Aquaculture: the production of aquatic organisms in a controlled environment through breeding, rearing & harvesting.
WHAT IS AQUACULTURE?
Aquaculture is the production of commercial seafood, and restoration of habitats in both inland and international waters, such as the Chesapeake Bay, which help replenish and rebuild keystone species populations such as oysters, clams, salmon, finfish and marine grasses, just to name a few.
The seafood industry has rapidly grown over the last few decades. Along with the increase of seafood demand, natural seafood resources have slowly decreased. With such a high demand the science and technology of aquaculture has made it possible to farm seafood in a more sustainable way in all regions of our coastal communities.
DID YOU KNOW?
As a country, we import 84% of our seafood. Aquaculture makes up about 20% of that seafood production with the shellfish aquaculture industry being the fastest growing aspect of the industry.
Globally, aquaculture produces almost 50% of seafood consumed
Freshwater Aquaculture makes up about 70% of US aquaculture. Farming trout, catfish and tilapia along with finfish like salmon, yellowtail and Pacific treadfin