AQUACULTURE
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What is aquaculture?
• The cultural production of
plants & animals in water.
• The culture and harvest of
aquatic animals & plants
usually for food & fiber.
• “Water farming”
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Examples of Aquaculture
Common Name
Importance
Common Name Importance
Alligator
Flesh is used for food &
the skin is used for leather
Salmon
Popular food fish
Bullfrog
Cultured for food & lab
use.
Shrimp
China is the world leader
in shrimp production
Crawfish
Primarily Grown in
Louisiana and Texas for
food
Tilapia
Grown in warm water or
intensive systems
Eel
Popular food in Italy,
Japan, other countries
Trout
Produced in Northern
US for food purposes
Goldfish
Popular ornamental fish
in US
Freshwater Prawn
Successful production in
Asia & other countries
Minnow
Popular bait fish in US
Watercress
Catfish
Grown in Southern US
for food purposes
Only aquatic foliage
consumed on a regular
basis in US in raw salads
or cooked
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Comparing Aquaculture &
Agriculture
Farming
Aquaculture
Occurs on Land
Occurs in water
Limited by water supply
Many plant and animal crops
Limited by oxygen dissolved
in water
Many plant and animal corps
Domesticated plants &
animals
Wild and/or domesticated
plants and animals
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History of Aquaculture
• 2000 B.C.
– Aquaculture started in China with common carp
• 1700
– Japanese practiced mariculture
• Aquaculture in saltwater
• Middle Ages – Europe
– Fish grown in moats around castles
• Main use was to store fish caught in the wild until the
were needed for food
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U.S. Aquaculture
• National Aquaculture Act of 1980
– Established aquaculture as a national priority
– Stated that various government agencies should
work together in planning aquaculture
development in the nation.
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Why has aquaculture grown in
the last 50 years?
• Production increases in catfish,
trout and salmon industries.
• Aqua farmers have learned to
make their operations more
profitable by vertically
integrating the industry.
• Increase in consumption in fish
and seafood
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Meat Consumption in the United States
(pounds per person per year)
Pork
Beef & Veal
Others
Fish & Seafood
Poultry
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US Aquaculture Production Triples in a Decade
M
i
l
l
i
o
n
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
1980
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
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Advantages of Aquaculture
• Provides a quality product on a year-round basis
• Insures a larger supply of the desired or demanded
aqua crops
– Insures availability
• Can control environment of production
– Eliminates possibilities of contamination of water fish
are grown in
• Helps provide essential nutrients in the human diet
– Fish are a good source of protein and other nutrients
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Disadvantages of Aquaculture
• Technology not yet available for the
production of some crops
– For crops to be produced, the farmer must
know how to produce the crop. Right now
there is not a lot of information about how to
produce certain crops.
• Lack of knowledge about aquaculture
• Competition from wild fish and seafood
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Importance of Aquaculture
• Source of Food
– Supplies a quality source of nutrition
for a growing population
• Provides valuable non-food
products
– Fine leather – eel skins, alligator
hides.
– Cultured pearls from oysters
– Shells & skeleton parts for home &
business decoration
– Frog & other aquatic animals for
educational purposes – dissection
– Less valuable shells are used in
paving roads & ornamental
landscaping
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• Contributes to human heath research
– Dieting supplements
– Medical research
• Creates demand for grain crops
– Used in feed rations for fish
• Creates jobs & economic activity
– Jobs created in producing & marketing aqua crops
• Provides recreation
– Sport fishermen are using “fee-lakes” stocked with
cultured fish
• Improves scenic beauty
– Aquascaping
• Using aquaculture to add aesthetic beauty to an area
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Three main types of Aquaculture
• Warm water aquaculture
– Commercial raising of stock that thrives in warm, often
turbid fresh water with temperatures between 70-90
degrees F
• Cold water aquaculture
– Commercial production of stock that thrives in cool,
clear fresh water with temperatures of 65 degrees F and
under.
• Salmon & trout
• Mariculture (marine culture)
– Crop thrives in salt water of various temperatures
• Shrimp, oysters, and seaweed cultures.
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