46% of wild-caught fish could be fed to farmed fish and shrimp by 2040, says report
ROME — Nearly half of the wild-caught fish harvested globally could be used to produce feed for farmed aquaculture products by 2040 if the industry were to grow exponentially in line with a roadmap developed by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), according to a report published Sept. 4. The report was published by […]
At the 37th meeting of the Committee on Fisheries held in Rome, a report has highlighted that up to 46% of wild-caught fish could be utilized to feed farmed fish and shrimp by 2040 if the aquaculture industry were to expand substantially. This projection was made by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Changing Markets Foundation, a UK-based NGO, in a report released on September 4.
The report was unveiled just before the biennial intergovernmental meeting, during which policymakers aimed to outline strategies for the growth of fisheries and aquaculture sectors worldwide.
Aquaculture, the cultivation of aquatic organisms such as plants, fish, and shellfish in marine or freshwater environments, has become the world's fastest-growing food sector since 2022. It now accounts for half of the global seafood supply. However, representatives from artisanal fisher organizations attending the meeting argued that the aquaculture industry could be detrimental.
Tara Ganesh, a senior campaigner at the Changing Markets Foundation, told Mongabay in Rome that the impact of aquaculture largely depends on the species selected for farming, as it can have a wide range of effects.
Written by urgent.news from Mongabay's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
