Effect of aquaculture on world fish supplies

Global production of farmed fish and shellfish has more than doubled in the past 15 years. Many people believe that such growth relieves pressure on o cean fisheries, but the opposite is true for some types of aquaculture. Far ming carnivorous species requires large inputs of wild fish for feed. Some aquaculture systems also reduce wild fish supplies through habitat modifica tion, wild seedstock collection and other ecological impacts. On balance, g lobal aquaculture production still adds to world fish supplies; however, if the growing aquaculture industry is to sustain its contribution to world f ish supplies, it must reduce wild fish inputs in feed and adopt more ecolog ically sound management practices.