Aquaculture is a term that refers to aquatic farming activities and mainly aims to provide food sources. The activity entails the cultivation and harvesting of farmed aquatic organisms.
Aquatic organisms that can be farmed are quite diverse, ranging from fish, crustaceans (shrimp, crabs, lobsters), shellfish, seaweed, to sea cucumbers. The water medium used in aquaculture is likewise tailored to the organism's habitat, hence it is very possible to use freshwater, brackish water, or sea water.
What about the types of aquaculture that have been carried out so far? Read the discussion in the following section.
Types of Aquaculture
Based on the farmed commodities, aquaculture is divided into 5 types. Learn further about each of type of aquaculture below:
Fish farming
Fish is a popular aquaculture commodity. One of the reasons is that fish farming media is quite flexible. It can be done in ponds, tanks, or cages built near the sea.
Because of its flexibility, seawater, freshwater, and brackish water farming is common. Grouper and snapper are examples of fish farmed in seawater, whereas tilapia and catfish are farmed in freshwater, and milkfish are farmed in brackish water.
Shrimp and other crustaceans farming
Besides fish farming, shrimp farming is also popular due to high market demand. In Indonesia, the current popular one is vannamei shrimp farming (Litopenaeus vannamei) which uses brackish water. This species is typically farmed for around 120 days to acquire adequate economic value.
In addition to shrimp, other crustaceans such as crabs and lobsters are also widely farmed to meet market demand. The species of crabs and lobsters that are widely cultivated are generally species that can live in freshwater, such as mud crab (from the Scylla genus) and lobsters from the Astacoidea dan Parastacoidea families.
Shellfish farming
Despite being the lowest on the food chain, shellfish has a significant role for the ecosystem. This group of animals can maintain water quality and are useful for coral reef defense.
Because of its high economic value, shellfish farming such as blood clam has gained popularity. The process comprises several steps, beginning with preparing seeds from nature or hatcheries, followed by preparing ponds, selecting seeds to be stocked, stocking, cultivating, and finally harvesting.
Seaweed farming
According to a report from the World Bank, seaweed farming is one of the sectors thought to have the potential to help with poverty alleviation attempts. Cultivating this commodity can help to preserve biodiversity, open up the value chain, and provide job opportunities for women.
Seaweed farmers commonly cultivate seaweed that grows naturally, but there are also some that manage the entire cultivation process, from seed until it is ready to be harvested.
Sea cucumber farming
Sea cucumber is a marine animal of which some species can be consumed. Only a few of the many species have high economic value, for example sandfish (Holothuria scabra) and black sea cucumber (Holothuria edulis).
In Indonesia, the most popular sea cucumber farming is sandfish farming. The farming location must meet certain criteria such as having a sandy or muddy sand bottom that is overgrown with seagrass and remains submerged at a depth of 40-80 cm.
Why is Aquaculture Important?
You already understand what aquaculture is and its types. Following this, you also need to understand the importance of aquaculture. Here are some reasons why aquaculture is important:
Meeting food demands
According to the Aquaculture Stewardship Council page, aquaculture is the fastest growing food producing sector. Therefore, aquaculture plays a significant part in fulfilling the food demands of living things, including humans.
The growth of the aquaculture sector has contributed to an increase in the supply of seafood for consumption. Seafood can be a healthy source of protein for the rising human population.
An alternative for obtaining seafood sustainably
Compared to capture fisheries, aquaculture can be an alternative to obtaining seafood in a responsible way. This approach is implemented through sustainable aquaculture practices, such as installing the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The Wastewater Treatment Plant will lessen the negative impact of cultivation on the environment by ensuring that waste from farms or cultivation areas does not pollute the surrounding environment or can even be reused.
Creating job opportunities
Aquaculture is more than just an activity to produce food sources, but also a driving force for the economy. This sector has the potential to create jobs for the community. The long and multi-stage farming process undoubtedly requires a lot of workers.
The more the aquaculture sector grows, the wider the job opportunities in sectors related to it, such as the feed industry and fisheries processing. This condition helps to reduce unemployment in the community.
Note recording in aquaculture
Efficient aquaculture must be complemented by routine condition recording. By recording every progress and changes that occur in the farm or cultivation area, farmers can track the development of their production in detail.
The recorded information will help farmers determine the right actions for their cultivation. They can identify potential issues and make the best decisions. Furthermore, cultivation records are also valuable for evaluating cultivation success or failure at the end of the cycle.
Conclusion
Aquaculture is the practice of aquatic farming that aims to produce food sources. Based on its commodities, aquaculture consists of 5 types, namely
- Fish farming
- Shrimp and other crustaceans farming
- Shellfish farming
- Seaweed farming
- Sea cucumber farming
Aquaculture practices contribute to fulfilling the food demands of humans and other living things, and it can be a more sustainable alternative to capture fisheries. With its long production chain, aquaculture also has the potential to provide employment for the community.
In its process, farmers need to record cultivation conditions regularly. This is done to ensure that cultivation progress is properly tracked, and the records can be used as crucial evaluation materials.
If you are a farmer or prospective farmer who focuses on vannamei shrimp farming, you can use JALA App, a shrimp farm management application, to assist you. In addition to recording, JALA App allows you to monitor cultivation conditions as well as provide its analysis.
Are you interested in trying JALA App? Register at app.jala.tech and download the mobile version from Google Play Store or the App Store. Let’s cultivate better!
References
Global Seaweed New and Emerging Markets Report 2023 | World Bank What is Aquaculture? | Aquaculture Stewardship Council
