What Is Aquaculture and Why Do We Need It?

Aquaculture is the controlled process of cultivating aquatic organisms, especially for human consumption. It’s a
similar concept to agriculture, but with fish instead of plants or livestock. Aquaculture is also referred to as fish
farming. The seafood that you find at your local grocery store is likely labeled as farmed fish. Aquaculture can
happen all over the world, and it does: in coastal ocean waters, freshwater ponds and rivers, and even on land
in tanks.

How does it work?

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.
Each of these stages can vary with respect to its effect on the environment and the quality and safety of the
seafood they produce, which is why the Global Aquaculture Alliance administers the Best Aquaculture
Practices (BAP) third-party certification program. In the past, fish farms have had issues with respect to these
four aspects of aquaculture, and BAP seeks to improve the fish farming industry across the globe. This is the only
certification program that covers every step of the supply chain. You can be sure your seafood was farmed
responsibly if it has the BAP logo on it!

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. 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 (another stage
of aquaculture). The fish are then transported to a processing facility, where they are packaged and sent to food
retailers and grocery stores. That’s where you come in.

Why is it important?
Given that overfishing of our oceans and other natural resources is continuously increasing year over year,
humans need alternate sources for seafood to feed the planet’s ever-growing population. “Unfortunately, the
days of the ocean’s natural productivity providing for the planet is over. Wild fish have been exploited for
generations. Some estimate that the annual catch of edible marine protein has already passed its peak. The
oceans cannot naturally provide the demand for seafood” (Positive Aquaculture Awareness). Aquaculture is the
tool to fill in the gap of seafood supply. Farming fish responsibly and sustainably is the solution to providing
future generations with access to healthy and environmentally friendly protein options.

Not only is aquaculture necessary, it is also a sustainable option for consumers, especially in comparison to
other farmed proteins. Seafood is highly resource efficient — 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 than other types of farming.

With an anticipated 10 billion people expected to inhabit the planet by 2050, the demand for animal protein will
increase by 52 percent. 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 complement 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.
List of Pros of Aquaculture
1. Source of Food for People and Marine Species
Proponents for aquaculture posit that this practice is an effective solution to meet the increasing demand for
seafood and other fish species. With aquaculture, consumers will be assured of continuous food supply. Also,
this also becomes the source of food establishments and restaurants that serve seafood like prawns, clams
and salmon, among others. Moreover, some fish species are also cultured to be fed to carnivorous fish
species.
2. Source of Income
Supporters of Aquaculture claim that this gives livelihood to fishermen and other people since it opens job
opportunities. Fish producers usually use fish tanks and cages that they put in the middle of the ocean to
culture the fish. There are also fish producers who breed in ponds and cages in lakes. The process demands
man power and thus, gives employment opportunities. For producers, on the other hand, this serves as a
source of income since seafood is highly demanded commercially and delivered not only locally but also to
other countries.
3. Flexibility
Advocates for aquaculture say that fish farms can be built and established anywhere where there is body of
water. For marine aquaculture, tanks can be built and placed on the seafloor or be left hanging in columns
while for freshwater aquaculture, tanks and cages can be built on-land as well as in lakes, rivers and artificial
ponds.
4. Helps Waste Problems
Supporters of this practice claim that re-circulating aquaculture systems is also a big help in reducing, reusing
and recycling waste materials that is healthy not only for the cultured species of fish but also to the
environment.

