aquaculture

noun

aqua·​cul·​ture ˈä-kwə-ˌkəl-chər 

ˈa-

variants or less commonly aquiculture

: the cultivation of aquatic organisms (such as fish or shellfish) especially for food

aquacultural

ˌä-kwə-ˈkəl-ch(ə-)rəl 

ˌa-

adjective

aquaculture transitive verb

aquaculturist

ˌä-kwə-ˈkəl-ch(ə-)rist 

ˌa-

noun

Did you know?

For most of the modern history of aquaculture, only costly fish and shellfish like salmon and shrimp were harvested. But new technologies are allowing cheaper and more efficient cultivation of fish for food, and such common fish as cod are now being farmed. Seaweeds and other algae are also being grown--for food (mostly in Asia), cattle feed, fertilizer, and experimentally as a source of energy. Aquaculture is now the world's fastest-growing form of food production.

Examples of aquaculture in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Invasive carp is a blanket term for giant fish that were first introduced in the U.S. in the 1970s to control weeds and algae blooms in wastewater treatment plants and aquaculture farms. —Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 21 June 2024

Since the founding of the first farms, alligator aquaculture has grown in popularity — not only for tourism, but also for hides and meat. —Hannah Farrow, Orlando Sentinel, 20 June 2024

Twenty million people work in the aquaculture trade, many of them in developing nations. —Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 17 June 2024

But the impact of aquaculture varies widely depending on the species raised, methods used, and location, and several factors make healthy and sustainable production difficult. —Alan B. Sielen, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2013

Word History

Etymology

Latin aqua + English -culture (as in agriculture)

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

aquaculture

noun

aqua·​cul·​ture ˈak-wə-ˌkəl-ˌchər 

äk-

: the cultivation of living things (as fish or shellfish) naturally occurring in water

aquaculturist

-ˈkəlch-(ə-)rəst 

noun