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Aquafarming Now Main Global Source for Fish, U.N. Food Agency Says

REUTERS | Photos by AFP/Getty Images

For the first time, farmed aquatic production has exceeded the catch from traditional fisheries, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in mid-2024, underscoring hopes that aquaculture can meet growing global demand for seafood.

In its latest biennial report on the state of world fisheries, the Rome-based FAO said global fisheries and aquaculture production in 2022 hit a record 223.2 million metric tons. Aquaculture, also known as aquafarming, is the cultivation of organisms such as fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and aquatic plants and algae in controlled environments.

The FAO said aquaculture production hit an unprecedented 130.9 million metric tons in 2022, of which 94.4 million metric tons were aquatic animals — 51% of the total aquatic animal production. “These numbers demonstrate the potential for aquaculture to feed the growing world population,” said Manuel Barange, the agency’s assistant director general. “It’s been the fastest-growing food production system [worldwide] for the last five decades.”

Nearly 90% of total aquatic animal production was for human consumption, with the remainder primarily producing fishmeal and fish oil, according to the 2024 report. 

Ten countries — Bangladesh, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Norway, the People’s Republic of China, the Philippines, South Korea and Vietnam  — accounted for almost 90% of all aquaculture production. The FAO said it is important to develop the industry elsewhere, especially in Africa, which imports more fish than it exports.

Although some contend aquafarming can damage the environment and introduce disease and invasive species into the wild, the FAO said proper regulation and monitoring can eliminate such scenarios.

Global per capita annual consumption of aquatic animal foods, a key source of protein for millions of people, totaled 20.7 kilograms in 2022, up from 9.1 kilograms in 1961, and is expected to rise in the coming years, the FAO reported.

The haul from captured fisheries has remained stable since the late 1980s, totaling 92.3 million metric tons in 2022. However, data showed 37.7% of fish stocks in the world’s marine fisheries were classified as overfished in 2021 — an increasing trend since 1974, when the figure stood at 10%, according to the FAO.

“The issue of sustainability is of great concern to us,” Barange said. He noted that many large commercial fisheries are managed well, including tuna stocks, now approaching 90% levels of sustainability. Additionally, 80% of the top 10 marine species consumed by humans are being sustainably harvested.

“This is a remarkable improvement over the last decade,” he said.

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