Aquaculture is as diverse as terrestrial agriculture: vertebrates, in-
vertebrates and plants are farmed using many different systems and
aquaculture meets both human nutritional needs and market demand for
luxury foods. A significant difference is the range of species that have been
investigated, commercialisation of over 300 different species from several
phyla including finfish, crustaceans (arthropods), molluscs and echino-
derms has been considered at some level. This raises questions about how
to approach developing strategies for feeding aquaculture and optimising
research and development. Choices about which species to farm may have
to be made. Some species obtain nutrition directly from the environment
and don’t require feeding, these not only include aquatic plants but also
animals such as filter-feeding molluscs or detritus-feeding “worms”. Apart
from seaweeds, aquaculture production is dominated by Chinese major
carps grown under semi-intensive systems that integrate polyculture in
freshwater ponds with terrestrial agriculture. Carp polyculture presents an
excellent approach to sustainable aquaculture, it is based on sophisticated
management of at least six key fish species that occupy different trophic
niches, these connections allows cycling of nutrients through food webs
and recycling of by-products from terrestrial agricultural. In 2011 nearly 23
million Mt of carp were grown and accounted for 38% total aquaculture
production (1). Semi-intensive aquaculture systems represented by carp
polyculture are essential components underpinning increasing aquacul-
ture production and a global strategy for food security.