aquaculture
noun
aqua·cul·ture
ˈä-kwə-ˌkəl-chər 
ˈa-
variants
or less commonly aquiculture
: the cultivation of aquatic organisms (such as fish or shellfish) especially for food
aquaculture
transitive verb
Did you know?
For most of the modern history of aquaculture, only costly fish and shellfish like salmon and shrimp were harvested. But new technologies are allowing cheaper and more efficient cultivation of fish for food, and such common fish as cod are now being farmed. Seaweeds and other algae are also being grown--for food (mostly in Asia), cattle feed, fertilizer, and experimentally as a source of energy. Aquaculture is now the world's fastest-growing form of food production.
Examples of aquaculture in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Wills, who studied sturgeon at the Evans’ farm, said aquaculture is still in its infancy, and has historically relied on wild broodstock to replenish genetic diversity on fish farms.
—
Kylie Williams, Miami Herald, 29 June 2025
That means shifting away from carnivorous species like salmon toward unfed aquaculture options—such as mussels and oysters—which require no external feed inputs.
—Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
One solution was to promote aquaculture, also known as fish or shellfish farming.
—Christine Keiner, The Conversation, 28 Feb. 2025
Like other invasives, the carp were introduced in the 1960s to help aquaculture in the South, but have since spread to 31 states.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for aquaculture
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Kylie Williams, Miami Herald, 29 June 2025
That means shifting away from carnivorous species like salmon toward unfed aquaculture options—such as mussels and oysters—which require no external feed inputs.
—Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
One solution was to promote aquaculture, also known as fish or shellfish farming.
—Christine Keiner, The Conversation, 28 Feb. 2025
Like other invasives, the carp were introduced in the 1960s to help aquaculture in the South, but have since spread to 31 states.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for aquaculture
Cite this Entry
“Aquaculture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aquaculture. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
aquaculture
noun
aqua·cul·ture
ˈak-wə-ˌkəl-ˌchər
äk-
: the cultivation of living things (as fish or shellfish) naturally occurring in water
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share