The chapter provides an overview of the global status and trends in aquaculture, highlighting its significant contribution to aquatic animal food production for human consumption. It notes that aquaculture, particularly shellfish and herbivorous/omnivorous pond fish, is dominated by natural productivity. The rapid growth in carnivorous species like salmon, shrimp, and catfish is driven by global trade and large-scale intensive farming. The chapter discusses the environmental and economic challenges, including the need to integrate environmental costs into production economics and the competition for natural resources. It also addresses the impact of climate change, future fisheries supplies, and the development of new bio-engineering technologies. The sector is highly diverse, with Asia leading in production, driven by pre-existing practices, population growth, and regulatory frameworks. The growth rate has slowed, and countries with low production have seen higher relative growth rates. Freshwater ponds and tanks, freshwater cages, coastal ponds and tanks, coastal cage farms, and marine molluscs and aquatic plants are the main production systems. The chapter also examines resource interactions and dependencies, such as land, water, and energy, and the environmental impacts of aquaculture, including conflicts with other coastal uses and ecosystem impacts. Finally, the chapter discusses strategies to address challenges, including integration approaches like ranching, integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), and integrated aquaculture/agriculture (IAA). It also explores technical responses to resource issues, such as fish meal and fish oil replacement, genetic management, welfare and health management, and engineering and systems technology, including recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and offshore cage technology.The chapter provides an overview of the global status and trends in aquaculture, highlighting its significant contribution to aquatic animal food production for human consumption. It notes that aquaculture, particularly shellfish and herbivorous/omnivorous pond fish, is dominated by natural productivity. The rapid growth in carnivorous species like salmon, shrimp, and catfish is driven by global trade and large-scale intensive farming. The chapter discusses the environmental and economic challenges, including the need to integrate environmental costs into production economics and the competition for natural resources. It also addresses the impact of climate change, future fisheries supplies, and the development of new bio-engineering technologies. The sector is highly diverse, with Asia leading in production, driven by pre-existing practices, population growth, and regulatory frameworks. The growth rate has slowed, and countries with low production have seen higher relative growth rates. Freshwater ponds and tanks, freshwater cages, coastal ponds and tanks, coastal cage farms, and marine molluscs and aquatic plants are the main production systems. The chapter also examines resource interactions and dependencies, such as land, water, and energy, and the environmental impacts of aquaculture, including conflicts with other coastal uses and ecosystem impacts. Finally, the chapter discusses strategies to address challenges, including integration approaches like ranching, integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), and integrated aquaculture/agriculture (IAA). It also explores technical responses to resource issues, such as fish meal and fish oil replacement, genetic management, welfare and health management, and engineering and systems technology, including recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and offshore cage technology.