How Aquaculture Contributes to Overfishing

Fish farms are suppose to reduce overfishing by supplementing the worlds seafood diet, but some farmed fish species are carnivores that require wild fish to support their diets. Salmon is one of the most popular farmed fish carnivores on the market. They must consume three pounds of wild fish in order to put on one pound of weight.  Tuna is another carnivore that requires fifteen pounds of fish for its diet before it will gain a pound. Some farmed fish do not depend solely on wild fish such as Catfish and Tilapia. Another good option for farmed seafood is shellfish, because they are filter feeders that do not contribute to overfishing.

 

"The Use of Wild Fish in Aquaculture Ocean Issues from the Seafood Watch Program of the Monterey Bay Aquarium." The Use of Wild Fish in Aquaculture Ocean Issues from the Seafood Watch Program of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 June 2012. <http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/issues/aquaculture_wildfish.aspx>.