Global fish consumption rose to a record in 2007, helped by an increase in fish farming, the United Nations said.
Consumption climbed to almost 17 kilograms (37 pounds) per capita, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization said in a report today. Fish farming, or aquaculture, accounted for an estimated 10.8 million workers in 2008, or 24 percent of all fishing-industry employment, up from 3.78 million, or 14 percent, in 1990, the report showed. Traditional fishing is “stagnating,” the FAO said.
“Since 1990, fish farmers have experienced the greatest increases in their numbers, with most of the growth occurring in Asia, particularly in China, where the number of fish farmers increased by 189 percent” in the 1990-2008 period, the Rome- based UN agency said.
The fishing industry employed an estimated 44.9 million people as of 2008, according to the report, up from 27.7 million in 1990. Still, fewer people are working in the industry in “capital-intensive” economies, particularly in Europe, North America and Japan, the FAO said, citing decreased catches and capacity-reduction programs.
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