The demand for fishery and aquaculture products has increased significantly worldwide in recent decades. Average annual consumption in 2024 is 21.3 kg per capita, representing a 94% increase since 1970 (FAO, 2026). In 2024, of the 195 million metric tons of wild-caught fish and fish produced through aquaculture, about 89% was used for human consumption (FAO, 2026). As the intake of animal protein from the consumption of fish, crustaceans, and aquatic mollusks increases at a higher rate than from other animal protein sources (FAO, 2026), aquatic animals will play an important role in the human food supply in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since 1950, global aquaculture production has increased by an average of 3.2% per year (FAO, 2026). However, a downward trend is currently evident. In the 1990s, growth was still at 9.8%, falling to 6.1% in the 2000s and further to 4.4% in the 2010s. In 2024, about half (53%) of the total yield of aquatic animals came from aquaculture (FAO, 2026). The largest share, i.e. 89% of aquatic animals from aquaculture came from Asia (FAO, 2026). In this context, China in particular plays a significant role in production, as more aquaculture products have been produced in China since 1991 than in all other countries of the world combined (FAO, 2020).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For comparison: Amount of fish produced in aquaculture in four selected countries.\u00a0
(FIZ, 2024; FAO, 2026)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
32,653 tons (2023)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
1,667,000 tons (2024)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
12,088,000 tons (2024)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
57,557,000 tons (2024)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n