Dossier

Aquaculture – Farming the Waters

Stefan Reiser, Cornelia Kreiß | 05.01.2026

FI Institute of Fisheries Ecology

Aquaculture is the fastest growing segment of global food production. Today, aquaculture produces 66 million tonnes of fish and seafood per year (excluding seaweed). Soon it will take over the role of catch fisheries as most important supplier.

Trout farmers in Turkey focus more on export, benefit from low wages and good rearing conditions.

The growth of aquaculture has developed very differently around the globe. Asia is certainly the main driver of the expansion. The extension of aquaculture activities are politically desired in Europe, too. But, the intensification of aquaculture presents some environmental and economic challenges:

First of all, the use of fishmeal and fish oil as ingredients of fish feed is highly criticised (to feed fish with fish). Substitutes for fishmeal as a protein source are not easy to identify. For instance, the amino acids have to fit the specific needs of reared fish. In addition, defining animal welfare in the case of fish is difficult, too. A lot of fishes are swarm fishes. Thus, low stocking densities do not automatically lead to a higher level of fish welfare. In terms of economics, nowadays around 600 species are cultured in ponds, raceways, recirculating systems, net cages, and long lines. These variegated production systems perform differently economically as they depend on different and sometimes unknown cost and return structures.

The Thuenen-Institute of Fisheries Ecology does research on alternative vegetable protein resources for aquaculture feed, evaluates new aquaculture species and innovative rearing techniques. A team of researchers of the Thuenen-Institutes of Fisheries Ecology and Sea Fisheries analyses the economics of aquaculture on the farm and fisheries level worldwide. Overall, our research aims to support the development of ecological and economical types of fish production systems for the future.

Landscape Laboratory EiLT - Ponds and water

Fish have been farmed in ponds in Germany and Europe for centuries. However, these fish ponds are not only places for food production. They are also hotspots of biodiversity and play an important role in climate and water. Little attention has been paid to the other potential uses of ponds, and little research has been done in this area. In Trenthorst, therefore, research will focus primarily on co-uses such as flood protection and ecological aquaculture.

Steckbrief zur Aquakultur (in german only)

Expertise

German aquaculture at a glance

More than 30,000 tonnes of fish and seafood are produced in aquaculture in Germany every year. That sounds a lot at first, but it only meets a small part of German demand.

Organic-aquaculture in Germany - an everlasting niche?

Organic aquaculture has so far been a niche market in Germany. Fewer than 50 farms operate organically and, with the exception of mussel fishermen, the number has fallen in recent years - even though there is a demand for organically and sustainably produced fish. Researchers at the Thünen Institute of Fisheries Ecology and Organic Farming have analyzed the reasons for this and which measures could boost the sector.

Projekte

Restoration of European oyster reef systems

Wie kann die Produktion von Austernsaat in ausreichender Menge und Qualität sichergestellt werden, um die nachhaltige Wiederherstellung der Europäischen Auster in Deutschland zu unterstützen?

Collection of economic data of the marine and freshwater aquaculture in Germany

As part of the EU Data Collection Framework (DCF), we collect economic and social data of the German aquaculture.

aqua benchmark

"Blue Revolution" is the term which is often used to describe the enormous growth of the global aquaculture in the last decades. Step by step aquaculture has established its role of the most important supplier of aquatic food while the wild caughts of fisheries stagnate. What are the determining factors behind this story of economic success?

National Animal Welfare Monitoring

The interdisciplinary project "National Animal Welfare Monitoring" aims to develop the basis for reporting on the status quo and the development of animal welfare in livestock farming.