Sustainable Aquaculture

Abstract

Aquaponics is a plant production system that integrates soilless culti- vation and recirculating aquaculture. Aquaponics is an environmentally-friendly system that makes full reuse of wastes that are used as fertilizers for plants. At the same time it is more productive than soil-based agriculture and has consistent water savings, which makes it the ideal technology to produce food in resource-limited and climate-change affected areas. The chapter seeks to provide an understanding of aquaponics by giving an overview of the state of the art of past and current research and by outlining advantages and disadvantages of aquaponics against traditional agriculture (soil, soilless) and aquaculture. A comprehensive description of the aquaponic components is given together with a summary of the different systems in use, providing keys for understanding their characteristics and suitability in dif- ferent climatic and operating conditions. Beside the production of quality crops for both market and backyard consumption, aquaponics could be a tool to address food insecurity in developing countries. Furthermore, new opportunities for aquaponics are also seen in the use of saline waters to provide tool for bioremediation of brackish-water and marine aquaculture, but management systems need to be adapted to the range of salt-tolerant plants and seaweeds available for either food, feed or fuel, as well as the market demand.