Saline and sodic soils represent one of the most serious forms of land degradation affecting agricultural productivity across arid, semi-arid and coastal regions of the world. Conventional reclamation approaches such as chemical amendments, freshwater leaching and drainage are often expensive, water-intensive and slow to deliver visible improvements, particularly in regions facing freshwater scarcity. In recent years, aquaculture has emerged as an innovative and complementary land-use option for salt-affected soils. By converting degraded lands into managed aquatic production systems, aquaculture not only generates economic returns but also initiates gradual physical, chemical and biological improvements in soil quality. This article reviews the concept of aquaculture-based reclamation of saline and sodic soils, examines the underlying mechanisms involved, presents relevant case studies, and discusses opportunities, constraints and future research needs. The synthesis suggests that aquaculture, when scientifically planned and integrated with conventional reclamation measures, can serve as a sustainable pathway for rehabilitating salt-affected soils while enhancing food security, livelihoods and ecosystem services.