Toward a Theology of Sustainable Aquaculture: Wisely Producing Safe Abundant Seafood While Enhancing Fruitfulness of Aquatic Creatures

Aquaculture, commonly conceived as "fish farming," includes the culture of animals, plants, or other species in water. Although about 70% of Earth's surface is covered by water, aquaculture often uses much smaller spaces such as tanks, ponds, raceways, or aquatic enclosures to grow aquatic food, fiber, and other resources. Theologically, humans are called to "protect and serve" (Gen. 2:15), and throughout the Bible, there are calls to good stewardship and cultivation while allowing for fruitfulness of other creatures. Biblically, fish are seen as God-created aquatic creatures, often used as food, with implications for wise stewardship (e.g., Psalm 8). *At the present, many fisheries around the world are overfished. Sustainable aquaculture should address environmental, economic, and health concerns, and it could help reduce the stress on natural fisheries. As the fastest-growing protein sector, aquaculture now produces more seafood than the wild harvest of all the world’s oceans (now approximately 120 million metric tons per year). This promising and expanding field (approximately 6–8% growth per year over the last 50 years) includes extremely efficient converters of protein, micro- and macro-algae (seaweeds) that can absorb unwanted wastes and clean the water, and filter feeders such as oysters and clams that clear the water of algae and other particles, simultaneously contributing various ecosystem services and habitat. Ongoing problems include pathogenic and related disease issues, environmental pollution in surface waters, food safety, increasing automation utilization, potential genetic concerns, and the relatively recent start of modern aquaculture (most aquaculture growth has occurred since 1970). This article addresses each of these hurdles, identifies areas of theological and ethical concern, and clarifies matters of interest to Christians and others, suggesting possible ways forward in this fast-growing but challenging field.