Page 19 - FAO Aquaculture News, May 2021 - No. 63

in parts of Africa fish consumption has decreased.
Special Section | Aquaculture Reviews
Panelist Shakuntala Thilsted reinforced the importance
of mainstreaming human nutrition in aquaculture policies
and practices, stressing the important contributions of
vitamins, minerals and beneficial fatty acids that aquatic
food can contribute to a healthy diet. However, large
variations in production and consumption are found
between regions, between countries, and even within ©FAO/T. Mutesi (photo taken before COVID-19 pandemic)
countries between different consumer groups in contexts
of very different levels of aquaculture development.

Aquaculture growth
Aquaculture is the fastest growing food production sector Fish farmers in Mulindi, Kenya, harvesting tilapia.
due in part to the diversity of the sector, which includes a
diversity of farmed species, farming systems and farming of overall aquatic animal production increased from
environments. Aquaculture is practiced in a diversity of 56.1 percent in 2000 to 69 percent in 2018. Globally,
environments from tropical rice fields to sub-Arctic seas. aquaculture uses about 18 million tonnes of fish in the
In 2018, aquaculturists farmed about 622 species and/or formulation of fish and animal feeds; this value has
species groups, including 387 finfishes, 111 molluscs, 64 fluctuated over the past years primarily based on anchoveta
crustaceans, 7 frogs and reptiles, 10 miscellaneous aquatic capture fisheries production. The harvest of forage fish has
invertebrates, and 43 aquatic plants. remained relatively constant over several decades, while
aquaculture production has increased dramatically.
From 2000 to 2018, aquaculture production in freshwater,
brackish water and marine water increased at a compound The majority of farmed aquatic species rely on seed
annual growth rate of 5.7, 7.7 and 5.2 percent, respectively; produced in hatcheries or other controlled or semi-
the growth rate of total aquaculture production was 5.6 controlled environments. Although domestication and
percent. Aquaculture in marine waters contributed the genetic improvement have played a large role in the
most to global production with 55.5 million tonnes. The increased production in some species, for example Atlantic
freshwater fishes had the highest production at 46.0 salmon, whiteleg shrimp, American catfish, Nile tilapia
million tonnes. In 2018, an estimated 20.5 million people and common carp, the most widely cultured farmed type
(34 percent of a total of fishers and fish farmers) were for all farmed aquatic species is still the wild type.
engaged in aquaculture.
The future
Although more people are involved in capture fisheries The aquaculture sector faces challenges from competition
worldwide, there is a higher percentage of women involved for land and water resources from external pressures such
in aquaculture than in capture fisheries. Panelist Cecile as climate change, conflict, economic uncertainties and,
Brugere expanded upon gender issues, explaining that, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. Commitments by
while many women are involved in small-scale aquaculture sector stakeholders and governments to good governance
and are the main workforce in the processing subsector, including resilience and capacity development will help the
they are often found in unskilled and low-paying positions. sector meet these challenges. Cooperation, partnerships
As such, gender-sensitive aquaculture interventions are and capacity development are essential to the future
essential to improve gender equality in the aquaculture sustainable growth of aquaculture, a point underlined by
sector, with positive impacts on the overall sector and the Panelist Semiole Belemane during his panel intervention.
community at large. Proactive stakeholder engagement, social focus and
science-based communication are crucial in cultivating
Innovation, feed and seed the positive image of aquaculture and addressing negative
Aquaculture innovation is increasing production and public perceptions. Moving beyond “tonnes and dollars”, the
sustainability. While traditional pond and cage systems future of aquaculture will be instrumental in creating local
continue to provide the bulk of aquaculture production, benefits and sustainable livelihoods, improving food security
newer systems such as aquaponics, although still with and nutrition, and in helping countries implement the
low levels of production, are expanding in some areas 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Maria Helena
where water and land are scarce, such as in sub-Saharan Semedo, FAO Deputy Director-General, reinforced this
Africa and the Near East and North Africa. Progress in point during her closing remarks, stating that aquaculture
biosecurity and fish health management, feed formulation can help countries deliver on the Sustainable Development
and genetic resource management are showing good, but Goals as an integral game changer transforming the global
uneven, progress globally. food system.

Feed is often the most expensive component of an REFERENCES
aquaculture budget, and the majority of farmed species A video recording of the webinar can be found here:
require the addition of feed. Fed aquaculture’s share www.aquaculture2020.org/reviews

18 FAO AQUACULTURE NEWS – Nº. 63 ■ MAY 2021