the hanging gardens of Babylon were one of the earliest examples of aquaponics at approximately 600 BCE. Ample documented evidence describes the practice of a form of aquaponics by lowland Maya and Aztecs at approximately 1,000 CE. The Aztecs cultivated a system of agricultural islands known as chinampas in a system considered by some to be the first form of aquaponics for agricultural use. Chinampas are networks of canals and stationary (sometimes movable) artificial islands on which crops were cultivated. Nutrient-rich waste materials were dredged from the Chinampa canals and used to nourish the plants on the floating islands.
The ancient Chinese also employed a system of integrated aquaculture in which finfish, catfish, ducks and plants co-existed in a symbiotic relationship.
Modern aquaponics emerged from the aquaculture industry as fish farmers explored methods for raising fish with the objective of decreasing their dependence on extensive land, water and other resources. Industry initiatives throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s have made aquaponics a commercial success today.