Fish is nutritious.
Fish is more nutritious than staple foods such as cereals, providing in particular essential fatty acids and it is also rich in minerals and essential micronutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, zinc, iodine, fluorine, and selenium. It is among the recommended essential foods for infants, invalids, expecting mothers and the aged. It can play an extremely important role in improving the nutritional status of individuals.
Good utilization of resources.
Fish can be grown on non-arable land and in water which provides an opportunity for transforming non-agrarian resources into productive agricultural zones.
It is climate smart.
As opposed to crops and livestock, aquaculture does not extract water but rather, is a medium for production. Water from fish production is rich in nutrients and is good for irrigating crops (Integrated Aquaculture-Agriculture, IAA), thus saving artificial fertilizer. Furthermore, there are wide range of species and production systems that can be used for aquaculture creating vast opportunities. Farming fish also produces the least amount of carbon dioxide emissions per kilo meat produced compared to livestock.
Greater ability to tailor production to meet market requirements.
Unlike the fisheries where it is difficult to determine the exact species, size and quantity of fish one will catch above the allowable sizes; in aquaculture one can plan and produce the exact size, quantity and quality the market requires. One can also supply markets with live fish.
It is socially acceptable.
Both women and men can engage in fish farming. Especially ponds and the breeding of fingerlings are easily accessible without any greater risk for the working person. Furthermore, fish is and has been a culturally accepted food source in most countries.