Like every farming, there are some advantages and disadvantages of aquaculture.
Fish convert nutrients into body protein more efficiently than cattle or chickens. This means that fish companies are producing more feed for less feed. Such efficiency means that less food and energy are used to produce food. Moreover, the manufacturing process is also less expensive. It saves resources and even produces more food. This allows to secure the reserves and minimize the environmental constraints.
Fishand other seafood are good sources of protein. They also have a higher nutritional value, such as the addition of natural oils in the diet, such as omega-3 fatty acids. Also, since it provides white meat, it is better for cholesterol reduction in the blood than red beef. Fish are also easier to keep than other meat-producing animals because they are able to convert more nutrients into protein. Therefore, his overall conversion of pounds of feed to pounds of protein makes it less expensive to raise fish because they use it more efficiently.
Seaweedsare progressively transformed into alternative fuel sources by making them produce fuels that can replace contemporary fossil fuels. Algae produce lipids which, if harvested, can be burned as an alternative fuel source, the only by-product of which would be water when burned.
Such an advance could reduce the world’s dependence on drilled fossil fuels, as well as reducing the price of energy by growing it instead of drilling for oil. In addition, seaweed-based fuel is a cleaner, workable energy source, which means it can help revolutionize the energy sector and create a more stable economy that avoids the explosive nature of oil and replaces it with a more abundant fuel source.
Aquaculture increases the number of potential jobs in the marketplace because it both provides new products for a market and creates employment opportunities because of the labor required to maintain the pools and harvest the cultured organisms.
Employment increases are mostly realized in third world countries, as aquaculture provides both a source of food and an additional source of income to supplement those living in these areas. Aquaculture also saves fishermen time because they do not have to spend their days fishing at sea. This gives them free time to pursue other economic activities, such as engaging in alternative businesses. This growth in entrepreneurship provides more opportunities for hiring and employment.
The seafood business in America is mainly based on trade from Asia and Europe, with the majority being imported. This results in a trade deficit for the nation. Aquaculture is one way to reduce this deficit at a lower opportunity cost, as local production would mean fresher seafood. It would be less expensive because of the reduced transportation costs.
Aquaculture farms also protect biodiversity by reducing fishing activities on wild stocks in their ecosystems. By giving alternatives to fishing, attacks on wild populations of different species at sea are reduced. Reduced fishing action saves aquatic ecosystem diversity from extinction due to overfishing.
They can have an unfavorable effect on the local environment. For example, antibiotics and chemicals that are used to treat fish. Fish farms can also produce large amounts of effluent, which can affect the immediate location. Diseased fish may escape from the facility and transmit their conditions to wild stocks.
Some farmed fish, such as salmon, sea bass and cod, are carnivorous. In order to ensure that they grow quickly their energy needs, they must obtain large amounts of protein. This protein is often extracted from smaller baitfish, ground into pellets. This means that wild stocks of bait fish such as sardines, mackerel, anchovies and other small fish are targeted, which impacts wild stocks.
If aquaculture presents advantages, one should not neglect the disadvantages related to this practice. Indeed, keeping fish in close proximity increases the risk of disease. If a fish gets sick from a contagious virus, it is likely to be transferred to other fish in the farm. Fish are also vulnerable to parasite infestations. There is also a risk.
