Brazil is poised to increase seafood production by 40 percent in the next three years, reported Brazzil Magazine.
The announcement comes as Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva last week approved a bill forming the Special Secretariat of Aquaculture and Fisheries (SEAP). Altemir Gregolin, head of SEAP, will serve as Brazil’s first aquaculture and fisheries minister.
“The creation of the aquaculture and fisheries ministry means the consolidation of long-term government policies for Brazilian aquaculture and fisheries potential, besides clear evidence of the government’s commitment to the sector’s activities,” said Gregolin.
Although Brazil has 7,300 kilometers of coastline and some of the world’s largest rivers, the country’s seafood production amounts to less than 1 million metric tons, one-quarter of which comes from aquaculture.
The new ministry is also responsible for promoting seafood consumption in Brazil. The country’s per capita seafood consumption totals about 9 kilograms annually, compared to a worldwide average of 15 kilograms, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization.