List of Cons of Aquaculture

1. Propagation of Invasive Species
Critics of aquaculture say that despite the good intentions of culturing fish for consumption and increase the
population of fish, it can also lead to the increase population of invasive species that are harmful to the other
marine species because they take away the food supply for fishes in the wild. The Janitor fish, for one, is
considered a threat to other freshwater species since they breed faster and compete with other fishes for
food.
2. Threat to Coastal Ecosystems
Opponents of the practice of aquaculture argue that this method does not help in recycling wastes but
instead cause it. An example is the culturing of salmon which is done in pristine coastal waters. This results to
the pollution of the bodies of water because the discharged waste of salmon is disposed to the aquatic
environment. For marine aquaculture, on the other hand, results to wastes sinking in the bottom of the sea
that can harm the homes of species living there.
3. Contaminates Water and Threatens Health
People who are not in favor of aquaculture and eating fish harvested from this method say that since fish
farms can be built basically in any body of water, the chances for water contamination are higher since waste
products from the fish can stay in the water which is sometimes used for drinking by people in poor
communities. Some of these wastes can enter water systems and can contaminate drinking water in the
homes. As for health issues, critics say that some fish producers use antibiotics and artificial supplements to
hasten the growth of fish. Also, fish food can also be contaminated with pesticides and chemicals that are in
the feeds. This can affect people who will buy from commercially cultured fish products.
4. Affects Wild Fish Population
Another drawback of the practice of aquaculture is the need for wild fish to be fed to culture fish like salmon.
Opponents say that it takes more than just an ample amount of wild fish to feed one salmon for commercial
consumption. This can result to diminished supply of wild fish that can affect the population as well as the
continuity of marine life.
5. Impact on the Environment
Skeptics about aquaculture are concerned of the changes in the habitat that need to be made to build fish
cages and tanks. There have been areas with mangrove forests in parts of Asia like China and Vietnam that
have been disturbed to give way to these fish farms and other types of industries. With the destruction of
mangroves, there will be no buffers to the effects of natural disasters. If this happens, destruction of
properties and loss of lives can happen during cyclones and hurricanes.

Aquaculture will continue to be popular in many countries especially with the growing demand of commercial
fish products. Although there are drawbacks to this industry, there have also been developments to mitigate the
concerns brought about by aquaculture.

Aquaculture: Pros and Cons

Arguments in favor of aquaculture:
1. Can create jobs in community
2. Can increase revenue on city, state and national level
3. Can reduce seafood trade deficit
4. Can help feed a growing U.S. and world population
5. Can encourage local investment
6. Can increase scientific knowledge and technology
7. Can place more emphasis on protecting coastal waters from pollution, especially in the case of mollusk and
seaweed culture.
8. May reduce fishing pressure on certain wild stocks if that species can be produced through aquaculture rather
than fished.

Arguments against aquaculture:

1. Can conflict with other users of water bodies such as lobstermen, fishermen or migrating fish
2. Can put excess pressure on wild stocks that are used to create high protein feed pellets
3. Can amplify and transfer disease and parasites to wild fish populations
4. Can pollute water systems with excess nutrients (fish feed & wastes), chemicals and antibiotics
5. Can compromise native gene pools if farmed fish and native species interbreed
6. Can threaten livelihood of fishermen
7. Can be an unpredictable enterprise for small local communities due to its susceptibility to severe weather,
predators, disease, and global competition
8. Can compromise the aesthetic beauty of coastline

What Are the Cons of Aquaculture?

1. It requires shared resources.
Fish farming requires certain resources that wild sea life also requires because aquaculture looks to replicate
the natural environment. Over time, this can create a conflict in local ecosystems because more resources are
being dedicated to the farming efforts than the regular harvesting options that have been traditionally done.
2. It can create a lack of diversity.
Many farmed fish are released into the wild at a certain age if they aren’t being bred for food. This means a
lack of diversity within the gene pool of the farmed fish species can developed over time as the wild sea life
begins to breed with the aquaculture sea life. The goal of aquaculture is to lessen the destruction of natural
habitats, but it may inadvertently hasten the destruction process instead.
3. It may introduce new diseases into the local ecosystem.
Smallpox was to blame for the destruction of many empires during the colonial era in Europe. It wiped out
large populations very rapidly. The same concept works for aquaculture. Diseases that develop during fish
farming aren’t always of the same strain that is out in the wild. If the right disease comes along, the wild
population could potentially be completely eliminated.
4. It’s unpredictable.
Just like most farming ventures, aquaculture is reliant on certain factors that are outside of human control in
order to be successful. This means weather, disease, and even hunting predators can all quickly cause harm
to the venture. Even the presence of competing aquaculture efforts can lower prices or raise costs to affect
profitability.
5. It may increase the risks of water contamination.
Fish might seem like a clean commodity, but they’re incredibly messy creatures. Waste products can enter
freshwater sources, contaminate habitats, and eventually contribute to species death in unanticipated ways.
Some ecosystems may even need to be destroyed just to place an artificial one in its place.

