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Aquaculture

Definition

Aquaculture, also known as fish farming, is the cultivation of aquatic organisms such as fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants in controlled environments. It involves raising these organisms for food production or conservation purposes.

Analogy

Think of aquaculture as an underwater farm where farmers grow fish instead of crops. They provide a safe and controlled environment for the fish to grow and reproduce, just like how traditional farmers care for their land-based animals.

Related terms

Fish feed: Nutritional substances provided to farmed fish to meet their dietary requirements. It can include pellets or formulated diets containing essential nutrients.

Mariculture: A specialized form of aquaculture that focuses on cultivating marine organisms such as seaweed, oysters, or shrimp in coastal areas or open ocean waters.

Overfishing: The act of catching too many fish from a population beyond its sustainable level. This can lead to depletion of fish stocks and disrupt marine ecosystems.