What is aquaculture, exactly? And, is it the solution to overfishing? With increasing climate change hazards, global populations, and seafood consumption, so has the implementation of aquaculture farming to address these challenges. 

However, more must be done to provide sustainable aquafarming solutions and prevent the endangerment of wild fish, aquatic species, and their habitats—while preserving the commercial seafood trade. 

Learn more about aquaculture, its benefits and disadvantages, and how it can help solve overfishing. 

7 FAQs About Aquaculture, Pros/Cons, & Overfishing Solutions

Below are the seven most frequently asked questions about aquaculture and how to effectively improve farming practices to resolve overfishing and environmental hazards.

1. What is Aquaculture? 

Aquaculture is the agriculture of fish and aquatic species without harvesting them in the wild. It utilizes captive-bred fishing for sustainable commercial seafood production. 

There are two different types of aquaculture: marine and freshwater. 

Marine Aquaculture

Marine aquaculture (mariculture) cultivates captive-bred fish and aquatic species in the ocean or on land. Common oceanic species that are farmed in mariculture include salmon and trout. 

Freshwater Aquaculture

Freshwater aquaculture utilizes cultivation processes similar to mariculture. The main difference is that it farms in rivers, lakes, ponds, reservoirs, bays, and manmade freshwater bodies or on land. Common species produced in freshwater aquaculture include shrimp, crab, and tilapia. 

2. What is Aquafarming? 

Aquafarming is a term used interchangeably to describe aquaculture. Aqua farms typically focus more on sustainability and prioritize aquatic health during production than traditional commercial seafood facilities.

3. How Does Aquaculture Work? 

There are various types of aquaculture farming methods. One of the main aquaculture techniques they use is open or closed net pen systems. 

Net pens simultaneously cultivate fish and aquatic species in a controlled and natural environment. They’re large net-like cages anchored nearshore or offshore in oceans and freshwater bodies to farm them in ideal water conditions. Fish and aquatic species gain the natural environmental benefits in net pens, like oxygen from ocean currents.  

An aquaculture farm can use open-net or closed-net pens depending on containment requirements. Some may want the most natural water conditions for their fish and aquatic species, while others prioritize reducing the risks of them escaping.

Additional closed aquaculture farming methods include:

• Raceways: Distributed treated water to wells and natural streams before it’s discharged into surrounding waters. Common species farmed include rainbow trout. 
• Re-Circulation Systems: Re-circulating treated water before it’s released. Common species farmed include sturgeon, striped bass, and Artic char. 
• Tank Culture: Controlled large water tanks on land, sometimes with microorganisms, to naturally improve water quality and waste management. Common species cultivated include oysters and catfish. 

4. What Are the Benefits of Aquaculture? 

There are various advantages of aquaculture for commercial seafood production and global consumption. 

Preserves Wild Fish & Aquatic Species

Raising captive-bred fish and aquatic species reduces the pressure on wildlife. It prevents them from becoming endangered and extinct because it doesn’t harvest them from the wild. It allows wildlife to breed and spawn more when fewer are removed from their natural habitats for commercial seafood production. 

Provides Sustainable Solutions for the Commercial Seafood Industry

The commercial seafood production industry has significantly grown over the years due to rising consumer demands. Research studies predict global fish consumption will rapidly increase around 80% by 2050, sustaining seafood as a top importer internationally.  

Aquaculture farms meet these growing demands sustainably without risking food security. Because fish and other aquatic species aren’t harvested from the wild, it preserves natural ecosystems and global food supplies through captive breeding.

Prevents Water Pollution

Modern aquaculture facilities adhere to strict regulations to ensure aquatic species are raised and bred in clean water conditions. These measures for nearshore/offshore aquafarms are in place to prevent disease and pollution from spreading to surrounding waters. 

Aquafarming standards in the U.S. include:

• Third-party compliance certifications
• Monthly veterinarian visits
• Modern tracking and fish-feeding measurement technologies 

Some marine aquafarms are also set up deeper into the ocean to prevent water pollution risks with close and continuous monitoring. 

5. What Are the Disadvantages of Aquaculture?

Although there are many aquaculture benefits, there are also some disadvantages in current farming systems—and how they can be improved. 

