What term describes the practice of raising aquatic animals?

The term that accurately describes the practice of raising aquatic animals is aquaculture. This encompasses the cultivation of various aquatic organisms, such as fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants, in controlled environments like freshwater or marine settings. Aquaculture is a crucial industry aimed at producing seafood for consumption while also contributing to the sustainability of fish stocks and providing livelihoods for those involved in the practice.

Horticulture, on the other hand, refers to the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and ornamental plants, which is separate from aquatic animal farming. Farming is a general term that typically implies the breeding of livestock and the growing of crops on land, but it does not specifically indicate an aquatic context. Mariculture is a subset of aquaculture specifically focused on the cultivation of marine organisms in ocean environments, but it does not encompass all forms of aquatic animal raising, which is why aquaculture remains the most encompassing and appropriate term in this context.