Fish Farm Sector Grows World Production – Fishupdate.com

Fish Farm Sector Grows World Production Fish Farming Today Published:  20 February, 2003

AQUACULTURE is growing more rapidly than all other animal food producing sectors; its contribution to global supplies of fish, crustaceans and molluscs increased from 3.9 per cent of total production by weight in 1970 to 27.3 percent in 2000, according to FAO’s State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2002 report (SOFIA) . The contribution from aquaculture increased further to 29.0% in 2001.

The report, to be presented at the 25th session of the Organisation’s Committee on Fisheries, COFI (Rome, 24-28 February) which will review the world’s fisheries situation, states that global fish production remains pushed by aquaculture. COFI is the only global technical forum for debating international fisheries issues.

“Aquaculture production, including aquatic plants, reached 45.7 million tonnes by weight and $56.5 billion by value in 2000,” according to SOFIA. “China remains by far the largest producer with 71 percent of the total volume and 49.8 percent of the total value of aquaculture production.” Global aquaculture production for 2001 showed a further increase to 48.2 million tonnes with a value of $60.9 billion.”

Worldwide, aquaculture has increased at an average compounded rate of 9.2 percent per year since 1970, compared with only 1.4 percent for capture fisheries and 2.8 percent for terrestrial farmed meat production systems, according to the report.