Aquaponics nomenclature matters: It is about principles and technologies and not as much about coupling

Abstract

The food production system ‘aquaponics’ has moved a long way from its inceptions in the 1970s and 1980s. This paper suggests that it is the principle of aquaponics that should define what aquaponics is and then the rest follows according to systems and technologies. This paper supports the Palm et al. (Aquac Int. 2018;26(3):813–42) position of having a nutrient supply threshold (>50%) from the feed via the aquatic organisms to the plants. We test the most recent alternative definitions (e.g. Baganz et al. Rev Aquac. 2021;14:252–64) that overcomplicate existing definitions and nomenclature. Any new definition needs to be referential to existing terms and properly tested. This paper does exactly that, concluding that several recent changes by Baganz et al. (Rev Aquac. 2021;14:252–64) are not needed. We also debate that the key principle behind aquaponics is ‘all about coupling’. Whilst coupling is an important aspect, existing technologies and those that will emerge are far more complex. Finally, this paper highlights the idiosyncrasies in the term aquaponics and we suggest an alternative term ‘aquaorganoponics’, which in essence better describes the principles of aquaponics (s.s.) which transfers natural organic compounds combined with microbes in water from the aquaculture unit to the plants.