What is a benefit of aquaculture as an agricultural technique?

Aquaculture, as an agricultural technique, primarily offers the benefit of sourcing food from aquatic environments. This practice involves the cultivation of aquatic organisms such as fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants under controlled conditions. By utilizing water bodies for food production, aquaculture helps to meet the increasing global demand for seafood while providing an alternative to wild fishing, which can be unsustainable due to overfishing and habitat destruction.

Additionally, aquaculture can be a more efficient method of food production compared to some terrestrial farming practices. It often requires less land and can produce high yields in smaller areas. By directly sourcing protein and other nutrients from aquatic systems, aquaculture contributes to food security and provides livelihoods for many communities around the world.

The other options do not accurately represent the primary benefits of aquaculture. For instance, it does not completely eliminate the need for fertilizers, as some forms of aquaculture may still require nutrient inputs. While aquaculture might require less land than traditional farming, it does not promote reliance on wild fishing but rather seeks to reduce that dependency.