Generated by 230 Economic Territories, Global Fisheries, Aquaculture Production Trade Hits $184bn
Oluchi Chibuzor
A new report released by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has revealed that trade in aquatic animal products continues to hit high records with $184 billion generated by 230 economic territories and now rivals terrestrial meat trade in value.
Disclosing this new record, FAO, in its latest State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA 2026) at the ongoing 11th Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Kenya – presents updated global fisheries and aquaculture statistics.
The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2026 provides the latest evidence-based information and insights on challenges, opportunities and solutions shaping the present and future of the sector.
According to the report, “At $184 billion, trade in aquatic animal products continues to hit record highs and now rivals terrestrial meat trade in value. Ensuring sustainable and equitable growth of marine and inland ecosystems, however, remains a key challenge, according to the latest State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA 2026) report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).”
However, commenting the FAO Director-General, Qu Dongyu, said the 2026 edition presents a comprehensive evidence base to inform and guide policy, investment and action at all levels, and conveys encouraging messages.
For him, the Global production of aquatic resources has continued to grow, reaching a new high of 235 million tonnes in 2024, including both aquatic animals and algae, driven primarily by aquaculture.
According to him, “In 2024, this subsector surpassed a record 100 million tonnes of aquatic animal production. In the same year, an estimated 21.3 kg per capita of aquatic animal foods were available for consumption globally. Aquatic animal foods contributed 15 percent of animal protein availability globally; and provided at least 20 percent of animal protein availability for over 40 percent of the world’s population in 2023. About 36 percent of the 2024 aquatic animal production was traded worldwide.
“Overall, trade in aquatic products involved almost 230 economic territories and generated an estimated $186 billion in revenue. In parallel, employment in the primary sector increased to over 65 million workers, supporting the livelihoods of more than 600 million people. It highlights how FAO, with Members, communities, institutions, industry and partners, is translating its Blue Transformation vision into measurable results.”
Meanwhile, the report highlighted that the global value of international trade in aquatic products reached $186 billion in 2024, involving 230 countries and territories, trading mainly ($184 billion, 99 per cent) aquatic animal products, with algae, sponges and shells accounting for the remaining $2 billion.
“Globally, the value of trade in aquatic products represented 9 per cent of total agricultural trade (excluding forestry) and about 1 percent of total merchandise trade. The value of the trade in aquatic animal products was similar in magnitude to that in terrestrial meats and meat preparations.
“Europe accounted for 38 per cent of the total aquatic animal export value in 2024, followed by Asia (34 percent) and Latin America and the Caribbean (15 percent), while Northern America (6 percent), Africa (5 percent) and Oceania (2 percent) played smaller roles. Likewise, Europe remained the largest importing region (41 percent of the total import value), followed by Asia (34 percent) and Northern America (17 percent), with the other regions accounting for small shares: Latin America and the Caribbean (3 percent), Africa (3 percent) and Oceania (1 percent),” it said.
The report added that the top five exporters accounted for 35 per cent of the total in 2024, led by China (11 percent), followed by Norway (9 percent), Viet Nam (6 percent), and Ecuador and Chile (5 percent each).
It added, “The European Union was the largest single market, importing $63 billion of aquatic animal products, including $31 billion of intra-European Union trade. The top five importing countries accounted for 43 per cent of the total, led by the United States of America (15 percent), followed by China (12 percent), Japan (7 percent), Spain (5 percent) and Italy (4 percent).
“The most traded aquatic animal products in 2024 were finfish (68 percent of the total value), crustaceans (22 percent), and molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates (11 percent). By species group, salmonids remain the most valuable (21 percent of the total value), followed by shrimps and prawns (16 percent), tunas, bonitos and billfishes (10 percent), cods, hakes and haddocks (8 percent), and cephalopods (7 percent).”