Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms - fish, shellfish, algae and aquatic plants - under controlled or semi-controlled conditions. Unlike capture fisheries, growth, feed, water quality and harvest are managed by the farmer.
Aquaculture can be practised in freshwater, brackish water or seawater depending on species requirements and local conditions. Fish and shellfish can be farmed directly in natural waters - for example in cages placed in lakes, fjords, rivers or coastal waters. Farming can also take place in land-based facilities.
Traditionally many farms have been flow-through systems where water is taken from a nearby watercourse through ponds, raceways or culture channels before being returned to the environment. Modern aquaculture also includes recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), where water is reused and treated in several stages with mechanical filters, biological treatment, degassing, UV or ozone. By controlling water quality, the farmer can create optimal conditions for fish growth while reducing water use and environmental impact.
Aquaculture is today the fastest-growing sector in food production and has become a central part of the world supply of fish and shellfish. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), about 141 million tonnes of aquaculture products were produced globally in 2024, including fish, shellfish, crustaceans, algae and seaweeds. Of this, just over 100 million tonnes were farmed aquatic animals such as fish, shrimp and mussels. Aquaculture now accounts for more than half of world production of aquatic animals and is therefore one of the most important protein sources for a growing global population.
The world in brief
Asia dominates global volume. China is the world's largest producer with extensive freshwater and coastal culture (fish, shrimp, mussels, algae). Southeast Asia (e.g. Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand) is strong in shrimp, pangasius and other warm-water species. India is growing fast in freshwater aquaculture and shrimp. Japan and Korea combine advanced technology with premium species, often in smaller high-value systems. Africa has large potential and expanding pond and tilapia culture, though infrastructure and feed chains vary widely between countries. North America combines traditional farming with investment in land-based salmonids (RAS). South America - especially Chile - is a powerhouse in cage salmon, with growing focus on technology and sustainability. Western Europe and the UK mix cage, raceway and land-based projects; Eastern Europe has ponds, pike-perch/perch and rising interest in modern systems. In the Nordic countries, cage farming is strong in Norway, while Sweden, Finland and other inland settings more often work with rainbow trout, Arctic char and land-based or semi-land-based systems - raceways, semi-flow-through and RAS.
See also the sections on production systems and species, and our DABCE FlowFarm model for concept sizing.