Aquaculture
By: Mia Gooch
What is
Aquaculture?
• In depth:The
term aquaculture broadly refers
to the cultivation of aquatic
organisms in controlled
aquatic environments for any
commercial, recreational or public
purpose.The breeding, rearing and
harvesting of plants and animals
takes place in all types of water
environments including ponds,
rivers, lakes, the ocean and man-
made “closed” systems on land.
• Simple:Aquaculture is breeding,
raising, and harvesting fish,
shellfish, and aquatic plants.
Background Information
Historical:
• Oral histories date aquaculture to 4000 B.C., although the first known
written record of aquaculture practices is from the fifth century B.C.The
birthplace of aquaculture is generally considered to be China, where fish
farmers initially raised common carp (Cyprinus Carpio).
• Aquaculture consists in farming aquatic organisms. Around 500 BCE, the
Romans farmed oysters and fish in Mediterranean lagoons, whereas
freshwater aquaculture developed empirically some 1000 years earlier in
China. Farming carp in ponds led to the complete domestication of this
species in the Middle Ages, which is also when mussel farming began,
following a technique that remained largely unchanged until the 20th
century.
Advantage
(Ecological)
• Restoring and farming shellfish
beds allows these bivalves to clean
the water as they filter feed, serve
as habitats for smaller organisms,
and can even help prevent
shoreline erosion. Preserving
ecosystems, safeguarding
biodiversity, and reversing land
degradation are significant
components of sustainable
aquaculture.
Advantages (Economy)
• If done correctly, aquaculture
increases food
production, boosts economic
growth in coastal and rural
areas, and can help keep
waterways clean. This helps
avoid the public service
expense and encourages
economic success.
Disadvantages
(Ecological)
• Aquaculture faces its own
set of environmental issues
ranging from destroying
important ecosystems and
habitats to the use of
harmful chemicals and
antibiotics, and the reliance
on wild-caught fish and
other unsustainable
ingredients in feed.
Disadvantages (Economy)
• Among the cons of aquaculture, farmers face
numerous barriers including limited local
acceptance, cost, the high degree of organization
and record keeping need to demonstrate
performance, and the time it takes to complete
assurance requirements (which can range from
one to four days). With these cost barriers farmers
must resort to inexpensive options that are
economically ineffective.
Summary
Aquaculture can be a weapon of both
good and bad, especially from an
economic standpoint. When done
correctly it offers controlled food at
a higher rate therefore feeding more
people. When done incorrectly it can
destroy entire habitats and systems.
Overall, aquaculture is a benefit to
societies everlasting need for food.
