Aqua CO1

Aquaculture

-            Is the science and technology of producing aquatic plants and animals. It is often equated to water farming or underwater agriculture and is the production of aquatic organisms for human consumption.

-            The art of cultivating the natural produce of water; the rearing or fattening of fish in an enclosed ponds.

-            Rearing of aquatic organisms under controlled or semi-controlled conditions.

-            Is also referred to as fish farming. The seafood that you find at your local grocery store is likely labeled as farmed fish.

-            Can happen all over the world, and it does: in coastal ocean waters, freshwater ponds and rivers, and even on land in tanks

-            Has been responsible for the continuing impressive growth in the supply of fish for human consumption

Aquaculture Engineering

-            Requires knowledge of the many general aspects of engineering such as material technology, building design and construction, mechanical engineering and environmental engineering applied in the production of aquatic species

Extensive Aquaculture

-            Involves production systems with low production per unit volume.

-            The species being farmed are kept at a low density and there is minimal input of artificial substances and human intervention.

-            A low level of technology and very low investment per unit volume farmed characterize this method

Intensive Aquaculture

-            Production per unit volume is much higher and more technology and artificial inputs must be used to achieve this.

-            The investment costs per unit volume farmed will of course also be much higher.

-            The maintenance of optimal growth conditions is necessary to achieve the growth potential of the species being farmed.

-            Additional feeding, disease control methods and effective breeding systems also characterize this type of farming

Semi-intensive Aquaculture

-            The combination of extensive and intensive production systems

-            An example is intensive fry production combined with extensive ongrowing

Super-intensive Aquaculture

-            These are technologically advanced systems designed for the highest possible stocking densities and yields

Polyculture Aquaculture

-            Raising multiple species together to improve efficiency and yield. Often seen in extensive and semi-intensive systems

Monoculture Aquaculture

-            Raising a single species in a controlled environment. Common in intensive and super-intensive systems

Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA)

-            Involves cultivating species from different trophic levels in the same system, each providing a benefit to the other

Open Systems

-            These are systems where there is a constant exchange of water

Earthen ponds

Are the most traditional and widely used

Cages

-            Usually placed in open water bodies like lakes or coastal areas. Fully enclosed, or all but the top, by mesh or nets.

Pens

-            Enclosures within a water body but restricted by nets or other barriers. The bottom of the enclosure is by lake or sea floor.

Raceways

-            Channels with a continuous flow of water

Semi-closed Systems

-            These are systems that allow limited water exchange

Flow-Through Systems

-            Water flows through the system but is not recirculated

Closed Systems

-            These systems recirculate water and have no exchange with natural water bodies

Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS)

-            Highly controlled environments with water treatment components

Aquaponics

-            Integrates aquaculture with hydroponic plant cultivation

Hybrid Systems

-            Combines features from both open and closed systems

Closed production units

-            Where the fish are kept in a enclosed production unit separated from the outside environment

Open production units

-            Where the unit has permeable walls, such as nets and so the fish are partly affected by the surrounding environment

Land-based farms

-            May be classified by the type of water supply for the farm: water may be gravity fed or pumped

Gravity systems

-            The water source is at a higher altitude than the farm and the water can flow by gravity from the source to the farm

Pumping

-            The source can be at an equal or lower altitude compared to the farm

Tidal through-flow farms

-            Water supply and exchange is achieved using the tide

Farms

-            Can also be classified by how the water supplied to a farm is used

Flow-through farm

-            If the water is used once, flowing directly through

Re-use or recirculating system

-            If the water is used several times, with the outlet water being recycled

Fresh Water

-            Water with very low concentrations of dissolved salts

Brackishwater

-            A mixture of fresh and sea water with salinity level 0.5 to 30 ppt

Mariculture

-            Specialized farming of marine organisms is saltwater environments. 35 ppt or higher

Dissolved Oxygen

-            Amount of oxygen present in the water that is accessible to fish, invertebrates, and all organisms

Stocking Density

-            Number or weight per unit volume

Aeration

-            Process of mixing, circulating, or dissolving air into a liquid

Traditional Coastal Era (Pre-1970s)

-            Dominated by passive brackish water milkfish earthen ponds relying exclusively on natural tide exchange for water turnover

-            Zero mechanical aeration, low stocking densities, and high vulnerability to seasonal climatic variations

Commercial Expansion (1980s- 2000s)

-            Rapid intensification of Penaeus monodon and Oreochromis niloticus culture

-            Widespread adoption of artificial feeds, diesel-powered pumps, and rudimentary paddlewheel aerators

Unregulated expansion led to severe environmental degradation, disease outbreaks (e.g., White Spot Syndrome Virus), and coastal eutrophication

Modern Engineering (2000s-Present)

-            Transition toward intensive closed-loop systems, High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) circular marine cages, and solar-assisted continuous aeration

-            Primary focus on biosecurity, water exchange efficiency (Q), continuous oxygen balance, and strict environmental compliance

50% to 54%

-            Aquaculture contributes over ________ of the total national fisheries production volume in the Philippines, officially surpassing capture fisheries

Seaweeds

-            Scientific Name: Kappaphycus alvarezii / Eucheuma

-            Primary Environment: Marine / Coastal

-            Dominant Culture Structure: Monoline floating raft / bottom stake

-            Production Share/Output: Highest volume output (~60% of national total)

Milkfish (Bangus)

-            Scientific Name: Chanos chanos

-            Primary Environment: Brackishwater & Marine

-            Dominant Culture Structure: Earthen ponds, marine net cages

-            Production Share/Output: Top finfish commodity (~400,000+ MT/year)

Nile Tilapia

-            Scientific Name: Oreochromis niloticus

-            Primary Environment: Freshwater

-            Dominant Culture Structure: Earthen ponds, floating lake cages

-            Production Share/Output: Second major finfish (~280,000+ MT/year)

Whiteleg Shrimp

-            Scientific Name: Penaeus vannamei

-            Primary Environment: Brackishwater

-            Dominant Culture Structure: Lined intensive earthen ponds

-            Production Share/Output: Highest value-density crustacean

Asian/African Catfish

-            Scientific Name: Clarias gariepinus

-            Primary Environment: Freshwater

-            Dominant Culture Structure: Concrete tanks, small earthen ponds

-            Production Share/Output: High-density urban/peri-urban finfish

Freshwater

-            Tilapia, Catfish

-            Lakes/Inland ponds (Laguna, Sebu, Sampaloc)

R.A. 8550

-            Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998

-            Under Philippine law, no more than 10% of the suitable water surface area in all lakes and rivers can be used for aquaculture purposes like fish pens, fish cages, and fish traps

Brackishwater

-            Somewhat salty

-            Common for milkfish, whiteleg shrimp

-            Can be found on transition zones such as river mouths, estuaries

-            Dominant in West Visayas, Central Luzon

Mariculture

-            Marine Aquaculture

-            Seaweed, abalone, clams

-            Dominant in Pangasinan, Davao gulf, Samar

Kappaphycus alvarezii / Eucheuma

Scientific name of Seaweeds

Chanos chanos

Scientific name of Milkfish (Bangus)

Oreochromis niloticus

Scientific Name of Nile Tilapia

Penaeus vannamei

Scientific Name of Whiteleg Shrimp

Clarias gariepinus

Scientific Name of Asian/African Catfish

Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT)

Measures how long a single droplet of water stays inside an impoundment before being replaced. It dictates the flushing rate of pollutants