Status and trends
Overview
Global fish production has grown steadily in the last five decades (Figure 1), with
food fish supply increasing at an average annual rate of 3.2 percent, outpacing
world population growth at 1.6 percent. World per capita apparent fish consumption
increased from an average of 9.9 kg in the 1960s to 19.2 kg in 2012 (preliminary
estimate) (Table 1 and Figure 2, all data presented are subject to rounding). This
impressive development has been driven by a combination of population growth, rising
incomes and urbanization, and facilitated by the strong expansion of fish production
and more efficient distribution channels.
China has been responsible for most of the growth in fish availability, owing to the
dramatic expansion in its fish production, particularly from aquaculture. Its per capita
apparent fish consumption also increased an average annual rate of 6.0 percent in the
period 1990–2010 to about 35.1 kg in 2010. Annual per capita fish supply in the rest of
the world was about 15.4 kg in 2010 (11.4 kg in the 1960s and 13.5 kg in the 1990s).
Despite the surge in annual per capita apparent fish consumption in developing
regions (from 5.2 kg in 1961 to 17.8 kg in 2010) and low-income food-deficit
countries (LIFDCs) (from 4.9 to 10.9 kg), developed regions still have higher levels of
consumption, although the gap is narrowing. A sizeable and growing share of fish
consumed in developed countries consists of imports, owing to steady demand and
declining domestic fishery production. In developing countries, fish consumption tends
to be based on locally and seasonally available products, with supply driving the fish
chain. However, fuelled by rising domestic income and wealth, consumers in emerging
economies are experiencing a diversification of the types of fish available owing to an
increase in fishery imports