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14
THE STATE OF WORLD
FISHERIES and AQUACULTURE
People have never consumed so much fish or depended
so greatly on the sector for their well-being as they do today

PRODUCTION
World fisheries produced 158 million tonnes of fish in 2012

2012

91.3 2012

1960 66.6
33.9
1960 1.6
(in million tonnes)
Global marine and inland Global aquaculture
capture fisheries production production (excluding plants)

TRADE
Fish is among the world’s most traded food commodities

Worth almost US$130 billion (2012)

Developing Developed
economies economies
account for account for

54% 46%
of total fishery of total fishery
exports by value exports by value

FISH STOCKS
71% of the commercially important marine fish stocks monitored by FAO
are fished within biologically sustainable levels (2011)

10% 61% 29%

Under- Fully Over-
fished fished fished

CONSUMPTION AND NUTRITION

The amount of fish that people

are eating continues to rise. 2012
Fish makes up 17% of
more than
the global population’s
intake of animal protein,
and provides essential
1960 19kg
nutrients, vitamins and 10kg per capita per capita
omega-3 fatty acids.

FISH BY-PRODUCTS
Just some of their many uses

Fishmeal Gelatin Sauces Biogas

Dietetic products Make-up Pet food Fertilizer

LIVELIHOODS
10-12% of the world’s population depends on fisheries and
aquaculture for their livelihoods

Regional breakdown of employment in the sector

Asia
84%

Latin America and Africa

the Caribbean 10%
4%

Just 2% of people are employed in fisheries in other parts of the world

The total number of fishing vessels

in the world was estimated to be
about 4.7 million in 2012
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©FAO - May 2014