Fish farming, often known as pisciculture, is the commercial reproduction of fish, typically for food, in fish tanks or simulated enclosures such as fish ponds. It is a type of aquaculture in which aquatic creatures such as fish, crustaceans, and mollusks, and so on are cultivated and harvested in a natural or pseudo-natural setting. A fish hatchery is a facility that releases juvenile fish into the wild for recreational fishing or to supplement a species' natural numbers. Carp, catfish, salmon, and tilapia are the most common fish species produced in fish farming around the world.
Global demand for dietary fish protein is increasing, which has led in widespread overfishing in wild fisheries, leading in severe reductions in fish stocks and, in some locations, outright depletion. Fish farming allows the establishment of fictitious fish colonies that are fed adequately, protected from normal predators and competitive threats, have access to veterinarian services, and are easier to harvest when needed, all while being separated from and thus not affecting the sustainable yields of wild fish populations. While fish farming is practiced all around the world, China alone accounts for 65 percent of the world's farmed fish production. Aquaculture produced more than half of all seafood in 2016. Aquaculture has been the primary driver of development in fisheries and aquaculture production over the previous three decades, with an average annual growth rate of 8.3 percent from 2010 to 2021, reaching a record 82.6 million tons in 2022.
Published Date: 2021-10-19; Received Date: 2021-09-10
