Freshwater fish species account for almost 50.00% of the world's aquaculture production, with tilapia, carp and catfish representing the primary culture species. These species are cultured in numerous countries as they have adaptable feeding habits, respond well to a wide variety of culture technologies and are well accepted by consumers. All three species can be easily reared on commercially produced floating feeds. Feeds not only represent one of the primary production costs and source of nutrients but they are also the primary source of pollutants that contribute to poor water quality and disease occurrences.

Infectious diseases pose one of the most significant threats to successful aquaculture. The maintenance of large numbers of fish crowded together in a small area provides an environment conducive for the development and spread of infectious diseases. In this crowded, relatively unnatural environment, fish are stressed and more susceptible to disease. 

The economics of aquaculture is reviewed on two levels: micro and macro. Micro-economics in aquaculture deals mainly with the management measures and elements affecting the efficiency of operation at the farm level, while macro-economic addresses the assessment of social benefits and costs of an aquaculture project. If aquaculture is socially beneficial but unattractive to private investors, public support on credit, marketing, extension, training, and research may be appropriate, especially during the early stages of development.

Asia contributes over 90% of global aquaculture production and plays a key role in the development of appropriate culture systems and technologies. Aquaculture production accounts for almost half of world fish supply and increases by 10%. It is expected to surpass capture fisheries production in the next 10 years. Further development of aquaculture is also expected to help us move away from dependence on overexploited capture fisheries resources and to enhance and conserve aquatic habitats and biodiversity; but this expansion should not exceed the carrying capacity of water resources. Wild aquatic resources are essential sources of nutrition for rural populations. 

Biotechnology is permanently linked not only to aquaculture but also to commercial and recreational fisheries, because of its potential positive and negative impacts on these resources. A brief account of the history of genetic biotechnology use in aquaculture and fisheries. The growth of worldwide aquaculture has been sustained and rapid, and the explosion of research in genetic biotechnology has made significant impact on aquaculture and fisheries, although potential for much greater progress exists. Aquaculture and Fisheries Biotechnology: Genetic Approaches covers topics essential to the study of fish genetics, including qualitative and quantitative traits, crossbreeding, inbreeding, genetic drift, hybridization, selection programs, polyploidy, genomics and cloning.

The Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission, originally called the Indo-Pacific Fisheries Council is a Food and Agriculture Organization Article XIV Regional Fisheries Body which covers fisheries, aquaculture and related aquatic resource issues in the Asia-Pacific region. APFIC functions as a Regional Consultative Forum raising awareness amongst member countries, fisheries organizations and fisheries professionals in the Asia-Pacific region. In recent years, APFIC has covered a range of regional fisheries issues, including co-management of fisheries, low value/trash fish (may be referred to as bycatch where not targeted catch) in the region, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and fishing capacity management, certification in fisheries (e.g. ecolabel) and aquaculture, ecosystem approach to fisheries and aquaculture and improving resilience of fishery livelihoods. 

Aquatic immunology compacts with disease problems represent the largest single cause of monetary losses in aquaculture. In 1988, catfish producers lost over 100 million fish worth nearly $11 million. Estimates for 1989 forecast even major losses. The trout industry reported 1988 losses of over 20 million fish worth over $2.5 million. No data are avail on losses sustained by producers of shellfish. Bacterial infections constitute the most significant source of disease problems in all the diverse types of production. Gram-negative bacteria cause epizootics in nearly all cultured species. Fungal diseases constitute the second most essential source of losses, above all in the culture of crustaceans and salmon. External protozoan parasites are accountable for the loss of huge numbers of fry and fingerling fin fishes and are a cause of epizootics from all young shellfish. 

Fisheries oceanography can be broadly defined as study of the interaction between marine fish and their environments across multiple life-history stages. Traditional fisheries management approaches estimate population abundance levels as a function of the number of spawning adults without environmental or ecological input, but the field of fisheries oceanography has provided a framework to predict recruitment and define harvest strategies within an ecosystem context.

Freshwater aquaculture produces species that are native to rivers, lakes, and streams.  U.S. freshwater aquaculture is dominated by catfish but also produces trout, tilapia, and bass.  Freshwater aquaculture takes place primarily in ponds and in on-land, manmade systems such as recirculating aquaculture systems.

“The integrated process of information gathering, analysis, planning, consultation, decision-making, allocation of resources and formulation and implementation, with enforcement as necessary, of regulations or rules which govern fisheries activities in order to ensure the continued productivity of the resources and the accomplishment of other fisheries objectives. The fisheries management authority and the interested parties. The fishers and fishing companies would usually be the major participants amongst the interested parties. The fisheries management authority is that entity which has been given the mandate by the State (or States in the case of an international authority) to perform specific management functions. In many countries that authority would be a Department of Fisheries or, within a broader Department, a Division of Fisheries.

The Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission (APFIC), originally called the Indo-Pacific Fisheries Council (IPFC) is a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Article XIV Regional Fisheries Body which covers fisheries, aquaculture and related aquatic resource issues in the Asia-Pacific region. APFIC functions as a Regional Consultative Forum raising awareness amongst member countries, fisheries organizations and fisheries professionals in the Asia-Pacific region. 

The systems and technology used in aquaculture has developed rapidly in the last fifty years. They vary from very simple facilities (e.g. family ponds for domestic consumption in tropical countries) to high technology systems (e.g. intensive closed systems for export production). Much of the technology used in aquaculture is relatively simple, often based on small modifications that improve the growth and survival rates of the target species, e.g. improving food, seeds, oxygen levels and protection from predators.

An invasive species is a plant or animal that is not native to a specific location (an introduced species); and has a tendency to spread, which is believed to cause damage to the environment, human economy and/or human health. The term as most often used applies to introduced species (also called "non-indigenous" or "non-native") that adversely affect the habitats and bioregions they invade economically, environmentally, and/or ecologically.