Aquaculture vs Fisheries

Aquaculture and fisheries is related to one another and one can hardly make out any difference between the two. Aquaculture and fisheries are both concerned with the cultivation and trading of fish and aquatic products. Though Aquaculture and fisheries have more similarities between them, they come with certain differences.

Fisheries are concerned with fish or shellfish. It mainly deals with catching, processing and selling of fish. On the other hand, Aquaculture is related to the cultivation of both aquatic animals and aquatic plants. Aquaculture is also called as “fish farming” and it involves the natural or controlled cultivation of shellfish, fish and seaweed in fresh water and marine environments.

Fisheries are solely related to catching wild fish or raising and harvesting fish through aquaculture or fish farming. On the other hand, Aquaculture is not pertained to cultivating and harvesting fishes alone. Aquaculture is a science that involves all aspects of the marine life. Aquaculture is a business that involves the production and marketing of shrimps, oysters and other animals.

Another difference that can be noticed is that pearls are products that are only got through Aquaculture and not through fisheries.

Though one can find slight difference between the two, fishery is a term so closely related to Aquaculture. Fisheries and aquaculture helps in the sustainability of fishes and also allows the population of fishes to grow.

About 90 per cent of the fish and shellfish are harvested through wild fisheries. However, the wild fisheries stock has seen decline in the recent years and Aquaculture is considered to be a way for sustaining these wild fisheries stock.

Fisheries and Aquaculture comes in various types. While Fisheries can be saltwater or freshwater, wild or farmed, Aquaculture can be Mariculture or Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture type.

Summary:
1. Fisheries are concerned with fish or shellfish. It mainly deals with catching, processing and selling fish. Meanwhile, Aquaculture is related to the cultivation of both aquatic animals and aquatic plants.
2. While Fisheries are solely related to catching wild fish or raising and harvesting fish, Aquaculture is a science that involves all aspects of the marine life.
3. While Fisheries can be saltwater or freshwater, wild or farmed, Aquaculture can be Mariculture or Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture type.
4. Pearls are products that are only got through Aquaculture and not through fisheries.
5. About 90 per cent of the fish and shellfish are got through wild fisheries. As the wild fisheries stock has seen much decline in the recent years, Aquaculture is considered to be a way for sustaining these wild fisheries stock.