Aquaculture is done throughout the world and its nature and characteristics reflect the influences of historical traditions, climatic conditions and popular preferences.

Fish and shellfish have been part of the European’s diet for as long as man has been present on the continent. Indeed, 500 thousand years ago, Homo erectus would have caught salmon (probably by hand) and eaten it raw, perhaps accompanied by a few berries and nuts. Today, salmon carpaccio bears a distinct resemblance to such paleolithic gastronomy (first age of prehistory, till 10 000 BC) .

Mesolithic man (between 10 000 and 5 000 BC) appreciated oysters and mussels while fish have long been established as a highly desirable food. As farming activities developed, man also became able to master the rearing of animals and the same concepts were applied to fish.

Ancient Egyptian and Roman bas-reliefs show that fish were reared in ponds while it is also well known that carps were raised in antiquity in many of the Far Eastern (Asian) countries.

The farming of Carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Europe has its roots in China (the first Publication of "Fish Husbandry", written by Fan Li, was made around 500 BC) and arrived in Europe via the Roman Empire to be exploited by the monasteries of the Middle Ages (fifth to fifteenth century). Carp farming was practised within or close to the monasteries in order to provide fish for the requirements of the Roman Catholic religion. Charles the Great (768-814) ordered the construction of fishponds to overcome the demand for other meat products.

The mandatory requirement to eat fish on Fridays and to abstain from eating meat during Lent was difficult in areas distant from the sea and thus carp farming provided a solution. In addition, the food requirements of a growing European population stimulated the construction of fishponds during the first millennium.

This is the way that the southeastern part of Germany and Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic) became the centre for European carp production in the Middle Ages. From the very beginning, carp farming has been seen as having an important hydrological and ecological role within its contribution to social economies.

The most significant developments came with the understanding of the life cycles of the species and, therefore, the ability to breed fish in captivity. As improved understanding of the dietary requirements was obtained, the farming of fish was able to develop as a viable and secure farming activity.

These factors, combined with the ability to transport live fish and shellfish, have enabled the development of aquaculture to become a prime supplier of fresh fish and shellfish to the consumer, providing high quality products in response to demand.