Towards sustainable aquaculture: innovative strategies for reducing environmental carbon footprints across different aquaculture systems

Aquaculture is a crucial sector in the world’s food production due to growing populations and declining wild fish stocks. The increasing demand for seafood is met by aquaculture, but its rapid growth raises environmental concerns, particularly regarding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The production of feed, energy use, and organic waste are significant causes of these emissions. Carbon footprint denotes the quantity of GHG emitted into the atmosphere by individuals, companies or any type of activity, such as agricultural and fisheries production. This review implies the carbon footprint of several aquaculture systems, including pond culture, cage culture, bivalve aquaculture, shrimp farming, and recirculating systems, as well as the mitigation strategies to lower GHG emissions. By improving nutrient cycling and reducing feed dependence, integrated systems such as polyculture and Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture exhibit promise for sustainability. Furthermore, developments in feed, waste management, energy efficiency, and carbon capture via seaweed farming and biofloc technology provide significant methods to lessen environmental impacts. This review emphasises the necessity of focused mitigation techniques to promote sustainable aquaculture, guaranteeing food security and aiding worldwide efforts to reduce GHG emissions.