Page 20 - FAO Aquaculture News, May 2021 - No. 63

Webinar: Regional Review on Status and Trends in

Aquaculture Development in Asia-Pacific – 2020

his article summarizes the key messages and findings and service sectors in the region. However, a great disparity
Tfrom the regional review on the status and trends in aquaculture development exists between the different
of aquaculture development in Asia and the Pacific, subregions despite the general trend of growth. For
which were presented during the FAO webinar held on instance, as the largest aquaculture producer in the world,
23 October 2020. A video recording of each webinar can China contributes 63 percent of the region’s aquaculture,
be found here: www.aquaculture2020.org/reviews. and Southeast Asia contributes 23 percent of the region’s
production. In contrast, Oceania and the Central Asia Special Section | Aquaculture Reviews
Matthias Halwart, Chief of Aquaculture Branch of and Caucasus subregions together contribute less than
FAO, introduced the preparation of the regional review 0.3 percent of regional aquaculture production. Strategies
of aquaculture in Asia and the Pacific and the webinar to promote aquaculture growth in underdeveloped
in relation to the Global Conference on Aquaculture areas include (i) promoting awareness of the potential
+20 to be held in September 2021 in Shanghai, China. contribution of aquaculture to poverty and nutrition
Jong-Jin Kim, Assistant Director-General and Regional related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
Representative of FAO for Asia and the Pacific, delivered (ii) integrating aquaculture into national development
an opening remark, which highlighted the contribution of policy; (iii) building capacity development for the local
aquaculture growth and the need for its continued growth supply of key aquaculture inputs, particularly feed and
in a sustainable manner in the region. Yuan Derun, Senior seed; and (iv) promoting technology transfer and sharing
Programme Officer of the Network of Aquaculture Centres development approaches across the subregions.
in Asia-Pacific, who is one of the two lead authors of the
regional review, presented important findings and key Significant improvement has been made in aquatic animal
messages on the status and future trend of aquaculture in health management across the region, demonstrated by
Asia and the Pacific. As invited panelists, three experts – strengthened biosecurity in aquaculture and development
Tarun Shridhar, former Secretary of the Union Ministry of of national strategies for aquatic animal health management
Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, India; Robert and disease surveillance and monitoring systems in major
Jimmy, Aquaculture Adviser of the Pacific Community; and aquaculture countries. The improvement not only has
Shirlene Maria Anthonysamy, Director of INFOFISH – contributed to sustainable aquaculture growth but also
provided their insight on specific topics of great importance has improved product safety. Some challenges remain to
to future development of aquaculture in the region be surmounted, such as the antimicrobial resistance risks
and, together with the lead author, answered audience associated with aquaculture, the lack of alternatives to
questions. The major findings and key messages from the
regional review include the following. INTRODUCTION AND KEYNOTE
Welcome remarks Matthias Halwart
Overwhelmingly, the Asia-Pacific region remains a major Head, Aquaculture Branch, FAO
contributor to global aquaculture production (92 percent Opening remarks Jong-Jin Kim
of global production, with total production of 105 million Assistant Director-General/ Regional
tonnes in 2018). Aquaculture production continued the Representative, FAO Regional Office for Asia
and the Pacific
growth trend during the period 2008–2018 at an average
annual growth rate of 5.2 percent, but to date the growth Regional Review of Yuan Derun
Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific
Aquaculture in Asia and the
rate is showing a declining trend. Aquaculture growth Pacific – Status, Trends and
has greatly contributed to livelihoods and nutritional Options for the Way Forward
improvement in the region. Per capita fish consumption EXPERT PANEL DISCUSSION
in the region reached 24.1 kg in 2017, with aquaculture Role of government in Tarun Shridhar
supplying over 60 percent of food fish for the population. aquaculture Former Secretary, Union of Agriculture and
Fish composes 25.2 percent of dietary animal protein for Farmers’ Welfare, India
the people in the region, which is significantly higher than Aquaculture development in Robert Jimmy
the global average. The aquaculture sector employs 19.6 the South Pacific Aquaculture Advisor, Secretariat of the Pacific
Community, Fiji
million people in primary production and provides the
same number of job opportunities in related supporting The impact of international Shirlene Maria Anthonysamy
trade on the aquaculture sector Director, INFOFISH
Q&A AND CONCLUSION
Prepared by: Question and Answer session
Weimin Miao
E-mail: Weimin.Miao@fao.org Closing remarks Matthias Halwart
Head, Aquaculture Branch, FAO
FAO Fisheries Division, Rome, Italy
Moderator: Miao Weimin, Aquaculture Branch, FAO.

FAO AQUACULTURE NEWS – Nº. 63 ■ MAY 2021 19