Aquatic Genetic Resources
Aquatic genetic resources make vital contributions to global food security and nutrition, providing livelihoods to millions of fishing and farming households and communities around the world.
Aquatic biodiversity is the basis on which all fisheries and aquaculture can thrive and grow. It drives the resilience, adaptability and genetic improvement and underpins the current and future productivity and sustainability of aquatic food systems, and the essential services provided by marine, brackish and freshwater ecosystems.
However, despite estimates that fish consumption will increase by approximately 1.2 percent per annum up to 2030, the opportunities to meet this growing demand remain largely unrealized and unexplored.
The need to characterize, conserve and develop aquatic genetic resources through effective management is becoming increasingly urgent given the ever-growing pressures on the Earth’s aquatic ecosystems and habitats.
With many capture fisheries at or over capacity, effective genetic management can make aquaculture more productive while also conserving the biodiversity on which all current and future aquaculture development depends.
The work undertaken by FAO on aquatic genetic resources aims to strengthen governance, build technical capacities, promote sustainable use and development, and lead consensus building on responsible and effective genetic management.
Main outcomes CGRFA-20:
- Countries encouraged to further progress their implementation of the Global Plan of Action for Aquatic Genetic Resources
- Recommendation that FAO continue to provide technical support to countries in the use of the information system AquaGRIS, including through the preparation of manuals and training, subject to the availability of resources
Key publications
It is estimated that there are over 160 000 species of fish and aquatic molluscs, crustaceans and plants.
694 aquatic species are reported to be farmed across the world.
All cultured aquatic species can still be found in the wild, but some are at risk.
While the number of aquatic species farmed constantly grows, ten species account for 50 percent of total aquaculture production.
