Aquaculture
Aquaculture is the farming and harvesting of aquatic plants and animals. This is similar to agriculture, but aquaculture takes place in water sources such as lakes and rivers.
Background
Aquaculture was started by humans more than a thousand years ago [1] China is the world’s largest aquaculture-producing nation. [1] Aquaculture has become the fastest agricultural production since the 1970’s. [1] In the 1970’s, aquaculture only represented 4% of seafood production, but now half of the world's seafood supply comes from aquaculture. [1]
Importance of aquaculture
There are positive impacts due to aquaculture.
•Aquaculture helps the society to worry less about the seafood products they are purchasing. Researchers are helping to feed fish with only fish food and to raise them in fresh water instead of feeding them with antibiotics and raising them in contaminated water [2] This will help to keep the seafood products longer and healthier.
•The Global Aquaculture Alliance's goal is to feed the world through responsible aquaculture [3] This Alliance is effective because of their certification program when it comes to packaging the products. [3]
•Aquaculture also produces biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. [1]
•Aquaculture can be an effective investment. The Cargill Incorporation transformed into a major aqua feeding producer [4] A corporation in Japan invested money into this business paying 1.4 billion as well becoming the second salmon farm in the world with the Marine Harvest being the largest producer. [4] The World Bank estimates that more than 60% of fish eaten will be raised from the farm. [4]
•Many jobs are created from aquaculture. Aquaculture can help meet consumer demands and generate jobs as well as income [5] Greece provides around 10,000 direct jobs in related industries such as food production, net manufacturing, and services [5] There has been an increase in employment by 4.5% due to aquaculture. [5]
Challenges of aquaculture
•Aquaculture faces challenges that impact the production of feeding humans. The more the economy grows the more aquaculture will have to be produced. Food security such as improving fisheries and caring for agricultural sectors is a challenge especially dealing with climate change issues. [6]
•There are issues when it comes to creating a new aquaculture legislation. The plan is to put aquaculture facilities on land. The board has to take the citizens into consideration based on where they place the facilities. People are worried about the smells, contamination and floods that could come from these sites [7] The people who created this plan eventually won over the vote and informed citizens that they will be a clean climate facility. [7]
See also
Other closely related articles in this wiki include:
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The Huffington Post. (October 15, 2015). [1]. Accessed October 15, 2015.
- ↑ McRoberts, M. (2015, September 29). Amy’s Island Seafood, Harbor Branch researchers growing aquaculture industry in St. Lucie County [News Website].[2]. Accessed October 1, 2015.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The global aquaculture alliance.(2014, May 7). Global Aquaculture Alliance | Feeding the World Through Responsible Aquaculture.This GAA looks for solutions to the problems with aquaculture. Accessed October 8, 2015.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Maverick, T. (2015, September 14). Big Agriculture Becomes Big Aquaculture.[3]. Accessed October 8, 2015.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 NOAA. (2012, August 14). NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management : Aquaculture.[4]. Accessed September 24, 2015.
- ↑ Conserva, L. (2015, October 4). BusinessWorld | Aquaculture touted as food security measure. [5]. Accessed October 15, 2015.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Finn, L. (2015, September 24). Town board votes unanimously to approve new aquaculture legislation [Information Website].[6]. Accessed September 25, 2015.
External links
- Aquaculture water use - by USGS
- What is aquaculture? - by Encyclopedia of Earth
- Fisheries and aquaculture - by Encyclopedia of Earth
- Fishing for answers - by National Geographic Education
- Aquaculture video gallery - by NOAA
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