The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, in its latest report on fisheries and aquaculture, said that in 2022, global catches and harvests produced more than 185 million tonnes of aquatic animals. File | Photo credit: VIBHU H
As the United Nations reported on June 8, the total global amount of fish, shrimp, mussels and other aquatic animals caught for agricultural purposes exceeded the amount caught from the wild in the world’s waters for the first time in history.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, in its latest report on fisheries and aquaculture, says that in 2022, the most recent year for which statistics are available, global catches and harvests yielded more than 185 million tonnes of aquatic animals.
Experts say the milestone in human history was expected because fishing from fisheries has largely come to a halt over the past three decades – largely due to natural constraints.
Manuel Barange, who heads FAO’s fisheries and aquaculture division, said aquaculture benefits from growing recognition of its nutritional benefits – such as Omega 3 fatty acids and other micronutrients found in food from aquatic animals – and its lower environmental impact than food from land animals.
The total number of wild-caught aquatic animals fell from 91.6 million tonnes in 2021 to 91 million tonnes the following year, according to FAO in its latest report on the state of global fisheries and aquaculture. Global production rose to 94.4 million in 2022, up from 91.1 million a year earlier.
Asia was the source of more than 90% of all aquatic animal production, FAO added. About 90% of aquatic animals raised or caught are intended for human consumption, with the remainder going to other uses, such as feed for other animals or fish oils.
The most frequently caught fish in the world’s oceans, seas, rivers, lakes and ponds include Peruvian anchovies, skipjack tuna and pollock, while freshwater carp, oysters, mussels, shrimp, tilapia and prawns are among the most frequently caught animals.
