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Aquaculture - Regional breakdown

Regional breakdown

The FAO states that production of farmed fish is dominated by Asia (89% of the global total in volume terms in the last 20 years). Chile, China and Norway are the top producers in the Americas, Asia and Europe. All three experienced growth in 2020 (SOFIA report, 2022).

The table below shows the global distribution of aquaculture production by region (SOFIA report, 2022):

aquaculture production - main players

Species

Carp is the most produced farmed fish species group. Production is expected to decline by 2032, the continuation of a downward trend that started in the late 1990s. Meanwhile the proportion of shrimps and prawns is projected to increase, while the shares of tilapia and salmonids will remain broadly stable (2023 FAO-OECD report).

Aquaculture feed

Fishmeal and fish oil are important ingredients in aquaculture feed. As stated in FAO's 2022 SOFIA report (p77), "fishmeal and fish oil are still considered the most nutritious and most digestible ingredients for farmed fish, as well as the major source of omega-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA])." 

The production of fishmeal is about 5 million tonnes each year. A growing share of fishmeal and fish oil is being produced from fish by-products: "The expansion of processing of fisheries and aquaculture production has resulted in increasing quantities of by-products, which may represent up to 70 percent of processed fish, depending on the size, species and type of processing.[...] Heads, frames, fillet cut-offs, belly flaps and parts of the viscera such as liver and roe are particularly good sources of nutrients such as long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, D and B12, as well as minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, phosphorus and selenium." (FAO's 2022 SOFIA report, page 79). 

According to IFFO, in 2021, 30 percent of the global production of fishmeal and 51 percent of the total production of fish oil were obtained from by-products.

Aquaculture production will be able to expand because of improved efficiency in the use of fishmeal and its specialised uses.

Information on fishmeal and its use in aquaculture can be found in the articles below:

    Jean Peignon - Assessing the ability of fisheryby-products to contribute to the quality marine ingredient supply in the UK
    Julien Stevens - Maximising the Value of Farmed Scottish Salmon By-products
    Alban Caratis ppt - Opportunities and Challenges for fishery byproducts and bycatches
    University of Stirling Report on Future Availability of Raw Material, and Calculations of Fishmeal and Fish Oil Production over
    Fishmeal and Fish Oil and its role in Sustainable Aquaculture Publication: Andrew Jackson, International Aquafeed, 2012, September/October, p18-21
    How much whole fish does aquaculture consume? (Only in Spanish) Publication: Andrew Jackson and Francisco Aldon, InfoPesca International, 2012, 49, p24 - 27
    Is Fishmeal for Aquaculture Sustainable? Publication: Andrew Jackson, IFFO versus Willie McKenzie, Greenpeace, The Longliner, Issue 3, p10
    Connections between farmed and wild fish: Fishmeal and fish oil as ingredients in sustainable aquaculture Publication: Andrew Jackson and Jonathan Shepherd, Advancing the aquaculture Agenda: Workshop Proceedings, 2010, p 331 - 343
    Fishmeal, Fish oil - Prime feed ingredients not limiting factors for responsible aquaculture Publication: Andrew Jackson, Global Aquaculture Advocate, 2010, January/February, p14-17
    The continuing demand for sustainable Fishmeal and Fish oil in aquaculture diets Publication: Andrew Jackson, International Aquafeed, 2009, September/October, p 28 - 32
    European Aquaculture Society - Fish In - Fish Out Ratios explained Publication: Andrew Jackson, Aquaculture Europe, 2009, Vol 34 (3), p5 - 10
    How much fish to produce 1 Kg of salmon?- Fish In - Fish Out (FIFO) Ratios explained Publication: Andrew Jackson, Aquaculture Europe, 2009, Vol 34 (3), p 5 - 10
    Fishmeal "still best" Publication: Andrew Jackson, Fish Farming International, 2008, September, p 32-33
    Fishmeal and fish oil - will they limit the development of aquaculture? Publication: Andrew Jackson, Feed Technology Update, 2007, Vol 2, Issue 1
    The importance of Fishmeal and Fish oil in aquaculture diets Publication: Andrew Jackson, International Aquafeed, 2006, November/December, p16 - 19
    Is the growth of aquaculture putting pressure on feed fish stocks? (November 2010)
    Is is true that it takes five kilos of wild fish feed to produce one kilo of salmon? (December 2010)
    Protein Supply Balance FIN document 2007
    Efficiency of feed utilization in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) fed diets Research Report 2003-2
    Fish Trial with Crude and Carbon Filtered Fish Oils from Denmark and Iceland Research Report 2001-2
    Determination of Some Factors Affecting the Nutritional and Biotoxicological Value of Fish Meal for Use in Feed for Shrimp... Research Report 1999-3
    Fish Meal for Shrimp - Importance of Raw Material Freshness Research Report 1999-2
    The Protein Requirement of Marine Shrimp Research Report 1999-1
    Effect of Different Dietary Protein and Oil Levels in Diet on Growth of Tilapia Comparison of Aquaculture Grade (South American) and Locally Produced Fish Meals. Research Report 1998-9
    Effect of Dietary Protein and Fat Content on Growth of Carp Research Report 1998-8
    Ethoxyquin and its Oxidation Products in Fish Meals, Fish Feeds and Farmed Fish Research Report 1998-7
    Freshness of Fish Meal on Palatability in Salmon - Toxicological Factors in Fish Meal made from Spoiled Fish Research Report 1998-2
    Freshness of fish used in making fishmeal for salmonids and the effects of biogenic amines Research Report 1996-6
    Feeding Trials with Various Qualities of Fish Meal with Shrimp Research Report 1994 -4
    The role of fishmeal in diets for salmonids Technical Bulletin TB24 1990
    The role of fish oil in feeds for farmed fish Technical Bulletin TB25 1990