Introduction to Aquaculture (College Board AP® Environmental Science) : Study Guide

Alistair Marjot

Written by: Alistair Marjot

Reviewed by: Jacque Cartwright

Updated on

Advantages & disadvantages of aquaculture

What is aquaculture?

  • Aquaculture is the farming of fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants in controlled environments such as ponds, tanks, and coastal enclosures

  • Aquaculture has the potential to:

    • Provide a sustainable way to produce seafood

    • Meet global food demands

    • Reduce pressure on wild fish populations

  • Aquaculture is practiced in freshwater, brackish, and marine environments, depending on the species being farmed

Advantages of aquaculture

High efficiency and productivity

  • Produces large amounts of seafood in small water areas, making it a highly efficient food production system

  • More predictable yields compared to wild fishing

    • This helps to ensure stable food supplies and prices

  • Allows for year-round production, unlike seasonal wild fishing, which depends on natural fish migration patterns

  • Can be used to farm high-value species, such as shrimp, salmon, and tuna

Lower fuel requirements

  • Uses less fuel than commercial fishing, reducing carbon emissions and reliance on fossil fuels

  • Farming fish close to consumer markets lowers transportation costs and emissions

  • Some modern aquaculture systems, like recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), further reduce land and energy use

Economic benefits

  • Supports local economies, especially in coastal regions with fishing industries

  • Provides jobs in farming, processing, and distribution

  • Potential to create opportunities for small-scale farmers and developing nations to participate in the global seafood trade

  • Some aquaculture practices, such as integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), allow farmers to cultivate multiple species together

    • This maximizes efficiency and profits

Disadvantages of aquaculture

Wastewater contamination

  • Uneaten feed and fish waste can accumulate, polluting surrounding waters and leading to environmental degradation

  • Excess nutrients from fish farming can lead to algal blooms

    • These deplete oxygen and harm marine ecosystems

  • Some aquaculture farms discharge antibiotics and chemicals into nearby waters

  • If not managed properly, pollution from aquaculture can affect drinking water sources and recreational waters

Impact on wild fish populations

  • Escaped farmed fish may compete with or interbreed with wild fish

    • This can alter natural populations and reduce genetic diversity

  • Some aquaculture operations rely on wild-caught fish for feed

    • This increases fishing pressure on already stressed fish stocks

  • Hybrid or genetically modified fish escaping from farms can potentially spread diseases or outcompete native species

  • Overcrowded fish farms can attract predators

Disease and parasite spread

  • High fish density in aquaculture farms increases the risk of disease outbreaks, which can spread rapidly among confined fish

  • Diseases can spread to wild fish populations

    • This can threaten local biodiversity and damage local fisheries

  • The use of antibiotics and chemicals to control diseases can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria in marine environments

  • Parasites such as sea lice can infest farmed fish and spread to wild fish, impacting their health and survival rates

Awaiting image: Aquaculture impacts
Image caption: Environmental impacts of open-water aquaculture

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Alistair Marjot

Author: Alistair Marjot

Expertise: Biology & Environmental Systems and Societies Content Creator

Alistair graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Biological Sciences. He has taught GCSE/IGCSE Biology, as well as Biology and Environmental Systems & Societies for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. While teaching in Oxford, Alistair completed his MA Education as Head of Department for Environmental Systems & Societies. Alistair has continued to pursue his interests in ecology and environmental science, recently gaining an MSc in Wildlife Biology & Conservation with Edinburgh Napier University.

Jacque Cartwright

Reviewer: Jacque Cartwright

Expertise: Geography Content Creator

Jacque graduated from the Open University with a BSc in Environmental Science and Geography before doing her PGCE with the University of St David’s, Swansea. Teaching is her passion and has taught across a wide range of specifications – GCSE/IGCSE and IB but particularly loves teaching the A-level Geography. For the past 5 years Jacque has been teaching online for international schools, and she knows what is needed to get the top scores on those pesky geography exams.