Ecology of Aquaculture Ponds

Abstract

It is tempting to view the production of fish, crustaceans, and other aquatic animals in ponds as an inelegant and archaic method of aquaculture. Although pond aquaculture is certainly an ancient method of growing aquatic animals, it is anything but inelegant. Pond aquaculture is generally the most profitable approach to growing aquatic animals because nature provides many of the resources needed to grow the crop. When pond aquaculture is conducted properly, the aquaculturist manages the pond in harmony with natural processes, and surprisingly high yields of food are possible with relatively little technological intervention. In fact, the only water quality management technology that is commonly used in pond aquaculture is mechanical aeration to supplement natural supplies of dissolved oxygen. It is this—the low level of technological intervention needed to obtain good levels of food production—that is the basis for the economic viability of pond aquaculture.