Fish farming, or aquaculture, is the production of marine and freshwater organisms under controlled conditions. At present, aquaculture supplies over 50% of all the seafood consumed worldwide. Although the U.S. aquaculture industry is small, it is growing to meet the needs of consumers who want healthy, wholesome, sustainable, and safe seafood that is produced locally.
As the global population increases, there is a pressing need to find sustainable, environmentally friendly means of food production. This is especially true in terms of animal protein. Fish are extremely efficient converters of feed into protein. Aquatic animal production systems have a lower carbon footprint, as well as lower nitrogen and phosphorus losses, which are critical to maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Fish are "cold-blooded." This means they expend little to no energy to maintain a constant body temperature. In addition, water provides physical support. Food can be used for growth rather than maintaining stability and supporting bone growth.