Aquaculture an aquatic equivalent to agriculture, is the propagation and husbandry of aquatic plants, animals, and other organisms for commercial, recreational, and scientific purposes. It is, the rearing of certain marine and freshwater organisms to supplement the natural supply. This also includes production for supplying other aquaculture operations such as for industrial products, for supplying aquatic bait animals, for providing aquatic organisms for ornamental purposes, and for supplying feedstocks to pharmaceuticals and chemical industries. Some of these freshwater fish are also utilized in aquaponics, a hybrid system that combines aquaculture with hydroponic cultivation of plants; wherein the fish wastes are used to feed the plants.

Aquaculture which has been in existence for a long time but only since the mid-20th century has it assumed commercial importance. The growth of world aquaculture has been stimulated by a number of factors, including population increases, dietary shifts, and advances in aquaculture technology. The rapid expansion of aquaculture has been to a large extent in the production of relatively high-priced species such as shrimp, crayfish, prawns, trout, salmon, and oysters which are frequently consumed as a fresh product. However, also increasing is the production of low-priced species such as catfish, carp, and tilapia, which are reared in extensive low-energy systems.

The methods of aquaculture’s farm-to-table process can differ from species to species. Generally, there are four stages of the production chain, starting in hatcheries and ending at the seafood counter in your grocery store. The first stage in the aquaculture production chain is the hatchery. This is where the breeding of fish, hatching of eggs and rearing of fish through the early life stages happens. The second stage is feed mills wherein the fish are grown to a mature stage. Once the animals are mature enough, they are transferred to the farm, where they are grown to harvest size, using feed produced at feed mills. The fish are then transported to a processing facility (final stage), where they are packaged and sent to food retailers and grocery stores.

The days of the ocean’s natural productivity providing for the planet is over with ever increasing population and the oceans cannot naturally fulfil the current demand for seafood. Aquaculture is the tool to fill in this gap of seafood supply to the world. Farming fish responsibly and sustainably is the way forward to provide future generations with access to healthy and environmentally friendly protein options primarily such as seafood. Also, seafood is highly resource efficient as it has the highest protein retention compared to chicken, pork and beef. It also has the lowest feed conversion ratio among the same forms of protein. Aquaculture has lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to other types of farming.

Seafood is a healthy choice for people of all ages as it is an excellent source of lean, high quality and easily digestible protein. Seafood is found to be low in saturated fat and sodium and is also a source of many essential vitamins and minerals. Seafood also is one of the few foods that contains long-chain omega-3 fatty acids that are essential for the development of the nervous system and retina. The fats in red meat, poultry and eggs are solid fats, while the fats in seafood, nuts and seeds are oils. The essential vitamins and minerals seafood contains include niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin E, vitamin B12, thiamin, riboflavin, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, copper, potassium and selenium. In addition, oily fish have generous amounts of vitamins A and D, while fish with bones remaining, such as canned salmon and sardines, are good sources of bone-building calcium. Fish, especially marine fish, are a dietary source of iodine.

As the population keeps increasing and the world has becoming more conscious about the ecofriendly living, sustainable and healthy approaches to feeding the world are more critical than ever before. In order to sustainably feed the world’s growing population with a healthy, lean protein, aquaculture’s role is of the utmost importance. The primary responsibility of aquaculture is to efficiently compliment wild-caught fish options to increase the amount of seafood available worldwide. Aquaculture has the potential to improve the health of our planet and the health of our population, as long as it is done in a manner that is environmentally friendly, socially responsible, and considers food safety and animal welfare.

Sources: Southern Regional Aquaculture Center, Global Seafood Alliance, Britannica