The most commonly farmed species in aquaculture
Aquaculture continues to solidify its position as one of the most important drivers of global seafood production. Data from 2023, recently published Fishery and Aquaculture Statistics, show that the sector is not only continuing to grow, but is doing so in a more diverse, professional, and technologically advanced way than ever before.
Global overview: a record year for aquaculture
In 2023, combined fisheries and aquaculture production reached a new all-time high. Aquaculture accounted for nearly half of the total global volume, reinforcing its role as the most efficient system for supplying aquatic protein.
The groups with the largest global volume were:
- Finfish: 63 %
- Algae: 17 %
- Molluscs: 11 %
- Crustaceans: 8 %
- Other groups: 1 %
The most cultivated species in 2023
FAO data indicate that, although hundreds of species are cultivated, most production is concentrated in a small number of key groups.
1. Freshwater fish
Carp species (common, grass, silver, and bighead) continue to dominate global aquaculture, especially in Asia. In 2023, grass carp and common carp stood out among the species with the highest global volume.
2. Crustaceans
Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) reaffirmed its position as the world’s most farmed crustacean, with over 7.4 million tons.
Asia and Latin America were the most active regions, with Ecuador and Vietnam leading the way in production efficiency.
3. Molluscs
Pacific oysters (Crassostrea spp.) exceeded 6.7 million tons, maintaining their position as one of the most important and sustainable groups in the sector.
Europe and East Asia continue to be key production areas.
4. Seaweed
Macroalgae production reached approximately 39 million tons, almost entirely (approximately 97%) from aquaculture.
China and Indonesia overwhelmingly led this segment, establishing themselves as global hubs for plant mariculture.
Aquaculture production by continent and leading countries
The geographical distribution of aquaculture is clearly concentrated:
Asia: the epicenter of world production
- It accounts for over 89% of total aquaculture volume.
- It is responsible for the growth of most major species groups.
- Leading countries include: China, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Vietnam
America
- South America stands out with Chile’s strong salmon industry and Ecuador’s extraordinary shrimp growth.
- North America contributes technologically advanced production of salmon, trout, catfish, and oysters.
Africa
Although it represents a smaller fraction of the total, African aquaculture continues to expand, especially in tilapia and African catfish.
Europe
It continues to be a benchmark for Atlantic salmon, mussels, oysters and Mediterranean fish (sea bream and sea bass).
Production by environment: freshwater, brackish water, and marine
FAO data shows:
Environment | % | Featured species |
Freshwater | 45 % | Carps, Tilapia, Pangasius, Catfish |
Offshore | 19 % | Salmon, mussels, oysters, sea bream/bass |
Brackish waters | 9 % | Peneid shrimp |
Macroalgaes | 27 % | Kelp, nori, wakame |
Growth trends: Which species are taking off?
The year-on-year data from 2022 to 2023 show that several species significantly increased their production:
Species / Group | Increase 2022–2023 |
White shrimp (P. vannamei) | ↑ strong growth |
Tilapia | ↑ stable |
Pangasius | ↑ notable |
Carps | ↑ moderate |
Moluscous | ↑ light |
Macroalgaes | ↑ continuous expansion |
Implicaciones para las granjas
✔️ Feeding optimization
Fish and shrimp represent the highest feed costs: feed efficiency (FCR) will be key to profitability.
✔️ Biosecurity as a priority
The FAO emphasizes the need to strengthen traceability, health programs and preventive disease management.
✔️ Digitization and automation
IoT sensors, automatic feeding systems and data analysis are becoming established as tools for productivity improvement.
✔️ Growth of local markets
The expansion of tilapia, pangasius, and seaweed farming presents an opportunity to increase regional production and reduce dependence on imports.
For modern fish farms, the challenge is clear: to produce more with fewer resources and greater technical precision.
Technology—especially automated feeding systems like those developed by Fish Farm Feeder—will be essential to achieving this.
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