Aquaculture production has very significantly increased in tonnage and value over the last decades. It is seen as a potential solution to replace the declining wild fishery stocks. This publication is a first attempt to examine aquaculture systems within the recent framework of the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions (NbS). It reviews the critical contextual situation, highlighting major issues related to climate change, biodiversity losses and endangered marine ecosystems. It stresses the need for new approaches, such as the concept of NbS, to improve human ability to implement sustainable development and to reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).