Worldwide fisheries and aquaculture production climbed to a record 235 million metric tons (MT) in 2024, comprising 195 million MT of fish and shellfish and 40 million MT of algae, according to the latest estimates from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
FAO’s newly published 2026 edition of its biennial publication, “The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture” (SOFIA), states that this latest total represents an increase of 5.2 percent compared to 2022.
Regarding wild capture statistics, FAO estimates the world fishing fleet to now numbers 4.7 million vessels, with Asia accounting for 72 percent of the total, Africa at 18 percent, Latin America and the Caribbean at 6 percent, and North America and Europe with 2 percent each. The report said this total is close to the level seen in 1996, which totaled 4.6 million vessels, but much lower than the 2012 peak of 5.2 million vessels.
SOFIA 2026 reported that those millions of vessels supplied 93 million MT of raw materials in 2024, comprising 92 million MT of aquatic animals and 1 million MT of algae. China was the top producer, accounting for 15 percent of overall volume, followed by Indonesia (9 percent), Peru (7 percent), Russia (6 percent), and India (5 percent).
Though there have been “noticeable improvements” in several fishing areas, the report found the share of the world’s biologically sustainable marine stocks fell from 64.5 percent of all stocks assessed by the FAO in 2021 to 62.4 percent in 2023. However, it explained the decline reflects assessment revisions, methodological updates, and the inclusion of new fish stocks, stating that when weighted by volume, 72.6 percent of the landings of assessed stocks in 2023 originated from sustainably fished sources.
Global aquaculture production, meanwhile, is estimated to have reached a new production record of 142 million MT in 2024, an increase of 5.1 percent, or 7.9 million MT, from 2022.
Alongside 39 million MT of algae, this total included 103 million MT of aquatic animals, with the report highlighting 2024 marked the first time the aquaculture sector surpassed the “symbolic” 100 million MT milestone for aquatic animal production, “reinforcing its role as the major source of global aquatic animals.”
The new total was equivalent to 53 percent of global aquatic animal output and over 59 percent of aquatic animal foods destined for human consumption.
Around 7.8 million MT (or 97.7 percent) of the increase over 2022 totals was seen in Asia, with much smaller gains recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean (125,000 MT, 1.6 percent), sub-Saharan Africa (104,800 MT, 1.3 percent), and Northern Africa (47,800 MT, 0.6 percent). By contrast, declines were recorded in Europe (down 52,500 MT, or 0.7 percent), Oceania (down 28,800 MT, or 0.4 percent), and North America (down 18,600 MT, or 0.2 percent).
By species group, the rise was led by finfish (4.5 million MT, 56.4 percent), followed by crustaceans (1.6 million MT, 19.7 percent) and mollusks (1.5 million MT, 19.4 percent).
The latest SOFIA report confirmed that geographically, aquaculture continues to remain concentrated, with Asia accounting for around 89 percent of global production and the top five countries of China, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh in particular accounting for 82 percent of total production.
In low-income countries, specifically in Africa, aquaculture production is constrained, according to the report, despite significant potential for development and its important role in food security and nutrition.
Elsewhere, the utilization and processing of aquatic products has continued to improve, with 89 percent, or 174 million MT, made available for human consumption in 2024. The remaining 11 percent, or 21 million MT, was used for non-food purposes, mainly to produce fishmeal and fish oil (18 million MT). The largest share (44 percent) of aquatic animal foods was distributed in live, fresh, or chilled form, followed by frozen (34 percent), prepared and preserved (12 percent), and cured (10 percent).
The report’s data also determined that global availability of aquatic animal foods amounted to 171 million MT in 2023, bringing average annual growth to 3 percent per year since 1961 and exceeding the availability of all terrestrial meats combined.
As part of that availability data, the report revealed per capita availability increased from 9.2 kilograms per year in 1961 to 21.1 kilograms per year in 2023, with the report attributing much of the growth to spikes in aquaculture production and a greater proportion of capture fisheries production being used directly as food. It also pointed to improvements in processing technologies, cold chain infrastructure, and distribution systems, which have reduced post-harvest losses and facilitated access to distant and urban markets.
Looking ahead, FAO forecasts world production and consumption of seafood will increase through 2034, though at slower rates compared with previous decades. The supply of aquatic animals is projected to reach 214 million MT in 2034, which would represent an additional 10 percent, or 19 million MT, on 2024 totals.
Of this projected total, around 119 million MT is expected to come from aquaculture and 95 million MT from capture fisheries, increasing by 16 percent and 3 percent, respectively.
Despite the expected increase in total output, the latest edition of the SOFIA report advised that both the annual growth rate and the absolute volume of additional production are projected to be lower than those observed during the decade between 2014 and 2024, when production increased by 34 million MT, or 21 percent. The report said that this reduced growth reflects a convergence of structural factors affecting both aquaculture and wild capture sectors, including biological limits in capture fisheries, tighter environmental and spatial constraints on aquaculture expansion, and a moderation of productivity gains as technologies mature.
Nevertheless, improvements in post-harvest methodologies and processing, combined with reduced discards and losses, will also contribute positively to supply, while the production of fishmeal and fish oil is expected to increase gradually by about 13 percent and 9 percent, respectively, between 2024 and 2034.
“Overall demand will continue to be driven by rising incomes and urbanization in low- and middle-income countries, alongside growing recognition of the role of aquatic foods in nutrition,” the report added.
