Aquaculture engineering involves designing facilities, equipment, and processes for growing and harvesting aquatic animals and plants for commercial purposes. It requires knowledge of hydrology, hydraulics, environmental engineering, and biology. Waste management and water quality are major concerns in fish farming.
Aquaculture engineering is the engineering of the facilities, equipment, processes and systems needed to grow and harvest aquatic animals and plants for commercial purposes. There are few formal education programs around the world dedicated specifically to aquaculture engineering. People who practice this field often hold degrees in aquaculture, biological sciences, or traditional engineering disciplines such as agricultural engineering or environmental engineering.
Aquaculture is a fast-growing industry trying to meet the world’s growing demand for fish, shellfish, algae and other aquatic species. As fish is the main product of the industry, aquaculture is commonly known as fish farming. Fish and other aquatic species are raised, grown, harvested and processed under controlled conditions designed to maximize yield and profits and minimize costs and environmental impacts.
Fish farms and similar facilities rely heavily on water. Some operations grow their crops outdoors, usually in cages placed in natural or artificial bodies of water. Freshwater species can be grown in ponds or reservoirs, while marine species are typically reared in ocean waters. These are called low-intensity processes because they take place in open environments where engineers may have only limited control over some operational aspects. High-intensity aquaculture is practiced in ponds or other indoor facilities where conditions can be tightly controlled and maintained.
Aquaculture engineering is deeply concerned with water issues, especially water circulation and water quality. These areas require experience in hydrology, hydraulics and aspects of oceanography, civil engineering and environmental engineering. Aquaculture engineers are often called upon to design or supervise the operation and maintenance of pumps, piping systems, and other water transport equipment. Knowledge of water chemistry is also crucial. Marine aquaculture operations using seawater and freshwater aquaculture facilities using inland waters have very different water chemistry requirements.
Waste generation and management are major concerns in fish farming because many animals are confined to limited space. Waste includes urine, fecal matter, uneaten food and dead fish carcasses. These residues represent a risk to the health of fish in confined spaces and are an environmental problem in inland and ocean waters. This means that waste treatment, removal and disposal systems are required in most large-scale aquaculture facilities.
Biological science, particularly aquatic species biology, is another essential component of aquaculture engineering. Knowledge of biological science is needed to design and operate systems that will keep living things healthy and thriving. It is also critical to meeting the environmental needs of reproduction.
In addition to these essential skills, aquaculture engineering typically requires knowledge in other areas. An example is overseeing the design and construction of buildings, facilities, and external bodies of water or ponds. Processing aquatic species into final products may require specialized machinery, including robotics or automated systems. Sophisticated water quality monitoring, testing and control equipment is often used in aquaculture operations. Computer modeling may also be required to predict or simulate water quality conditions or fish production over time under varying operating conditions.
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