Antibiotics have been the key chemotherapeutic agents used in maricultural settings to achieve either prophylaxis or therapy. During the last 10 years, the world-wide frequent outbreak of maricultural animal diseases caused by microbes has resulted in extensive and intensive use and misuse of antibiotics. As a harmful side effect, antibiotic resistant bacteria, especially those with multi-drug resistance, are abundant and persistent in marine environments, causing even higher level of difficulty and failure in aquacultural disease control and treatment. Furthermore, via the food chain, interactions of land and ocean, and human maritime activities, antibiotic resistance can be transferred to and spread in healthy marine and terrestrial environments, putting human health and wellbeing at great risk. Thus, maricultural environments, as a cause, reservoir and dissemination source of antibiotic resistance, call for our immediate attention and investment of research efforts. Antibiotics have been the key chemotherapeutic agents used in maricultural settings to achieve either prophylaxis or therapy. During the last 10 years, the world-wide frequent outbreak of maricultural animal diseases caused by microbes has resulted in extensive and intensive use and misuse of antibiotics. As a harmful side effect, antibiotic resistant bacteria, especially those with multi-drug resistance, are abundant and persistent in marine environments, causing even higher level of difficulty and failure in aquacultural disease control and treatment. and ocean, and human maritime activities, antibiotic resistance can be transferred to and spread in healthy marine and terrestrial environments, putting human health and wellbeing at great risk. Thus, maricultural environments, as a cause, reservoir and dissemination source of antibiotic resistance, call for our immediate attention and investment of research efforts.