Articles and Information

"Aquaculture Overview"

by Rebecca Nelson

The demand in the 1990’s for fresh, quality food is higher than ever. Aquaculture is the fastest growing form of agriculture in the United States. The rapid growth of aquaculture has attracted the attention of a variety of potential producers including, farmers looking to diversify their operations, commercial fishers faced with dwindling natural populations, and national and international food concerns searching for ways to help feed the growing world population.

Aquaculture is a form of agriculture encompassing the propagation, cultivation and marketing of aquatic animals and plants, including fish for food, such as catfish, tilapia and trout, ornamental fish, such as koi and aquaria, bait fish for the fishing industry, sport fish for restocking ponds and lakes and fish for feed ingredients. The aquatic plants raised in aquaculture can include seaweed for food, ornamental plants like lilies, and native plants for habitat restoration.

Since aquaculture is a form of agriculture, many of the same management strategies are used. Aquaculture farmers need to maximize yields and minimize expenses to be profitable.

There is an increasing awareness and need for aquaculture due to increased health consciousness and dwindling supplies of wild caught fish. The wild populations have dramatically decreased due to over-exploitation, pollution and habitat destruction.

Aquaculture is not any one practice, species or process. In some applications aquaculture fills the demand for high-end niche products, while in others aquaculture is the basis for feeding growing populations. Some methods of aquaculture employ high tech equipment and principles while others use simple, age old concepts.

Recirculating aquaculture uses the latest technology to produce as much as 1/2 lb of fish/gallon of water.  The systems usually include round tanks (500-10,000 gallons) heavily stocked with fish, blowers for air or pure oxygen, clarifiers to remove the solid waste and biofilters to convert ammonia to nitrate.  Recirculating systems are also used in aquaponics (the combination of aquaculture and hydroponics (growing plants without soil).

Traditional pond culture requires acres of land to produce the same poundage as recirculating systems but costs of operation and risk of crop loss are much less. 

Cage culture utilizes existing bodies of fresh or salt water by growing out fish in cages suspended in the water.

The CD-Rom, All About Aquaculture, is an excellent tool for learning about aquaculture and the fish farming industry.