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Aquaculture (aquafarming) means farming of aquatic organisms including fish, mollusks, crustaceans and aquatic plants. It is the world’s fastest growing food production system, growing at 7 per cent annually. Fish (including shellfish) provides essential nutrition for 3 billion people and at least 50 per cent of animal protein and minerals to 400 million people from the poorest countries. Over 500 million people in developing countries depend, directly or indirectly, on aquaculture for their livelihoods. Fish products are among the most widely traded foods, with more than 37 per cent [by volume] of the world production traded internationally. These products are the cheap source of animal protein and mineral intake for people of the poorest African and South Asian countries (World Bank, 2004, FAO, 2007). In export business, the earning from aquaculture products is several billion US$, e.g., Africa's export earnings from fish products are calculated to be over US$ 2.7 billion (FAO, 2007), which now accounts for almost 50 per cent of fish consumed by humans and this share is expected to increase further to meet future demand. The demand of fish-meal and fish-oil supplies used as feed components in farming would increase in future. India tops the list of more production of fish by aquaculture technology among the tropical countries. Aquaculture is an important bio-resource of sustainable livelihoods for the rural poor and helps in eliminating poverty. The book also describes the methods of fish farming in tropical countries in great detail, and with a fresh and renewed approach. Special emphasis is given on ecological basis of fish farming in tropical countries. Economics of aquaculture is also considered in great detail.   

Contents: Introduction. 1. Aquaculture Farming Systems. 2. Major Categories of Fish Farms Used in Aquaculture. 3. Aquaculture Technologies. 4. Feed and Feeding Technology in Aquaculture. 5. Trade and Economy. 6. Management of Aquaculture. 7. Some Issues of 21st Century. 8. Disaster Management of Aquaculture Sector. 9. Legal Aspects of Aquaculture Sector. 10. Aquaculture and Livelihoods of the Rural Poor of the Tropical Countries. 11. Analytical Methods in Aquaculture. References.