Objectives In response to the environmental pressures resulting from the global expansion of aquaculture, the scientific assessment of carrying capacity has become a core issue for coordinating industrial development with ecological protection and achieving sustainable development.

Analysis This paper systematically reviews the conceptual framework of carrying capacity, and elucidates its theoretical connotations and interrelationships based on a four-dimensional classification framework encompassing physical, production, ecological, and social dimensions. It summarizes the principles, applicable scenarios, and limitations of carrying capacity assessment methods at three progressive levels—including traditional empirical approaches, field experiments, specific growth rate methods, energy budget methods, and ecosystem dynamics models—revealing the evolutionary trend from single-factor assessment toward comprehensive multi-factor modeling, as well as the application of models such as DEPOMOD and Ecopath. Moreover, it explores the carrying capacity assessment characteristics and methodological suitability for different farming modes, including cage farming, pond farming, and bottom-sowing farming.

Conclusion Addressing the key challenges facing current assessment practices and proposes that a multi-model coupled assessment framework should be established, the assessment potential in deep and offshore waters should be expanded, and the ecological-economic-social system should be balanced, so as to provide a scientific basis for the sustainable planning and management of the aquaculture industry.