FAO: Asia leads global aquatic animal production growth

The 2026 edition of ‘The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture’ report shows Asia leading the growth in global production of aquatic animals and algae, contributing 76 per cent of the total 235 million tonnes produced in 2024. The report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was released on Tuesday (16/6) during the Our Ocean Conference 2026 in Mombasa, Kenya. In 2024, Asia produced 179 million tonnes of aquatic animals and algae, with 130 million tonnes originating from aquaculture. Aquaculture continues to be the main engine behind global expansion. Between 2000 and 2024, farmed aquatic animal production increased by 70 million tonnes, with Asia contributing 90 per cent of that growth and maintaining an average annual growth rate of 5 per cent. According to the report, the Asian region also leads in algae production, accounting for 97 per cent of the nearly 40 million tonnes produced worldwide in 2024. ‘Asia’s leadership in aquatic food production reflects decades of investment in aquaculture, innovation, and value chains,’ said Alue Dohong, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific, in a statement received in Jakarta on Wednesday. The FAO further noted that over the past two decades, farmed aquatic animal production in Asia has more than doubled, reaching 91.5 million tonnes in 2024. This growth is concentrated in a few countries and led by China, which accounts for the majority of regional and global production with 57.6 million tonnes of farmed aquatic animals. Meanwhile, other major producing countries include India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. In the marine capture fisheries sector, the top five producing countries in Asia are China, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, and Japan, which together account for 37 per cent of global production. In the inland fisheries sector, Asia produced 7.8 million tonnes of aquatic animals in 2024. The top five producers—India, Bangladesh, China, Myanmar, and Indonesia—accounted for 50 per cent of global inland fisheries production for aquatic animals, demonstrating the region’s important role in supporting nutrition and livelihoods.