World Aquaculture 2010

The main points highlighted in the paper “World Aquaculture 2010” by Food and Agriculture Organization, 2011  are given below:

• Global production of fish from aquaculture was around 52.5 million tons in 2008 with exports of fish and fishery products valued at US$102.0 billion.

• The Asia–Pacific region accounts for 89.1 percent of global production, with China contributing 62.3 percent of global production.

• Aquaculture in earthen ponds is the most common farming method in Asia for finfish and crustacean production in freshwater or brackish water.

• The hatchery-produced seed is increasingly becoming the standard raw material for aquaculture, a trend that is likely to broaden in the future.

• Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT) has reported an accumulated weight gain of 85% over the base population. In India, the improved roho labeo (Labeo rohita, Jayanti strain) is the first genetically improved fish of the country.

• The financial viability of aquaculture is highly dependent on the total price paid for aquafeeds, which generally account for 50–70 percent of production cost and in 2008, 46.1% of aquaculture production was dependent on aquafeeds either home-made or industrially produced.

• Significant improvements in aquatic animal health management, disease control, feed management, environmental performance of aquaculture systems etc. is benefiting the sector.

• Better Management Practices (BMPs) in India involving organizing small-scale shrimp farmers into “aquaclubs” for resource mobilization has been successful.

• Aquaculture can provide substantial environmental benefits, such as recovery of depleted wild stocks, preservation of wetlands, agricultural, human waste treatment etc.

• Rises in sea-surface temperatures due to climate change are likely to alter the range, growth and distribution of many aquatic species.

• Due to higher water temperatures there would be growth of harmful algal blooms that release toxins into the water or cause direct physical damage to fish and shellfish.

• Along the northern coastlines of Canada increase in temperature could benefit aquaculture as the cold temperatures currently restrict it.

(Sourced from the Climate Change Community)