India Leads Asia's Shift Toward Farmed Fish as Marine Catches Stagnate

India has recorded one of the fastest expansions in inland aquaculture, with production rising 167 per centfrom 1.5 million tonnes in 2014 to nearly 4 million tonnes in 2023. Asia continues to contribute over 70 per cent of global fish production, driven increasingly by farmed fish, says a preliminary finding of a regional study by the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO). The emerging situation assumes greater significance, especially as marine capture fisheries are stagnating across Asia and countries are rapidly shifting towards aquaculture.

India is a leading driver of Asias shift from wild-caught to farmed fish. Aquacultures share in Indias fisheries employment has risen from 17 per cent in 1995 to around 40 per cent in 2020. The report highlighted that mounting pressure on wild stocks led to a steady decline in marine capture fisheries in several countries. Chinas marine landings fell by 1520 per cent since 2015, while Sri Lanka and Malaysia also showed multi-year downturns. Despite a strong export sector led by frozen shrimp, the study notes that India consumes about 82 per cent of its total fish production domestically, underlining its importance for national nutrition.

 

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