Overview of aquaculture and aquafeed production
The global demand for high-quality protein has been increasing along with the growing world population. Global food fish consumption increased at an average rate of 3.0 % per year from 1961 to 2021, which is almost twice the rate of annual world population growth, which is 1.6 % for the same period (FAO, 2024a). This significant increase in demand has contributed to the rapid development of world fisheries, particularly the intensification and capitalization of aquaculture. Today, aquaculture is the fastest-growing food production system globally, with an annual growth rate exceeding those of the poultry, pork, dairy, and beef industries. Between 1990 and 2020, total world aquaculture production expanded by 609 percent, with an average annual growth rate of 6.7 percent (FAO, 2022). Aquaculture represents a crucial means of meeting the increasing demand for food while addressing nutritional deficiencies and having a lower environmental impact than many other animal-based food sources.
In 2022, global aquaculture production reached 130.9 million tonnes, valued at USD $313 billion, representing 59 % of the total global fisheries and aquaculture production of 223.2 million tonnes (FAO, 2024a). This is the first time aquaculture surpassed capture fisheries in aquatic animal production, producing 94.4 million tonnes compared to 91 million tonnes from capture fisheries, representing 51% of the global total (FAO, 2024a). Inland aquaculture contributed 62.6 % of this aquatic animal production (59.1 million tonnes), while marine and coastal aquaculture provided the remaining 37.4 % (FAO, 2024a).
Aquaculture has thrived in tropical and subtropical regions due to favorable environmental conditions, availability of variety of species with farming potential, the socio-economic conditions in the region allowing for low-cost labor, etc. Asia has dominated global aquaculture production for decades, accounting for 88.3 % of the world's aquatic animals and algae produced in 2021 (FAO, 2024). China ranks first among global aquaculture-producing countries, contributing to 56.4 % of aquatic animal production in 2021, followed by India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Norway, Egypt, Chile, Thailand, and Myanmar (Table 1). The makeup of the primary groups of farmed aquatic species varies significantly across regions and countries. Although there is a wide range of farmed aquatic species, only a few "staple" species make up most of aquaculture production. In 2021, grass carp remained the most farmed freshwater species in global aquaculture, while Atlantic salmon ranked among the top species in mariculture and coastal finfish aquaculture. Whiteleg shrimp continued to dominate crustacean production (FAO, 2024b). The production volumes of some of the commercially important aquaculture species are presented in Table 2.
The production of fed aquaculture species has progressively surpassed that of non-fed species. The share of non-fed aquaculture in total farmed aquatic animal production has continued to decline from approximately 40 % in 2000 to 27 % in 2022, even though absolute production has remained relatively stable. In 2022, non-fed animal species production was 25.4 million tonnes, consisting of filter-feeding finfish reared in inland aquaculture, mainly silver carp, and bighead carp, and aquatic invertebrates, primarily marine bivalves. In contrast, fed aquaculture production in 2022 was 69 million tonnes, representing a significant increase compared to the approximately 20 million tonnes produced in 2000. Fed aquaculture production accounts for 73 % of total farmed aquatic animal production (FAO, 2024a).
The provision of sustainable feed is a crucial component of successful aquaculture production, as it is one of the most significant inputs. Ensuring a reliable, sustainable and low-cost feed supply is essential for supporting the future growth of global fish and shrimp production. Developing effective, sustainable feed formulations is key to achieving this goal. According to the Alltech Global Feed Survey (2018), approximately 4% of global feed production, equivalent to around 43 million tonnes, is for aquaculture, with 26 % of it being produced in the Asia-Pacific region. When categorized by species, 30 % of total formulated feed is allocated for carp production, while 15 %, 13 %, 9 %, and 7 % are allocated for shrimp, tilapia, catfish, and salmon production, respectively. Since 2000, the average annual growth rate of feed production has been 10.3 % per year (Tacon and Metian, 2015), and this rate is expected to increase in parallel with the acceleration of aquaculture production.
Generally, aquaculture feeds are formulated with high protein (>25 %) and lipid (>6 %) levels using high-quality ingredients, including grains, oilseed meals, grain processing by-products, processed animal proteins and fats, fish meal, fish oil, and others. There is significant variability in the composition of aquafeeds, mainly due to the diversity of cultured species and their unique nutrient requirements, as well as the use of different feed ingredients with contrasting nutrient profiles, and the diversity in production systems. Additionally, the formulation of feeds varies depending on the life stage and other factors, such as farmers' or feed manufacturers' preferences and environmental constraints or regulations. Ingredient selection is, therefore, vital and based on their chemical/nutrient composition, digestibility, palatability, sustainability, and cost. Formulated aquaculture feeds generally account for 50 to 60 % of total production costs; thus, improving the cost-effectiveness of feeds is essential in reducing the overall production costs to sustain the success of aquaculture production worldwide.
Table 1. Production Volumes of some Important Commercial Aquaculture Species in 2021 (in million metric tonnes/MMT).
| Common name | Scientific name | Production (MMT) | Countries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific whiteleg shrimp | Litopenaeus vannamei | 6.34 | China, Ecuador, Indonesia, India, China, Vietnam, Thailand |
| Grass carp | Ctenopharyngodon idella | 5.98 | China, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam |
| Silver carp | Hypophthalmichthys molitrix | 4.98 | China, India, Bangladesh |
| Nile Tilapia | Oreochromis niloticus | 4.83 | China, Egypt, Indonesia, Ecuador, Brazil |
| Common carp | Cyprinus carpio | 4.18 | China, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh |
| Indian Major Carp – Catla | Catla catla | 3.79 | India, Bangladesh |
| Atlantic salmon | Salmo salar | 2.92 | Norway, Chile, UK, Canada |
| Pangasid catfishes | Pangasianodon hypophthalmus (Tra) and Pangasius bocourti (Basa) | 2.36 | Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia |
| Indian Major Carp – Rohu | Labeo rohita | 2.02 | India, Bangladesh |
| Rainbow trout | Oncorhynchus mykiss | 0.95 | Chile, Norway, Turkey, USA, Denmark, Spain, France |
Note: Data expressed in live weight equivalent
Table 2. Aquaculture Production of Aquatic Animals by Top Ten Countries by Volume in 2021.
| Country | Live weight (Million Tonnes) |
|---|---|
| China | 51.22 |
| India | 9.4 |
| Indonesia | 5.52 |
| Vietnam | 4.74 |
| Bangladesh | 2.64 |
| Norway | 1.67 |
| Egypt | 1.58 |
| Chile | 1.43 |
| Thailand | 0.99 |
| Myanmar | 0.93 |
NOTES: Data on aquatic animals exclude crocodiles, alligators, caimans, aquatic products (corals, pearls, shells and sponges) and algae.
