Average global fish consumption at all-time high: FAO

Global fish consumption has increased to an all-time high of 17 kg a person on average because of increasing aquaculture activities, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has said.

Fish now accounts for at least 15 per cent of the animal protein intake of over three billion people, an FAO statement said.

The FAO report, titled, ‘State of the World’s Fisheries and Aquaculture’, said that fisheries and aquaculture provide livelihood to an estimated 540 million people, or 8 per cent of the world population.

Fish products continue to be the most-traded of food commodities, raking in a record $102 billion in 2008, up 9 per cent compared with 2007, the statement said.

Global production of fish and fish products rose from 140 million tonnes in 2007 to 145 mt in 2009, according to the FAO report. Much of the fish comes from aquaculture, which is growing at the rate of almost 7 per cent a year, it added.

The report also indicated that about 32 per cent of world fish stocks are estimated to be overexploited, depleted or recovering and need to be urgently rebuilt.

“That there has been no improvement in the status of stocks is a matter of great concern. The percentage of overexploitation needs to go down...,” said senior FAO fisheries expert, Mr Richard Grainger.

The report also studied the extent of industralisation of fishing activities.

The fisheries sector in India has been one of the major contributors of foreign exchange earnings through exports.

From about 15,700 tonnes, valued at Rs 3.92 crore, in 1961-62, exports grew to 5.41 lakh tonnes, valued at Rs 7,621 crore, in 2007-08.

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