Program overview
Aquaculture, simply put, is about learning how to "farm" fish, shrimp, crabs, and shellfish in water. You might wonder, do you really need to study fish farming? Actually, there's a lot to it: from how to raise fry, what feed to use for fast growth without disease, to controlling water quality, designing ponds, and even using big data and IoT to manage farms. Core courses include ichthyology, aquatic animal nutrition and feed science, aquatic disease prevention and control, aquaculture water environment chemistry, genetic breeding, and aquaculture engineering. China is the world's largest aquaculture producer, accounting for over half of global output. Many universities (e.g., Ocean University of China, Shanghai Ocean University, Huazhong Agricultural University) have strong aquaculture programs, with labs housing various precious fish and shrimp, plus advanced facilities like recirculating aquaculture systems and deep-sea cages. This major suits students who love biology, have strong hands-on skills, and don't mind a bit of fishy smell. If you're interested in marine or freshwater life and want to learn a practical skill, this major will be a great fit.