Aquaculture is one of the fastest-growing food production sectors in the world and now provides more than half of all aquatic animal products consumed by humans. Global production continues to increase as wild fisheries have reached biological and practical limits, making aquaculture essential for future food security. According to the FAO, aquaculture has surpassed capture fisheries as the primary source of aquatic animals for human consumption and is expected to play an even larger role in supplying protein to a growing global population.
Asia dominates production volumes, accounting for the vast majority of global aquaculture output, with China, India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Bangladesh among the leading producers. Europe and North America, while representing a smaller share of total volume, lead in high-value species such as Atlantic salmon, Arctic char, trout and marine finfish. These regions are also global centres for advanced aquaculture technology, including recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), water treatment solutions, oxygenation systems, digital monitoring, automation and artificial intelligence.
Industry profitability is driven by a combination of biological performance and operational efficiency. Key factors include feed conversion ratio (FCR), energy costs, fish survival rates, growth performance, market pricing, financing conditions and regulatory permitting processes. As modern facilities become increasingly technology-intensive, operational excellence and resource efficiency are becoming major competitive advantages.
A rapidly growing segment of the aquaculture value chain is the technology supplier ecosystem. Companies providing water treatment, oxygen generation, ozone systems, UV disinfection, filtration, sensors, automation, digital twins and AI-driven decision support are experiencing strong demand as producers seek higher productivity, lower environmental impact and improved regulatory compliance. Technology exports have therefore become a strategic industry in their own right, supporting aquaculture development globally - including from the Nordic countries.
Long-term growth is expected to be driven by increasing demand for sustainable protein, pressure on wild fish stocks, urbanization, stricter environmental regulations and continuing advances in land-based farming and precision aquaculture technologies. These trends are creating opportunities not only for fish producers but also for engineering, water treatment and digital infrastructure companies serving the sector.
Production trend (FAO FishStat)
World production of aquatic animals: aquaculture vs capture fisheries
Million tonnes (live weight)
Aggregated from FAO Global production (FishStat): aquaculture = freshwater+brackish+marine; capture = capture. Yearbook group "Fish, crustaceans and molluscs, etc." only (excludes algae, mammals, corals, etc.).
Compare SOFIA 2024: 2022 was the first year aquaculture surpassed capture for aquatic animals (~94 Mt vs ~91 Mt).
Source: FAO. Global production quantity statistics (FishStat / GlobalProduction dataset). https://www.fao.org/fishery/en/statistics/software/fishstatj · Licence: FAO Fishery datasets: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (see FAO dataset terms). Chart prepared by DABCE for educational knowledge use with attribution. · Chart: DABCE · 2026-08-09
Capture fisheries and aquaculture in the statistics
After the Second World War, population and demand for protein rose. From the 1960s to the 1980s industrial capture fisheries expanded with larger vessels, more efficient gear and greater range. FAO time series then show global capture volumes of aquatic animals largely levelling off, while aquaculture continues to grow. According to SOFIA 2024, aquaculture first surpassed capture fisheries in aquatic-animal production in 2022. That plateau is commonly interpreted in research and FAO reports as many fisheries approaching biological and management limits while demand for aquatic protein keeps rising.
In many fisheries the composition of the catch has changed over time - including use of more species and size classes - while management, quotas and technology have evolved. Aquaculture complements capture fisheries by adding farmed volume under controlled conditions. It does not replace responsible stock management, but can support food supply when wild catch can no longer grow at the same pace. Land-based and semi-land-based systems are also part of EU and national strategies for a sustainable blue economy, alongside sustainable fisheries.
RAS - a fast-growing technology segment
Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) are among the fastest-growing segments of the industry. By continuously treating and reusing water, RAS facilities can reduce freshwater consumption by more than 95%, enable production closer to consumers, improve biosecurity and support sustainable growth in regions where traditional net-pen farming is limited. This has created substantial demand for advanced filtration, oxygenation, monitoring and water treatment technologies - areas where DABCE and similar technology suppliers operate. See also the RAS section and our DABCE FlowFarm model for concept sizing.