Aquaculture is the husbandry or rearing of aquatic organisms under controlled or semi-controlled conditions. Stated another way, it is the art of cultivating natural plants and animals in water for human consumption or use. It can be considered aquatic agriculture, or as some people wish to call it, underwater agriculture. It is sometimes incorrectly termed aquiculture. Aquaculture involves production in both fresh and salt water. Mariculture is aquaculture in saline (brackish and marine) water. Hydroponics is the raising of aquatic plants in water. Organisms that are grown in aquaculture include fish, shellfish (crustaceans such as crawfish and shrimp, and mollusks such as oysters and clams), algae, and aquatic plants. More people are eating seafood for their added health benefit. Not only can these organisms be raised for human consumption, but they can also be reared for the lucrative baitfish, health food, aquarium, and home garden-pond industries.

Aquaculture dates...