10 Pros and Cons of Aquaculture

How can the pending seafood crisis be solved? With 1 in 5 humans getting a majority of their daily protein
intake from the sea, there is a need to find more resources as the population grows. With 10 billion people
expected by 2050, the time is now to find options. One of the most viable may be aquaculture. Here are the key
pros and cons to consider.

What Are the Pros of Aquaculture?

1. It creates jobs.
People need to earn a living. Aquaculture provides that opportunity while creating a resource that the general
population requires. The end result is that people can get fed when hungry, economic revenues can increase in
various sectors, and it may even encourage local investments to growth the fish farming opportunity that is
present.

2. It helps to protect coastal waters from development.

Aquaculture typically takes place along shorelines because it keeps costs down and creates easy access points.
As a side effect, fewer invasive species tend to come near the shore when there is an aquaculture operation
present, especially in regards to seaweed and mollusks.

3. It can reduce the pressures on local biomass populations.

Biomass management has become more critical than ever before in certain areas of the sea. Some habitats have
been fished to 90% extinction and have not recovered in more than a decade of hands-off management. By
introducing aquaculture to the region, it becomes possible to reduce the pressures and potentially save a
habitat over time and with selective breed raising.

4. It’s an easy chance to study habits and behaviors.

We often know more about outer space and what happens billions of light years away from our planet than we
know about the life in the seas. Aquaculture gives us an easy way to study the patterns and habits of sea life to
better understand each species and how we can support them now and into the future.

5. Inland environments also support aquaculture.

As long as there is a viable water resource, such as a river or lake, there is the chance to establish an
aquaculture venture. This gives us all options to manage a resource that so many vitally need.

What Are the Cons of Aquaculture?

1. It requires shared resources.
Fish farming requires certain resources that wild sea life also requires because aquaculture looks to replicate the
natural environment. Over time, this can create a conflict in local ecosystems because more resources are being
dedicated to the farming efforts than the regular harvesting options that have been traditionally done.

2. It can create a lack of diversity.

Many farmed fish are released into the wild at a certain age if they aren’t being bred for food. This means a lack
of diversity within the gene pool of the farmed fish species can developed over time as the wild sea life begins
to breed with the aquaculture sea life. The goal of aquaculture is to lessen the destruction of natural habitats,
but it may inadvertently hasten the destruction process instead.

3. It may introduce new diseases into the local ecosystem.

Smallpox was to blame for the destruction of many empires during the colonial era in Europe. It wiped out large
populations very rapidly. The same concept works for aquaculture. Diseases that develop during fish farming
aren’t always of the same strain that is out in the wild. If the right disease comes along, the wild population
could potentially be completely eliminated.

4. It’s unpredictable.
Just like most farming ventures, aquaculture is reliant on certain factors that are outside of human control in
order to be successful. This means weather, disease, and even hunting predators can all quickly cause harm to
the venture. Even the presence of competing aquaculture efforts can lower prices or raise costs to affect
profitability.

5. It may increase the risks of water contamination.

Fish might seem like a clean commodity, but they’re incredibly messy creatures. Waste products can enter
freshwater sources, contaminate habitats, and eventually contribute to species death in unanticipated ways.
Some ecosystems may even need to be destroyed just to place an artificial one in its place.