Seafood – fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other invertebrates – are an important source of nourishment, providing a healthy source of animal protein and good omega-3 fatty acids which are required in our diets.
Most seafood is obtained from wild-caught fisheries. However, it has been reported that the fisheries sector is facing over-exploitation – fish stocks are being depleted all over the world.
To curb this and to ensure a steady supply of seafood, we rely heavily on the aquaculture sector. Data projections indicate that reliance on aquaculture will continue to rise in the coming years with the anticipated increase of the human population to 8.5 billion by 2030.
In 2015 there was an equal proportion of wild-caught to farm-raised seafood for global consumption. The predicted projections indicate that by 2030, global seafood consumption will rely on 62% farm-raised sources compared to 38% on wild-caught seafood.1
The sustainability of fish and seafood production is essential for food security and also to reduce pressure on wild fisheries and alleviate other environmental impacts. On top of that, aquaculture and fisheries are important sources of income for some countries.
