The demand for fishery and aquaculture products has increased significantly worldwide in recent decades. Average consumption per year has increased from 9 kg to 20.5 kg per capita from 1961 to 2018 (FAO, 2020). In 2018, of the 178.5 million tons of wild-caught fish and fish produced through aquaculture, about 88% was used for human consumption (FAO, 2020). 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, 2020), aquatic animals will play an important role in the human food supply in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the past two decades (2001-2018), the yield of aquaculture products worldwide has increased by an average of 5.3% per year (FAO, 2020). In 2018, about half (46%) of the total yield of aquatic animals came from aquaculture (FAO, 2020). The largest share, i.e. 89% of aquatic animals from aquaculture came from Asia (FAO, 2020). 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). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For comparison: Amount of fish produced in aquaculture in four selected countries.
(FIZ, 2021; FAO, 2020)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
18,108 tons (2018)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
1,355,000 tons (2018)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
7,066,000 tons (2018)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
47,559,000 tons (2018)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n