Growth Trends in This Business

Aquaculture is developing, expanding and intensifying in almost all regions of the world, except in Sub-Saharan Africa, as the global population demand for aquatic food products is expected to increase. Globally, production from capture fisheries has leveled off and most of the main fishing areas have reached their maximum potential. Sustaining fish supplies from capture fisheries will, therefore, not be able to meet the growing global demand for aquatic food.

Aquaculture, probably the fastest growing food-producing sector, now accounts for almost 50 percent of the world’s food fish and is perceived as having the greatest potential to meet the growing demand for aquatic food. Given the projected population growth over the next two decades, it is estimated that at least an additional 40 million tones of aquatic food will be required by 2030 to maintain the current per capita consumption.

FAO regularly collects information on global aquaculture production, value and development through official reports from its member countries. These data are analyzed, and the status and trends of the sector’s development are regularly reported through two main publications of the FAO Fisheries Department: The state of world fisheries and aquaculture (SOFIA) and Review of the state of world aquaculture, as well as via occasional special publications such as Aquaculture in the third millennium (NACA/FAO, 2001).

Aquaculture is making an important contribution to global production and a number of key development trends are taking place. It is apparent that the aquaculture sector continues to intensify and diversify, to use new species and modifying its systems and practices. Aquaculture is doing this with the growing awareness that it must be done through the responsible use of the resources upon which it depends and to society in general.

Markets, trade and consumption preferences, strongly influence the growth of the sector, with clear demands for production of safe and quality products. As a consequence, increasing emphasis is placed on enhanced enforcement of regulation and better governance of the sector. It is increasingly realized that this cannot be achieved without the participation of the producers in decision making and regulation process, which has led to efforts to empower farmers and their associations and move towards increasing self-regulation. These factors are all contributing towards improving management of the sector, typically through promoting “better management” practices of producers.