Aquaculture is a form of farming that involves many
different species of aquatic animals and plants. Some examples are shellfish,
food fish, sport fish, bait fish, crustaceans, algae, fish eggs, and mollusks. Aquaculture
is the most popular sources of protein worldwide and accounts for nearly 50
percent of the world’s food fish for human consumption. 85 percent of the world’s
marine stocks are either fully exploited or overfished, driving accelerated
growth in the farmed seafood industry. Aquaculture can be done in oceans,
rivers, ponds, or indoors in big tanks, cages, or raceways. Some fish are made
in aquaculture to replenish the natural population that is in the oceans
already that have become very low due to overfishing. The plants that are grown
in aquaculture are used for many different purposes, such as: pharmaceutical,
food, and biotechnology. There are other types of aquaculture as well depending
on where the species live naturally, marine or freshwater aquaculture. Marine
aquaculture is in the ocean and can take place in cages, suspended in the water
column, or on the bottom of the seafloor. This method produces species such as:
seabass, cod, salmon, and yellowtail. Freshwater aquaculture takes place in
streams, rivers, lakes and streams. This method commonly produces species such
as: bass, trout, and tilapia.
Aquaculture causes a lot of pollution and it can sometimes runoff
from farms and disturb the biodiversity of the ocean. This pollution comes from
chemical and excess nutrients from feeding and maintaining the food being
grown. It also comes from feces that all the fish produce on a daily basis,
which can disturb the natural flora and fauna on the ocean floor. Some examples
of chemicals used are: antibiotics, pesticides, and anti-foulants. These
chemicals are commonly used for farming done on the land as well. Another form
of “pollution” that comes from farms in bodies of water is in the form of
disease and parasites. It is harder to control disease in the ocean than on
land because it is in a fluid which makes it easier to transfer. These viruses
can transfer between wild and farmed species. Another problem with aquaculture
is the potential for them to escape and corrupt the wild population’s genetic
diversity. Aquaculture has to produce
their own feed for the animals they raise which often includes fish or fish
related ingredients which also creates a strain on overfishing.
Aquaculture in the U.S. is small compared to the other
countries. The largest production of species are molluscan shellfish (67%), salmon
(25%), and shrimp (10%). America is one of the largest consumers of
aquaculture, importing 84 percent of our seafood. Of this 84 percent, half of
this is produced by aquaculture. The top aquaculture producers in the world
are: China, Japan, India, Chili, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh,
Korea, and Philippines. There are many aquaculture organizations around the
U.S, the National Shellfisheries Association, Striped Bass Growers Association,
Texas Aquaculture Association, Aquaculture Certification Council, and many
others. Many of these organizations are put there for environmental protection
and regulations.
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