CHAPTER 1 

 STATUS OF AQUACULTURE 



The status of aquaculture in the world and in the U.S. is 

 summarized in this chapter. For details on the status of 

 individual species, see Volume II. 



World Status 



On a worldwide basis, at least 93 species of finfish (combining 

 fresh, brackish and marine species), 7 species of shrimp or prawns, 

 6 species of crawfish, many species of oysters, clams and other 

 shellfish, and a wide variety of freshwater and marine plants are 

 cultivated. Comprehensive and reliable aquaculture production 

 statistics are generally lacking. Ryther , combining various 

 years from 1971 to 1978 for different species and countries, 

 estimated world production at 5.6 million metric tons (12.3 billion 

 pounds) . (See Table 1) . This figure is less than that commonly 

 quoted because of a revised„estimate of production from the 

 People's Republic of China. Of the total production, finfish 

 account for 57 percent (12 percent from marine or brackish water 

 culture and 45 percent from freshwater), molluscs 24 percent, 

 seaweed 19 percent, and crustaceans less than 1 percent. 



T.V.R. Pillay of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the 

 United Nations (FAO) , in a presentation at the World Mariculture 

 Society meeting in Venice in September 1981, presented more recent 

 total production figures. World aquaculture production for 1979 

 was estimated to be 9.4 million metric tons (20.7 billion pounds). 

 His breakdown of total production was: finfish 37.1 percent, 

 molluscs 36.7 percent, seaweed 25.4 percent, and crustaceans less 

 than 1 percent. 



Small operations produce most of the finfish and shrimp, while 

 oysters, mussels, and seaweed come from larger farms. Aquaculture 

 production constitutes roughly 10 percent of total world fish 

 consumption, with some 65 percent being cultured in Asia. 



Some countries have been aggressive and successful in promoting 

 aquaculture development, and rely heavily on it for their supply of 

 fish. Half of the fish consumed in Israel, over 25 percent of that 

 consumed in China and India, and about 10 percent of that consumed 

 in Japan comes from aquaculture. 



Ryther, J.H. 1981. Mariculture, ocean ranching, and other 

 culture-based fisheries. BioScience 31 (3) :223-230. 



2 



Anon. 1980. China changes the figures. Fish Farming 



International 7(1) :3. 