Risks of Environmental Hazards Without Strict Aquaculture Standards

Although most aquafarms adhere to regulatory standards, it isn’t implemented globally. Various countries face challenges in the aquaculture industry, such as social issues and limited resources, in complying with ethical aquafarming and best ecological practices.

International cooperation and public lobbying for improved aquafarming policies can help resolve these issues. Advocating for necessary aquaculture regulations helps provide aquafarms with the resources they need for sustainable, compliant production processes. 

Aquafarms can also move their net pen systems offshore or onshore to reduce environmental hazard risks. Nearshore aquaculture can pollute oceans from fish waste and chemical-based cleaning products, causing toxic algal blooms and ecosystem damage. 

Deep sea aquafarming reduces these hazards because of the stronger currents that help dilute this waste without dehydrating water bodies. Onshore aquafarming prevents these risks because it’s a controlled water environment on land. 

At SIAA, our foundation doesn’t fall into this category. Our members diligently follow strict aquaculture practices that protect the environment and the well-being of fish to support endangered species preservation.

Escapes of Non-Native Fish Species

Aquaculture fish sometimes escape their controlled environments, which disrupts local native ecosystems and gene pools. If captive-bred fish breed with wildlife, they can mass-spawn weak offspring due to their farmed genes, reducing their chances of survival and endangering species groups. It also disrupts natural ecosystems due to their diluted and impure genetics. 

Escaped aquaculture fish can also attract predators, risking them getting caught in these net pens and even drowning marine mammals. 

The consequences of escaping aquaculture fish can be prevented with:

• Regular Barrier Inspections: Ongoing checks for net pen rips, water tank holes, and minor damages before they grow into larger structural issues. 
• Advanced Aquaculture Monitoring Technology: Immediate notifications and wide-range tracking to recapture escaped fish and other species timely. 
• Retention/Detention Ponds: Implementing outer controlled water barriers can help contain aquaculture fish and escaped ones.

Damages to the Environment Caused by Overfeeding & Harmful Feed Ingredients

Net pen aquaculture farms that overfeed their fish and use certain feeds can cause environmental issues. Overfeeding aquaculture fish can significantly increase waste disposal, resulting in ecological damage from nitrogen and phosphorus. 

Additionally, some fish feeds contain harmful ingredients, like heavy metals, which can spill into the surrounding waters from net pen systems. 

Aqua fisheries can reduce these risks by investing in technologies that accurately measure their fish’s appetite and behaviors to prevent over/underfeeding them. Using vegetable-based fish feeds without heavy metal contaminants also prevents these hazards. 

6. How Much of the World’s Seafood Comes from Aquaculture? 

More than 50% of the world’s seafood comes from aquaculture—and this is projected to increase due to rising seafood consumption. That’s why, now more than ever, improving aquaculture farming methods for sustainable seafood production solutions is crucial. 

7. Is Aquaculture the Solution to Overfishing? 

Consuming seafood from aquaculture farms can be an overfishing solution with necessary changes. 

To effectively resolve and prevent overfishing, aqua fisheries must do the following:

• Data-Driven Technology Investments: Fish feed measurement software to prevent overfeeding spills, wide-range tracking to recapture escaped fish, etc. 
• Global Aquafarm Compliance: International government certifications, veterinarian visits, behavior analysis technology to enforce ethical fish aquafarming, etc. 
• Aquafarm Production improvements: Utilizing low-risk closed containment systems, moving nearshore to offshore/land, consulting aquaculture conservation groups, etc. 
• Government Policy Modernization: Strengthening existing domestic and international aquaculture laws to safely and sustainably farm aquatic species.

Safeguard Aquatic Ecosystems with SIAA: Support Our Mission in Advocating for Sustainable Aquaculture 

Aquaculture can be the solution to overfishing with long-term changes to current farming standards. At SIAA, our partners include the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) to advocate for improved aquafarming policies. We lobby for sustainable aquaculture solutions to safeguard our aquafarms and ecosystems.  

Anyone can join our mission to make a difference not just in aquaculture but also on our planet. 

You can become a SIAA member to support us and gain exclusive access to our legislative and conservation efforts.

Can’t commit to a monthly membership? 

You can give a one-time donation that generously contributes to our critical advancements in promoting sustainability in the aquaculture industry. 

Let’s protect our planet and food security together.