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Aquaculture
is the farming of aquatic plants and
animals for a specific purpose, usually
for human use. Aquaculture is different
from harvesting wild populations of
plants and animals because the aquaculture
industry controls the rate of growth,
death, and reproduction of the species
being farmed. Aquaculture of a certain
species—such as fish—develops
because the demand for fish is greater
than the available supply in the wild.
This has been the case for centuries
with plants and animals, which is
why the agricultural industry developed.
Although aquaculture is a relatively
new science in the western world,
this practice has been used widely
in other countries, such as China,
for thousands of years.
In Canada, there are concerns about
some forms of aquaculture, such as
salmon farming. Aquaculture is a business,
and production and growth rates of
the species being farmed must bring
in a good economic return. This is
accomplished by controlling growth
and reproductive rates, and can involve
the use of antibiotics and chemicals.
Waste is also produced, and because
these farms are enclosed, the waste
is concentrated in a specific area.
The waste from aquaculture operations
(including the by-products of the
antibiotics and chemicals) can contaminate
shell-fish beds and smother life on
the ocean floor in these areas. Aquaculture,
if practiced in a sustainable way
however, can reduce the number of
wild or endangered populations that
are harvested.
Click on Select-A-Career or EnviroCareers
to find out more about the environmental
jobs related to aquaculture:
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