weighted Average Procedure

Fish consumption is on the increase due to in growth of global population. Therefore, taking advantage new methods such as marine aquaculture can be a reliable source for production fish world. It necessary allocate suitable sites from environmental, economic, and social points view decision-making process. In this study, order specify areas by Ordered Weighted Averaging (OWA) methodology Caspian Sea (Iran), efforts were made incorporate concept risk into GIS-based analysis. By using OWA-based method, model was provided which generate maps with various pessimistic or optimistic strategies. Eighteen modeling criteria (14 factors 4 constraints) considered determine appropriate aquaculture. This done 6 scenarios multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) ordered weighted average methodologies. The results sensitivity analysis showed that most parameters affecting location region follows: Social-Economic, Water Quality, Physical–Environmental parameters. addition, based Cramer’s V coefficient values each parameter, bathymetry distance coastline effective maximum temperature had least impact site selection Finally, final aggregated suitability image (FASI) linear combination (WLC) scenario compared existing cage culture southern part ROC (Relative Operating Characteristics) value turned out equal 0.69. Although (9 farms) almost compatible their locations transferred more favorable less mapping level controlled low- high-risk could determined OWA method.