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Types of Aquaculture

Aquaculture refers to the human activity of cultivating and harvesting bodies of water for edible fish, shellfish, molluscs and crustaceans for consumption. This can be achieved in numerous ways, from landlocked, manmade lakes and ponds, to open-ocean farming. China is the current leader in aquaculture, producing twice as much farmed fish and other sealife as every other country on the planet combined.

Open Sea
- Also called "mariculture" or "sea ranching," this type can take place in various sorts of marine (saltwater) environments, from gulfs to inlets to deep sea. Crustaceans like lobsters and crabs as well as some types of fish are cultivated this way with the use of cages. Submerged ropes on buoys grow mussels and the rocks in a farmed area grow oyster beds. Seaweed is also grown and cultivated with this method.
Raceways
- Raceways are artifically created or diverted bodies of water that are used to cultivate freshwater species that are river-borne, like trout and freshwater prawns. Certain types of algae are also grown this way. The principle is to have a controlled body of water that flows in and flows out at two terminal points. Sometimes this is managed naturally, but other times it is managed by locks and pumps.
Pond Farming
- This can be a fresh or saltwater method, depending on the species. Most farmed shrimp is produced this way, flooding shallow inland areas with brackish or salt water. Many early aquaculture configurations were terraced man-made ponds that also fed irrigation systems, and some modern pond aquaculture takes place in rice paddies.
Integrated Tank Farming
- Integrated tank farming or integrated recycling systems are completely artificial, relying on inputs to grow and sustain the fish and other organisms, but using the runoff and waste water to help irrigate hydroponic plant farms. This system is expensive and difficult to maintain, but it seeks to optimize the efficiency of farming inputs, especially fresh water.

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