WASHINGTON
Aquaculture – or fish farming – will provide close to two-thirds of global food fish consumption by 2030.
The number of catches from wild capture fisheries has started to level off and demand from an emerging global middle class - especially in China - has substantially increased, according to a report released by the World Bank.
The report titled as "Fish to 2030: Prospects for Fisheries and Aquaculture" - a collaboration between the World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) was released on Wednesday.
According to the FAO, at present 38 percent of all fish produced in the world is exported. In value terms, over two-thirds of fishery exports, mainly directed to developed countries will shift route to Asia - including South Asia, South-East Asia, China and Japan. These regions are projected to make up 70 percent of global fish consumption by 2030.
The ‘Fish to 2030’ report finds that a major and growing market for fish is coming from China which is projected to account for 38 percent of global consumption of food fish by 2030.
Sub-Saharan Africa, on the other hand, is expected to see a per capita fish consumption decline of 1 percent per year from 2010 to 2030 but, due to rapid population growth of 2.3 percent in the same period, the region’s total fish consumption will grow by 30 percent overall.
Acknowledging fisheries and aquaculture are a vital source of jobs, nutritious food and economic opportunities, especially for small-scale fishing communities, China and many other nations are increasing their investments in aquaculture to help meet this growing demand.
The report predicts that 62 percent of food fish will come from aquaculture by 2030 with the fastest supply growth likely to come from tilapia, carp, and catfish. Global tilapia production is expected to almost double from 4.3 million tons to 7.3 million tons a year between 2010 and 2030.
The World Bank’s Director of Agriculture and Environmental Services Juergen Voegele said: "The report provides valuable information for developing countries interested in growing their economies through sustainable fish production", though he warns that carefully thought out policies are needed to ensure the resource is sustainably managed.
Árni M. Mathiesen, assistant director-general of FAO's Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, emphasized that unlocking the potential of aquaculture could have long-lasting and positive benefits.
"With the world’s population predicted to increase to 9 billion people by 2050 - particularly in areas that have high rates of food insecurity - aquaculture, if responsibly developed and practiced, can make a significant contribution to global food security and economic growth," he said.
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