Ecological Studies on El-Serw Fish Farm, Egypt : Drainage Water Quality, Sediment Analysis and Heavy Metals Pollution in Nile Delta Farms

El-Serw fish farm is situated on the southern west shore of Manzala Lake near El-Serw navigation canal, about 200 km northeast Cairo. In fact, water in Egypt has become a scarce commodity and its use should be optimized. Nowadays, the maintenance of these fish cultures out of pollution is of greatest concern. The agricultural drainage water is considered as one of the most important water sources to El-Serw fish farm. Consequently, the chemical analysis of the water supply, pond water and effluent water of the farm as well as the determination of some heavy metals and pesticides, are of great importance to pond managers and consumers of aquatic products. Agriculture drainage water quality, heavy metals, inorganic anions and pesticides distributions in water, sediment and fish were assessed in El-Serw fish farm seasonally during 2007. Therefore, the aim of this work was to assess if the agriculture drainage water quality could meet the fish farm standards as well as its effect on fish quality.