5.14 Aquaculture

What is aquaculture?

Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms (fish, shellfish, algae) in controlled environments for food. It has grown rapidly to meet rising demand for seafood as wild fish stocks decline from overfishing. It occurs in freshwater ponds, coastal pens, and offshore cages, and now supplies over half the seafood consumed worldwide.

Benefits of aquaculture

Aquaculture can relieve pressure on wild fish populations, provide a reliable protein source, create jobs, and be more efficient than land-based meat production in terms of feed conversion. Some systems, like polyculture and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), mimic natural ecosystems, improving efficiency and reducing waste by growing multiple species together.

Environmental drawbacks

Dense fish farms produce waste and excess nutrients that cause local eutrophication. Farmed fish can escape and become invasive species or spread disease/parasites to wild populations. Farming carnivorous species (like salmon) requires wild-caught fish for feed, straining other fisheries. Coastal shrimp farms often destroy mangrove habitats, removing natural storm buffers and nurseries.

Key terms

Aquaculture

Farming of aquatic organisms (fish, shellfish, algae) for food in controlled environments.

IMTA (Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture)

Farming multiple species together so waste from one becomes a resource for another, mimicking natural ecosystems.

Aquaculture waste problem

Concentrated fish waste and excess nutrients can cause local eutrophication and oxygen depletion.

Escaped farmed fish risk

Can become invasive, compete with, or spread disease/parasites to wild fish populations.

Shrimp farming & mangroves

Coastal shrimp farms often destroy mangrove forests, removing storm buffers and nursery habitats.

Try an AP-style question

What is aquaculture?

1. Cleaning up polluted rivers and lakes
2. Growing crop plants in water only
3. Catching wild fish out in the ocean
4. Farming fish and shellfish in controlled settings