World aquaculture 2010 / Aquaculture Service, Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources Use and Conservation Division, FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department.

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Includes bibliographical references (pages 97-105).

Introduction -- General characteristics of the sector -- Resources, services and technologies -- Aquaculture and environment -- Markets and trade -- Contribution of aquaculture to food security and to social and economic development -- External pressure on the sector -- The role of shared information: research, training, extension and networking -- Governance and management of the sector.

Global production of fish from aquaculture has grown substantially in the past decade, reaching 52.5 million tonnes in 2008, compared with 32.4 million tonnes in 2000. Aquaculture continues to be the fastest-growing animal food producing sector and currently accounts for nearly half (45.6 percent) of the world's food fish consumption, compared with 33.8 percent in 2000. The Asia-Pacific region continues to dominate the aquaculture sector, accounting for 89.1 percent of global production, with China alone contributing 62.3 percent of global production. Moreover, of the 15 leading aquaculture producing countries, 11 are in the Asia-Pacific region. A few countries dominate the production of some major species, such as carps by China; shrimps and prawns by China, India, Indonesia, Thailand and Viet Nam; and salmon by Chile and Norway. In terms of farming systems, extensive, intensive and semi-intensive systems are practised in all regions. In the Asia-Pacific region, despite major technical developments in the aquaculture sector, small-scale commercial producers continue to remain the backbone of the sector, contributing the bulk of aquaculture production. In the past decade, a number of developments have contributed to the significant growth of the global aquaculture sector, namely: formulation and implementation of policies, strategies, plans and legislation; dissemination and use of applied research; and emergence of new domestic and international markets. Achieving the global aquaculture sector's long-term goal of economic, social and environmental sustainability depends primarily on continued commitments by governments to provide and support a good governance framework for the sector. It is encouraging that the experience of the past decade indicates that many governments remain committed to good governance. As the sector further expands, intensifies and diversifies, it should recognize the relevant environmental and social concerns and make conscious efforts to address them in a transparent manner, backed with scientific evidence. This document provides an overview of global aquaculture status and development trends as a synthesis of such status and trends in six regions of the world: Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Near East and North Africa, North America and Sub-Saharan Africa.