"Fish farming". This we can say is the literal meaning of the term fish farming, if we take into account that it is given by three Latin components that are what give it shape:
-The noun “piscis”, which means “fish”.
-The adjective “cultus”, which can be translated as “cultivated”.
-The suffix “-ura”, which is used to indicate what is the “result of an activity”.
It is, therefore, the techniques and procedures that allow promoting and controlling the reproduction of fish and other aquatic animals (such as shellfish). Fish farming can be applied in fish tanks, ponds, rivers or other spaces that have water as the main medium.
There is a broader concept that encompasses fish farming and other techniques: aquaculture. In this case, the word also refers to the reproduction of aquatic plants, algae and other organisms. Fish farming, on the other hand, focuses on fish and shellfish.
If this activity has experienced great growth in recent years, it is because it brings with it a significant number of advantages, among which we would highlight the following:
-The ponds where fish are raised can be created in spaces that do not have any type of exploitation at the agricultural or livestock level, which is why it is possible to take advantage of “useless” areas.
-No less important is that it represents a lower cost for the producer than if he had to buy fishing materials, fish them and then put them on sale.
-Another of the important benefits of the activity is that the fish farmer can control to the maximum what his production is according to his needs and also those of the market. And this is something that you could not do if you were fishing.
-Nor should we forget that it is also possible to have under control and monitoring both what is feeding the fish and their own fattening.
-In the same way, it is also a real advantage that there are no predatory species in the ponds. This means that there is no need to fear the loss or death of the fish that are 'farmed'.
Its origins go back thousands of years: the ancient peoples of Rome, Egypt, Greece and China, among others, already developed these practices. Historians believe that carp was the first fish to be farmed from fish farming.
Today it is possible to mention different types of fish farming according to the species of fish to which it is oriented. The mentioned carp, for example, is the protagonist of carpentry. When fish farming is aimed at saltwater species, it is referred to as marine fish farming, while if fish that live near the tropics are targeted, it is called tropical fish farming.
It should be noted that, in some cases, fish farming has practically replaced fishing in the natural environment. That happens with cod and with other species.