A significant aspect of aquaculture is where the farms are located. Whether in saltwater, brackish water, freshwater, or on land, each situation brings different opportunities and considerations.
Aquaculture systems vary in location, from out in the open ocean, to inland ponds, and even to urban areas.
There are different methods of production depending on the location, each with its own considerations. The following general categories describe how aquaculture can be situated:
Inland aquaculture refers to raising organisms in lakes, rivers, ponds, or fabricated tanks; in other words, not in the ocean.
Near-shore aquaculture (or inshore aquaculture) refers to the most common type of open-pen finfish aquaculture, where the pens are located near the shore to facilitate the feeding and harvesting of the fish.
Offshore aquaculture (or open water aquaculture, or open ocean aquaculture) is a relatively new terminology that refers to locating fish farms in deeper waters some distance from the coast.
Within these categories, different methods are utilized depending on the species or type of seafood farmed. Some methods, such as small-scale bivalve farming or pond-based herbivorous fish farming, are considered low-risk and are perhaps even restorative and sustainable. Other types, such as open net pen carnivorous fish farming, are intensive and are designed to maximize production. These intensive types are considered high risk because they raise environmental, economic, and health concerns.
in Aquaculture 101
