Fish and fishery productsGlobal Fish EconomyBy FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

摘要

Total world supply of fish and fishery products continues to increase, thanks to a robust aquaculture sector now in the process of overtaking the wild sector in its contribution to food fish consumption. While wild harvests are largely regulated by official catch quotas set to ensure the long term sustainability of operations, the aquaculture sector has been able to respond to a growing demand in both domestic and international markets. In many countries, although far from all, aquaculture farms areregulated by licenses or maximum output limits but, in the short-term, most farms have some slack capacity and room to expand within those limits. However, in the long-term, competition for space with other users, especially in coastal areas, and for scarce water resources will necessitate massiveinvestments in research and new technology aimed at increasing yields and ensuring robustness of operations, especially concerning aquatic animal health. Both of these investments will be necessary if the sector is to meet increased demand from a growing world population with a healthy appetite for fish and fishery products.