LWU: Lesson - Aquaculture (Topic 5.16) šŸ“–

ā³ Estimated Reading Time: 3 - 5 minutes

Learning Objective

Describe the benefits and drawbacks of aquaculture.

 

Aquaculture

an aquaculture farm with several circular fish pens floating on a body of water.
Open-water aquaculture farms allow fish waste to readily enter the ecosystem.

When the human population was small, nearly all aquatic food was harvested from oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, and streams. Unfortunately, overfishing began to cause dramatic declines in many of the desirable aquatic species.

In the last half of the 1900s, aquaculture began to gain a foothold as a means to supplant the dwindling harvest of edible aquatic species.

Aquaculture is the cultivation of aquatic organisms in water. The word comes from the Latin roots "aqua" meaning water and "culture" meaning to grow or a way of life.

Aquaculture is not limited to fish farming but also includes the production of other aquatic animals and plants. Some examples of aquaculture species are mollusks (such as clams, oysters, mussels, and scallops), crustaceans (such as prawns and shrimp), and seaweed.

Aquaculture has grown so much that it supplies more than 50% of all seafood for human consumption and that percentage is projected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) to continue to rise as time goes on and the human population continues to increase.

A photo of an aquaculture facility with blue circular tanks covered with green netting inside a greenhouse.
Tank aquaculture necessitates stringent water quality and monitoring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Types of Aquaculture

Aquaculture involves a number of different techniques and methodologies. 

Aquaculture has expanded because it is highly efficient, requires only small areas of water, and requires little fuel. The protein produced via aquaculture is an important food source for billions of humans worldwide. As techniques and methods improve, aquaculture will only become an even better option when it comes to aquatic food.

 

Essential Knowledge

Aquaculture has expanded because it is highly efficient, requires only small areas of water, and requires little fuel.

 

Effects of Aquaculture

When done within regulations and recommendations, aquaculture is a safe, efficient means of producing aquatic food for billions of humans. The infographic below describes some of the pros and cons of aquaculture:

An illustration titled "PROS AND CONS OF AQUACULTURE" PROS include job creation, revenue boost, reduced fishing pressure, and a reliable protein source. CONS highlight disease spread, water pollution, genetic contamination, and conflicts with traditional fishing.

 

Essential Knowledge

Aquaculture can contaminate wastewater, and fish that escape may compete or breed with wild fish. The density of fish in aquaculture can lead to increases in disease incidences, which can be transmitted to wild fish.

 

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