Cover photos: Multiple-use water bodies

top left: The integration of carp pond culture, pig farming, fruit trees, tubers and other crops is a traditional approach to ensure food security in the poor upland regions of Viet Nam;

bottom left: Ethnic minorities practice a wide range of aquaculture activities for human and livestock consumption in north-western Viet Nam (courtesy of M. Halwart);

right: Integrated chicken and tilapia pond culture with aquatic macrophytes to stabilize bank and provide additional feed in northeastern Thailand (courtesy of D. Bartley).

· Inland water aquatic animal production increased by 6.53 percent to 18.73 mmt with a 4.33 percent increase in value. The marine aquatic animal production increased by 0.89 mmt or 7.91 percent and was valued at US$ 22,310 million.

· Production of Pacific cupped oyster (Crassostrea gigas) increased by 15.61 percent to become the principal species farmed, overtaking silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys
molitrix) with a total production of 3.44 mmt. During the year, giant tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) production increased by 8.80 percent to 578,000 mt.

· China, India and Japan retained their positions as the world’s first three largest aquaculture producers, while Bangladesh overtook Indonesia to become fourth by producing 0.58 mmt, which is an increase of over 70,000 mt or 13.87 percent.

· World seaweed production increased by 1.36 mmt or 18.88 percent to 8.57 mmt.