1. Definition of aquaculture; its multidisciplinary nature.
2. Objectives of aquaculture: production of protein-rich human food; improvement of natural stocks through artificial recruitment and transplantation; production of sport fish; production of bait for commercial and sport fishing; production of ornamental fishes; recycling of organic wastes; production or industrial fish and fishery products.
3. Comparative efficiency of aquaculture as a means of protein production.
4. History of aquaculture; its present organization and status.
5. The need for aquaculture and the role of aquaculture in fishery development and management.
6. Different kinds of aquaculture systems in fresh, brackish and marine waters: pond culture; running water culture; culture in recirculating systems; culture in ricefields; cage culture; pen culture; bottom, raft, rack and tray culture of shellfish, etc. Monoculture and polyculture; culture of fish in combination with rearing of other animals.
7. Levels and patterns of aquaculture industry: extensive, semi-intensive and intensive cultures; small-scale rural aquaculture and large-scale industrial aquaculture.
8. Economic considerations in aquaculture operation.
Practicals
Field trips to selected rural fish farming sites, large-scale fish farming enterprises and multi-purpose reservoir development projects.
