Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture play a crucial role in food and nutrition security and in providing for the livelihoods of millions of people.
FAO’s latest flagship publication on the state of fisheries and aquaculture, launched at the opening of the 30th session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries, highlights the sector’s vital contribution to the world’s well-being and prosperity, a point reflected in the recent Rio+20 Outcome Document.
The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2012 reveals that the sector produced a record 128 million tonnes of fish for human food – an average of 18.4 kg per person – providing more than 4.3 billion people with about 15 percent of their animal protein intake. Fisheries and aquaculture are also a source of income for 55 million people.
“Fisheries and aquaculture play a vital role in the global, national and rural economy,” said FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva. “The livelihoods of 12 percent of the world’s population depend directly or indirectly on them. Fisheries and aquaculture give an important contribution to food security and nutrition. They are the primary source of protein for 17 percent of the world’s population and nearly a quarter in low-income food-deficit countries.”
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