A Review of the Use of Unconventional Waters in the Aquaculture Industry

The aquaculture industry has experienced the fastest growth in the food industry with an annual growth of 8.9% since 1970. This industry has grown steadily over the last five decades, supplying nearly half of the fish consumed by human. As the population grows, one of the major challenges ahead will be human nutrition. Aquaculture can play a key role in tackling poverty and hunger. In sustainable aquaculture, the water source (quantity and quality) is important so that optimal fish production depends on the physical, chemical and biological quality of the water. The limitation and reduction of fresh water resources, population growth and increasing demand for fishery products have led to unconventional waters to be used in the aquaculture industry. Unconventional waters include recycled water, wastewater, and saline water. In different countries, these water resources have been used for producing aquatic species to provide food and protein. The most important limiting factor for the use of unconventional waters is their quality which can be used for aquaculture after physical, chemical and biological treatment. Due to the limited water resources of the country, the use of unconventional waters is very effective and efficient in drought management and is also one of the ways of developing the fisheries sector. In this paper, the necessity of using unconventional waters in the aquaculture industry (fish, shrimp, algae, and Artemia) will investigate.