Published: Saturday, June 8, 2024
In its latest report, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization’s Food and Agriculture Organization says that the catch and harvest of aquatic animals was more than 185 millions tons in 2022. This is the last year for which statistics were available.
Experts said that the landmark in human history was expected as the hauls of fisheries had largely stagnated in the last 30 years — due primarily to limits in nature.
Manuel Barange, FAO’s head of fisheries, and aquaculture, says that aquaculture is benefiting from the growing awareness of its nutritional benefits, such as Omega 3 and micronutrients, found in aquatic animal food, and less environmental impact than food produced from land animals.
FAO’s latest State of the World’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Report revealed that the total amount of aquatic creatures captured in the wild dropped from 91.6 millions tons in 2021, to 91,000,000 tons the following.
It said that global production increased to 94.4 millions in 2022 from 91.1 millions a year before.
FAO adds that Asia is the source of 90% of the aquaculture production of aquatic animal species.
The majority of aquacultured or fished aquatic animals are consumed by humans, while the rest is used as feed or fish oil.
In the oceans, lakes, rivers and ponds of the world, the most commonly caught fish are Peruvian anchovies and Alaskan Pollock. Freshwater carps, oysters and clams as well as shrimp, tilapia, and prawns also make up the top ten most-harvested animal species.