Aquaculture & Fisheries

Aquaculture methods

Aquaculture, also known as aquafarming, is the farming of fish, crustaceans, molluscs, aquatic plants, algae, and other organisms. Aquaculture involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions, and can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is the harvesting of wild fish.Aquaculture is of different types like Mariculture, Fish Farming, Algaculture, Inland Pond Culture, Recirculating Systems, Open-net pen and Cage Systems

The farming of fish is the most common form of aquaculture. It involves raising fish commercially in tanks, fish ponds, or ocean enclosures, usually for food. Aquaculture is a method used to produce food and other commercial products, restore habitat and replenish wild stocks, and rebuild populations of threatened and endangered species. There are two main types of aquaculture—marine and freshwater. Marine aquaculture refers to the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of aquatic plants and animals. It can take place in the ocean, or on land in tanks and ponds. U.S. marine aquaculture produces primarily oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp, salmon, and other marine fish. Freshwater aquaculture refers to raising and breeding aquatic animals (fish, shrimp, crab, shellfish, etc.) and plants for economic purposes by the use of ponds, reservoirs, lakes, rivers, and other inland waterways (including brackish water), which play an important role in the aquaculture industry. Pisciculture involves only the culture and rearing of fish whereas aquaculture involves culture and rearing of fish as well as other aquatic organisms such as prawn, oyster, etc. Through these cultures the production of aquatic plants and animals both marine and fresh water have been enormously increased.