Abstract
The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2018 highlights the critical importance of fisheries and aquaculture for the food, nutrition and employment of millions of people, many of whom struggle to maintain reasonable livelihoods. Total fish production in 2016 reached an all-time high of 171 million tonnes, of which 88 percent was utilized for direct human consumption, thanks to relatively stable capture fisheries production, reduced wastage and continued aquaculture growth. This production resulted in a record-high per capita consumption of 20.3 kg in 2016. Since 1961 the annual global growth in fish consumption has been twice as high as population growth, demonstrating that the fisheries sector is crucial in meeting FAO’s goal of a world without hunger and malnutrition. While annual growth of aquaculture has declined in recent years, significant double-digit growth is still recorded in some countries, particularly in Africa and Asia. The sector’s contribution to economic growth and the fight against poverty is growing. Strengthened demand and higher prices increased the value of global fish exports in 2017 to USD 152 billion, 54 percent originating from developing countries.
The fisheries and aquaculture sector is not without challenges, however, including the need to reduce the percentage of fish stocks fished beyond biological sustainability, currently 33.1 percent; to ensure that biosecurity and animal disease challenges are tackled successfully; and to maintain complete and accurate national statistics in support of policy development and implementation. These and other challenges engendered FAO’s Blue Growth Initiative, an innovative, integrated and multisectoral approach to the management of aquatic resources aimed at maximizing the ecosystem goods and services obtained from the use of oceans, inland waters and wetlands, while also providing social and economic benefits.
The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture is the only publication of its kind, providing technical insight and factual information on a sector increasingly recognized as crucial for societal success. In addition to reporting major trends and patterns observed in global fisheries and aquaculture, this edition scans the horizon for new and upcoming areas that need to be considered if we are to manage aquatic resources sustainably into the future, including cooperation through regional fisheries bodies and advances such as blockchain technology, to ensure that in delivering the SDGs we tackle the root causes of poverty and hunger while building a fairer society that leaves no one behind.