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Farming aquatic organisms such as fish, shellfish or plants through managed rearing, including activities such as stocking, feeding or protecting the stock.
Save conceptAquaculture is the farming of organisms that live in water, including fish, shellfish and aquatic plants. FAO distinguishes it from merely catching wild stock by intervention in rearing, such as stocking, feeding or protection, and ownership of the stock being cultivated. The word does not refer only to fish or only to farming at sea.
A farm can use inland ponds, tanks or sea enclosures, depending on the species and conditions. Producers manage the stock through a rearing period and plan harvesting. Feed, the suitability of the site and protection of the stock affect how the operation works. These features distinguish a managed production cycle from landing whatever fish a fishing trip catches.
Imagine a coastal producer stocks fish in a suitable sea cage and manages them until they reach the intended market size. The producer feeds and monitors the stock, then sells the harvest to a buyer. A second cage can begin at another time to spread harvest dates. This hypothetical example is not a claim about the number or performance of cages at a named Jamaican farm.
Successfully growing and harvesting fish demonstrates part of the production process. A lasting business must also cover costs and sell a suitable product at a workable price. Aquaculture is therefore different from a guarantee of cheap seafood or steady income. The farming environment, species, production schedule and buyers’ preferences all remain relevant to whether a particular operation can continue.
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