“Aquaculture is the farming of
aquatic organisms including fish,
molluscs, crustaceans and aquatic
plants.”
FAO
Aquaculture
World Aquaculture
As the demand for fish and fish products continue to increase, capture production has continued to increase to a point species of fish are being depleted or near depletion all over the world. Human consumption of fish increased from 88 million tons to 99.4 million tons from 1996 to 2001. Total capture fisheries production in 2000 reached an all time high at 95.4 million metric tons, decreased to approximately 92 million metric tons in 2001. Aquaculture is and will play an important part in supplying the world's demand for fish and fish products. It is growing more rapidly than all other animal food producing sectors. More than 210 different farmed aquatic animal and plant species were reported being raised in 2001. In 2001, aquaculture production was reported at 35.48 million metric tons with a value of $55.6 billion (excluding aquatic plants). China is the main producer, producing 71 percent of the total volume of aquaculture products. The top aquaculture producing countries was lead by China at 26,050,101 metric tons with a value of $26 billion, followed by India with 2.2 million metric tons with a value of $2.5 billion, Indonesia with 864,276 metric tons valued at $2.4 billion, and Japan with 801,948 metric tons with a value of $3.38 billion. Thailand, Bangladesh, Chile, Vietnam, and Norway rounded out the top ten with the United States ranking 10th producing 460,998 metric tons with a value of $779 million.
United States Aquaculture
Aquaculture production in the United States rose between 1995 and 2001 to 460,998 metric tons. The top finfish species produced were catfish , trout, salmon, tilapia and striped bass. The top shellfish were crawfish, oysters, clams, and shrimp.
Hybrid striped bass production in the United States began in 1986 with only 4.53 metric tons(10,000 pounds) recorded. The following year production climbed to 183.7 metric tons (405,000 pounds). Production continued to increase until 2000 when production peaked at 5,097.02 metric tons (11,237,000 pounds). Production decreased slightly in 2001 to 4,945.52 metric tons(10,903,000 pounds) and again in 2002 to 4,757.96 metric tons (10,489,500 pounds). Research is currently being done in a variety of areas, including reproduction, broodstock, fish survival, and improved meat quality.
- Quantity and Value of Hybrid Striped Bass U.S. Production Source: Margaret Lougheed/Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
U.S. Aquaculture History Links
- Basic Overview of Aquaculture LaDon Swann, Technical Bulletin Series # 102. Illinois-lndiana Sea Grant Program. 1992.
