Fish to 2030: Prospects for Fisheries and Aquaculture

World Bank. 2013. Fish to 2030 : prospects for fisheries and aquaculture. 

Agriculture and environmental services discussion paper ; no. 3. Washington DC ; World Bank Group.

A collaboration between the World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

© 2013 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / International Development Association or The World Bank

77 pages

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5 February 2014, Washington/Rome - Aquaculture — or fish farming — will provide close to two thirds of global food fish consumption by 2030 as catches from wild capture fisheries level off and demand from an emerging global middle class, especially in China, substantially increases.

The new World Bank report on “Fish to 2030: Prospects for Fisheries and Aquaculture”- estimates that nearly two-thirds of the seafood we eat will be farm-raised in 2030. The report concludes that as sources from wild capture fisheries approach their maximum take, aquaculture—or fish farming—will help satisfy the growing global appetite for fish and seafood.

The new World Bank report projects that in 2030, aquaculture will produce half of the world’s supply of fish, including fish for food and other products such as fishmeal. Meanwhile, 62% of the seafood that will end up on people’s plates will come from fish farms, which will grow production to meet rising demand—especially from Asia, where roughly 70% of fish will be consumed. In 2030, an emerging middle class in China will become a particularly large market for fish. With increased investment in aquaculture, China will produce 37% of the world’s fish and consume 38% of the fish the world eats, the report estimates.

As the global population inches towards nine billion by 2050, there will be a need for more food and jobs—which a growing aquaculture industry can help meet. By producing more seafood that is affordable and rich in nutrition, aquaculture can help improve food security and livelihoods for the world’s poorest. However aquaculture needs to be practiced responsibly. The rise in seafood demand gives countries the opportunity to expand and improve responsible fish and shellfish farming practices. Keen to benefit from the economic and environmental advantages of sustainable aquaculture, many countries are helping their communities improve the way they produce fish.