9 November 2011: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has released the “World Aquaculture 2010” report, which finds that aquaculture continues to be the fastest-growing animal food producing sector. It recommends that as the sector further expands, intensifies and diversifies, it should recognize relevant environmental and social concerns, and make conscious efforts to address them in a transparent manner, backed with scientific evidence.

The report finds that aquaculture currently accounts for nearly half (45.6 percent) of the world’s food fish consumption, compared with 33.8 percent in 2000. It identifies various external pressures on the sector, including climate change, the global economic crisis, and pandemic diseases. It notes that managing aquatic animal health has become a high priority for the global aquaculture sector, as major disease outbreaks in various parts of the world have disrupted aquaculture production, often with severe socioeconomic and ecological consequences, including irreversible damage to aquatic animal populations and substantial loss of biodiversity.

The FAO further underlines that while some of the introduced species for aquaculture have brought about negative impacts or loss of biodiversity, introduced species have also led to significant development of new aquaculture industries in many countries without apparent negative impacts. In order to reduce potential negative impacts stemming from introduced species for aquaculture, the report recommends that a science-based full risk assessment be conducted prior to deciding on an introduction. [Publication: World Aquaculture 2010] [FAO Press Release] [UN Press Release]