Aquaculture and marine ecosystems: Friend or foe?

Altering and destroying habitat, such as mangrove forests, for aquaculture facilities Escapes of farmed species into the wild, enabling species invasions and altering the genetics of wild populations Spreading diseases and parasites to wild populations Releasing fecal waste, uneaten food, and pesticides into the local environment, decreasing water quality Contributing to the overfishing of wild fish populations because of the use of wild fish to feed farmed fish.