The global consumption of seafood has risen to more than 20 kg per capita for the first time thanks to stronger aquaculture supply and firm demand, record hauls for some key species and reduced wastage, according to a new report published by the United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).
Despite progress in these areas, the state of the world's marine resources has not improved, finds the latest edition of the FAO's “The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture” report. It states that close to one-third of commercial fish stocks are now fished at biologically unsustainable levels, triple the level seen in 1974.
Global total capture fishery production in 2014 was 93.4 million metric tons (MT), including output from inland waters, up slightly over the previous two years. Alaska pollock was the top species, replacing anchoveta for the first time since 1998 and offering evidence that effective resource management practices have worked well. Furthermore, record catches for four highly valuable groups – tunas, lobsters, shrimps and cephalopods – were reported in 2014.
Fish provided 6.7 percent of all protein consumed by humans, as well as offering a rich source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, calcium, zinc and iron. Moreover, fish provided more than 3.1 billion people with almost 20 percent of their average per capita intake of animal protein.
Fishery products accounted for 1 percent of all global merchandise trade in value terms, representing more than nine percent of total agricultural exports. Worldwide exports amounted to USD 148 billion (EUR 133.9 billion) in 2014, up from USD 8 billion (EUR 7.2 billion) in 1976. Developing countries were the source of USD 80 billion (EUR 72.4 billion) of fishery exports, providing higher net trade revenues than meat, tobacco, rice and sugar combined.
"Life below water, which the Sustainable Development Agenda commits us to conserve, is a major ally in our effort to meet a host of challenges, from food security to climate change," said Jose Graziano da Silva, FAO Director-General. "This report shows that capture fisheries can be managed sustainably, while also pointing to the enormous and growing potential of aquaculture to boost human nutrition and support livelihoods with productive jobs."
With the global supply of fish for human consumption outpacing the population growth in the past five decades, preliminary estimates suggest the record per capita intake – double the level of the 1960s – is due largely to the growth in aquaculture.
The sector's global production rose to 73.8 million MT in 2014, a third of which comprised mollusks, crustaceans and other non-fish animals.
While China remains far the leading nation for aquaculture, the industry is expanding faster elsewhere, noted the report. For example, in Nigeria, aquaculture output is up almost 20-fold over the past two decades, and all of sub-Saharan Africa is not far behind. Chile and Indonesia have also posted remarkable growth, as have Norway and Vietnam – the world's No. 2 and No. 3 fish exporters, respectively.
The report shows that, measured as a share of world trade in value terms, salmon and trout are now the largest single commodity, a position occupied by shrimp for many decades.
