Fisheries and aquaculture hit a new record high in global production

Global fisheries and aquaculture have reached unprecedented levels of production, marking a new record high. This milestone reflects significant growth in the industry, driven by advancements in sustainable practices and increased demand for seafood. The achievement underscores the importance of fisheries and aquaculture in global food security and economic development. Continued innovation and responsible management are essential to maintaining and furthering this progress in the future

Boston Brand Media brings you the latest  - World fisheries and aquaculture production has reached a record high, with aquaculture production of aquatic animals exceeding capture fisheries for the first time, according to a new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) released recently.

The 2024 edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) reports that global fisheries and aquaculture production in 2022 increased to 223.2 million tonnes, marking a 4.4 percent rise from 2020. This total includes 185.4 million tonnes of aquatic animals and 37.8 million tonnes of algae.

QU Dongyu, FAO director-general, stated, “FAO acknowledges these significant accomplishments but emphasizes the need for further transformative and adaptive actions to enhance the efficiency, inclusiveness, resilience, and sustainability of aquatic food systems, reinforcing their role in addressing food insecurity, poverty alleviation, and sustainable governance. This is why FAO promotes Blue Transformation to meet the comprehensive goals of better production, nutrition, environment, and life, ensuring no one is left behind.”

The SOFIA report will be officially launched at the High-level event on ocean action “Immersed in Change” in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Aquaculture produces record amount

In 2022, for the first time in history, aquaculture surpassed capture fisheries as the leading producer of aquatic animals. Global aquaculture production reached a record 130.9 million tonnes, with 94.4 million tonnes of aquatic animals, accounting for 51 percent of total aquatic animal production.

Boston Brand Media also found that the growth of aquaculture demonstrates its potential to meet the increasing global demand for aquatic foods. However, future expansion and intensification must focus on sustainability and benefit the regions and communities most in need.

Currently, a few countries dominate aquaculture. Ten nations—China, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Norway, Egypt, and Chile—produced over 89.8 percent of the total. Yet, many low-income countries in Africa and Asia are not fully utilizing their potential. Targeted policies, technology transfer, capacity building, and responsible investment are essential to promote sustainable aquaculture where it is most needed, particularly in Africa.

Global consumption of aquatic foods rises again

Record production of aquatic foods highlights the sector's potential in addressing food insecurity and malnutrition. In 2021, global apparent consumption of aquatic animal foods reached 162.5 million tonnes, growing at nearly twice the rate of the world population since 1961. Per capita annual consumption has risen from 9.1 kg in 1961 to 20.7 kg in 2022.

Of the total aquatic animal production, 89 percent was used for direct human consumption, emphasizing the crucial role of fisheries and aquaculture in maintaining global food security. The remaining portion was used for indirect or non-food purposes, primarily fishmeal and fish oil production.

Promoting further consumption from sustainable sources is essential to foster healthy diets and improve global nutrition. Aquatic foods provide high-quality proteins, accounting for 15 percent of animal proteins and 6 percent of total proteins worldwide, along with key nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins. In 2021, they supplied at least 20 percent of the per capita protein intake from all animal sources to 3.2 billion people.

Most capture fisheries production comes from sustainable stocks

Global capture fisheries production has remained stable since the late 1980s. In 2022, the sector produced 92.3 million tonnes, with 11.3 million tonnes from inland waters and 81 million tonnes from marine capture. Despite the growth in aquaculture, capture fisheries continue to be a vital source of aquatic animal production.

However, the proportion of marine stocks fished within biologically sustainable levels decreased to 62.3 percent in 2021, down by 2.3 percent from 2019. When weighted by production level, an estimated 76.9 percent of the 2021 landings from stocks monitored by the FAO were from biologically sustainable stocks. This highlights the importance of effective fisheries management in promoting stock recovery and increasing catches. There is an urgent need to replicate successful policies to reverse the current declining trend.

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Source: fnbnews‍