Aquaculture now outpaces wild fishing as the world's top seafood source

The farming of fish and other aquatic species has expanded faster than ever before. Known as aquaculture, this method now produces more seafood than traditional wild fishing. The shift marks a major change in how the world gets its fish, shellfish and seaweed. Aquaculture overtook wild catches for the first time in 2013. By 2022, global production reached 94 million tonnes—excluding algae—while fisheries capture stayed lower. Asia dominates the industry, supplying 91% of farmed seafood that year.

China leads by a wide margin, producing 53 million tonnes in 2022, over half the world's total. India follows, though its output remains around one-fifth of China's. In Europe, Norway stands out as the top producer, mainly through salmon farming. Total aquaculture output hit a record 131 million tonnes in 2022, an 8% jump from 2020. Nearly 90% of this growth came from Asia, with China, India, Vietnam and Indonesia contributing the most. The sector is still expanding, with a projected 1.7% increase by 2025. Rising demand for fish has driven this boom. Farmed seafood helps ease pressure on wild populations, which have struggled with overfishing. The industry now covers not just fish but also crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants.

Aquaculture has become the world's main source of seafood, surpassing traditional fishing. With Asia leading production, the sector continues to grow steadily. This shift helps meet demand while reducing strain on ocean fish stocks.