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Open-Water
Since aquaculture is a controlled environment, you need to capture a space in the ocean or body of water where fish live and breed. In the ocean, you must lease a space of water from your state. This space of water usually depends on how many fish or what kind of aquatic crop, like seaweed, you intend to harvest. Once the space is leased, you need a netting structure, called a net-pen, to hold the fish. The net-pen is big enough to hold several dozen fish. The top of the pen penetrates the water, so fish cannot jump out or escape the pen unless the netting breaks.
On Land
Successful aquaculture can be situated on land as well. Within a large space, preferably inside a building or state-approved greenhouse, an aquaculture habitat can be built and be as successful as an on open ocean-based farm. The Food and Drug Administration promotes on-land aquaculture for its high ability to control the environment for the fish. This can lead to healthier aquatic life.
Dual Cropping
Some organizations, like the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, argue that aquaculture can be simultaneously grown in agricultural lands as well. For example; many countries have their rice fields submerged in water. It is suggested that controlled aquaculture be contained in these rice fields, so the fish may utilize some of the nutrients found in the soils and the rice or other crop in water is protected by insects, since many fish species eat the bugs.
Rebuild Stock Populations
Farmers who wish to help ecosystems and industries can often focus their aquaculture farming toward a niche of rare fish or sea plants. With environmental concerns high from pollution and over-fishing, many farmers focus their aquaculture on fish populations that are severely low in the wild. Focusing on low fish supplies may help save an entire species, and may also help the aquaculture farmer commercially invest in a rare fish to sell on the market.