Fish production in ponds is the oldest type of aquaculture that has a more than two-thousand-year-old history both in Asia and Europe. However, raising finfish and other species in constructed earthen ponds is by far the most widespread culture method globally even nowadays. Pond fish farming is a diverse subsector of the world aquaculture with the wide range of species produced and colourful production method from the most intensive ones to the extensive way. The most significant species produced in ponds are Cyprinids. These species give the 48% of the global aquaculture production. Although the Common carp is the third most abundant species with 4,236.3 thousand tonnes production on global level, European pond fish farming, which is based on the Common carp production is less than 10% of total EU aquaculture production (FAO 2022).
In the EU pond fish farming is a special segment of the diverse aquaculture sector. Even if traditional pond fish farming left behind from other systems in volume, pond aquaculture has diverse and complex environmental benefits. Maintaining 250,000 ha of man-made wetlands in the EU, pond farms highly contribute to preserving wetland related biodiversity, especially those located in Ramsar- and NATURA200 areas (FDFS & HAKI 2020). Most of these fish farms comprise not one pond but entire systems of ponds, including extensive canal and/or embankment systems. We should emphasise however, that the mentioned benefits of fishponds would not exist if there were no well managed fish farming in the ponds. Pond farming requires low levels of inputs, strongly integrated into natural environment so have a low impact on the environment (Koushik et al 2020). Ponds are also contributing to increase the climate resilience with carbon sequestration, retention of water as well as the soluble and floating compartments of supply (Knösche et al. 2004). Pond farming assists in the better water management. Pond aquaculture provides one of the most complex web of different ecosystem services connected the human food production systems (Willot et al. 2019, Palásti et al 2020, Färber et al. 2020).
The cultural value of traditional pond fish farming has also been recognised by various international schemes such as the FAO Globally Important Agriculture Heritage Systems (GIAHS) or the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) (FAO 2024) . The operation of fishponds is a source of livelihood for many people in rural areas, where employment options are limited. The multifunctional characteristics of pond fish farms is also increasing (Békefi & Váradi 2007, Popp et al. 2018, 2019).
Preserving the complex environmental and social benefits of pond aquaculture and maintaining its traditions is an indisputably important task in which supportive policies must play an eminent role. However, in addition the preservation of this European cultural heritage, space must be open to increase viability of pond farming through innovations. Sustainability level of traditional pond fish production can be further increased by applying new systems and technologies. Fishponds can be important components of Combined Intensive Extensive systems for sustainable intensification as well as enhancing the circular approach integrated with other food production systems, either animal husbandry or plant production. These innovations could make aquaculture a key player in the freshwater blue bioeconomy. The application of early integrated systems (e.g. fish-cum-duck or fish-cum-rice) can also be reconsidered, using new methods, equipment and facilities that are now available as a result of research and technology development. There is a very wide range of possible utilization of fishponds, from extensive to intensive production function according to their size, location, environmental characteristics, and other factors. There is a need for further research and innovation to explore appropriate use of existing fishponds to meet economic, environmental and social challenges, without losing, but rather enhancing specific values that a fishpond can provide. This requires the introduction of a much more targeted research and innovation funding framework than is currently existing.