Role of Aquaculture in Increasing Water Productivity

Aquaculture, the farming of aquatic animals and plants, is a well-established industry in many parts of the world. Aquaculture has, in fact, replaced inland capture fisheries as the most important source of freshwater fish (Revenga et al. 2000). According to FAO statistics, aquaculture's contribution to global supplies of freshwater and marine species has grown from 3.9 percent of total production by weight in 1970 to 27.3 percent in 2000. Overall, aquaculture has increased at an average compounded rate of 9.2% per year since 1970, compared with only 1.4% for capture fisheries and 2.8% for terrestrial animal production (FAO 2002). In 2000, total aquaculture production reported to FAO was 45.7 million metric tons with a value of $56.5 billion US dollars. Almost half of the total, some 20.2 million metric tons was produced in freshwater (Figure 1).