The value of Asia-Pacific regional aquatic animal production in 2014 was 79 percent of the global total, amounting to US$127 billion.
Between 2010 and 2014, Asia-Pacific region registered 5.7 percent growth with notable negative annual percent rate of growth (APR) in both Other Asia and Oceania sub-regions. The production in Asia is expected to increase in order to meet the growing global and regional demand for fish in the coming decade. The sector will increase and improve its sustainability providing more and more aquatic food that is safer to eat, while providing significant social benefits with reduced environmental impacts.
In 2014, 84 percent of the global population engaged in the fisheries and aquaculture sector was in Asia. In terms of resources, Asian aquaculture still does not overly suffer from lack of major resources. Support services have been improving and kept phase with sectoral development. As the sector is continually being intensified, more and more advances and support services are necessary to increase sector efficiency. Intensification of aquaculture in Asia will continue in the coming decades. Over the past decade, intensification has decreased the use of land and freshwater per unit of farmed fish produced, but has also led to an increase in the use of energy and commercial aquafeed as well as an increase in water pollution per unit of farmed fish produced. In terms of consumption, it is apparent that more fish and shrimp are now consumed in Asia than ever. While this trend is continuing, the demand for improved high quality, nutritious, safer to eat and easy to cook (precooked) aquatic products will continue in the region.
Asia suffered serious disease outbreaks, particularly in the shrimp farming sector, during the last five years. It appears that for Asian aquaculture to be more efficient and sustainable, continuing efforts towards intensification of the sector should pay more attention not only to increasing resource efficiency but also to reducing environmental impacts to a minimum. If the benefits of aquaculture should also be made equitable it is paramount that both small-scale and large-scale aquafarmers and industrialists coexist, sharing profits and enjoying benefits. In a market economy world, this can only be achieved through better governance by enacting people-centred and poverty-addressing policies and regulatory frameworks.
While many countries in Asia-Pacific have made commendable efforts to set up policies, administrative, legal and regulatory frameworks to properly develop and manage aquaculture, some countries in the region still lag behind. And in some of the countries that have made conducive policies, their implementation is delayed by the lack of financial and skilled human resources. This issue must be addressed as a priority if the aquaculture sector in Asia-Pacific is to continue to develop sustainably.
