State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024

The "State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024" report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) provides a comprehensive overview of global fisheries and aquaculture trends, highlighting key developments and shifts in the industry.  The main findings from the report are as follow:

1. Record Production Levels: World fisheries and aquaculture production reached a new high of 223.2 million tonnes in 2022. This marks a significant increase in global production and underscores the growing importance of both capture fisheries and aquaculture in meeting global seafood demand.
2. Aquaculture Dominance: For the first time, aquaculture has surpassed capture fisheries as the leading source of aquatic animals. This shift reflects the increasing reliance on farmed seafood to support global consumption and mitigate pressures on wild fish stocks.
3. India's Prominent Role:
   • Aquatic Animals Production: India ranked second globally in the production of aquatic animals, contributing 8 percent to the world’s total production. This highlights India’s significant role in the global aquaculture industry.
   • Inland Fisheries: India also led in inland fisheries production, with a notable output of 1.9 million tonnes. This positions India as a major player in both freshwater and marine aquaculture sectors.
4. Special Focus on "Blue Transformation": The report’s special focus on “Blue Transformation in Action” emphasizes the ongoing changes and innovations in the sector aimed at improving sustainability, efficiency, and resilience. This includes advancements in aquaculture practices, efforts to reduce overfishing, and initiatives to protect marine ecosystems.

Role of Aquatic Foods in Climate Action

1. Climate Solutions from Aquatic Foods:

• Carbon Sequestration: Marine environments, such as seagrass meadows and mangroves, are known to sequester large amounts of carbon dioxide. Healthy aquatic ecosystems can help mitigate climate change by absorbing carbon.
• Low Carbon Footprint: Aquatic foods, particularly from well-managed fisheries and sustainable aquaculture, can offer a lower carbon footprint compared to terrestrial animal farming. Fish and other aquatic species often have high feed conversion efficiency, meaning they produce more edible biomass per unit of feed.
• Resilience to Climate Impacts: Aquatic food systems can contribute to climate resilience. For instance, diversified marine ecosystems are better at withstanding and adapting to climate impacts, ensuring continued food security and livelihoods.

2. FAO's Approach to Climate Adaptation:

• Integration of Traditional Knowledge: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is incorporating traditional knowledge and practices to adapt to climate change. This includes leveraging local knowledge on species that are well-suited to evolving environmental conditions, which can improve resilience and sustainability in aquatic food systems.

Blue Transformation Vision

1. Overview of Blue Transformation:

• Introduction: Launched in 2021, the FAO’s “Blue Transformation” vision aims to harness the potential of aquatic food systems to enhance global food security, improve nutrition, and achieve broader sustainability goals.
• Key Objectives:
  • Sustainable Aquaculture Expansion: Promotes the growth of aquaculture to meet rising global demand for seafood while ensuring that benefits are equitably distributed among communities. This involves adopting practices that minimize environmental impact and support socio-economic development.
  • Effective Fisheries Management: Focuses on managing fish stocks in a way that maintains ecological balance and ensures the long-term viability of fisheries. This approach supports the health of marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of those dependent on them.
  • Upgraded Aquatic Value Chains: Seeks to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of value chains from capture and culture through to processing and consumption. This includes improving practices to reduce waste, increase economic benefits, and ensure social and environmental sustainability.

The management of fisheries and aquaculture within the framework of global biodiversity agreements like the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the 2023 treaty on marine biological diversity is crucial for several reasons. Here’s how these agreements intersect with fisheries and aquaculture:

1. Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)

• Overview: Adopted in 2022, the GBF is a comprehensive global strategy aimed at halting biodiversity loss and enhancing ecosystem resilience. It provides targets and guidelines for countries to create national plans that protect biodiversity and promote sustainable practices.
• Relevance to Aquatic Food Systems:
  • Management of Aquatic Spaces: One of the GBF targets involves improving the management of marine and freshwater areas. This is directly relevant to fisheries and aquaculture, which depend on healthy aquatic environments. Sustainable management practices can help prevent overfishing, habitat destruction, and pollution.
  • Reduction of Species Extinction Risk: Fisheries and aquaculture impact many species, both targeted and non-targeted. Effective management can reduce bycatch and protect endangered species, contributing to the GBF’s goal of reducing extinction risks.
  • Restoration of Ecosystems: The GBF includes targets for the restoration of degraded ecosystems, which can enhance the health of fisheries and aquaculture systems by improving habitats and biodiversity.

 Treaty on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction

• Overview: This legally binding treaty focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ), which are parts of the ocean that lie outside of any country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
• Relevance to Aquatic Food Systems:
  • Conservation Measures: The treaty aims to implement conservation measures in ABNJ, which are critical for maintaining the health of global marine ecosystems. Effective conservation in these areas can help support global fish stocks and prevent ecosystem degradation that impacts fisheries.
  • Sustainable Use: The treaty emphasizes sustainable use of marine resources, which directly impacts how fisheries operate in these international waters. Ensuring sustainable practices helps in maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems and the availability of fish stocks.
  • Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): The establishment of MPAs in ABNJ is a key component of the treaty. MPAs can serve as refuges for marine species, help restore fish populations, and improve the overall health of the marine environment, benefiting both wild fisheries and aquaculture operations.
  • Research and Data Sharing: The treaty promotes scientific research and data sharing, which can enhance our understanding of marine biodiversity and support better management practices for fisheries and aquaculture.

Integration with National Plans

Countries are expected to incorporate these global frameworks into their national biodiversity strategies and action plans. For fisheries and aquaculture, this means:

• Aligning Practices: National policies and practices for fisheries and aquaculture need to align with GBF targets and the provisions of the 2023 treaty to ensure that they contribute to global biodiversity goals.
• Monitoring and Reporting: Regular monitoring and reporting on the status of aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity are essential to track progress and make adjustments as needed to meet global commitments.