Half Of The Fish Consumed Globally Is Now Raised on Farms
In 2009, aquaculture accounted for 50% of all fish consumed throughout the world, in part due to the rising demand for long-chain omega 3 fatty acids, which are believed to be effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Between 2005 and 2007, global production of farmed fish tripled in volume, driven in part by consumer health interests in omega-3 fatty acids. In 2006, 21.7 million metric tons of aquaculture were produced, and 20 million metric tons of wild fish were harvested for fishmeal production; an estimated 5 pounds of wild fish are needed to produce 1 pound of farmed salmon.
Theoretically, salmon farming would be more environmentally sustainable by reducing the amount of fish oil in salmon feed. A 4% reduction in the amount of fish oil would reduce the amount of wild fish required to produce a pound of salmon to 3.9 pounds, where reducing the amount of fishmeal used by 4% would have minimal environmental impact.
In 2007, tilapia and carp farms consumed more than 12 million metric tons of fishmeal, more than 1.5 times the amount used in salmon and shrimp farming combined. Despite claims that tilapia and carp farming are environmentally friendly, volume alone is driving up the demand for fishmeal, which is used in small amounts to increase yield.