Aquaculture Industry Profile

Companies in this industry raise fish, shellfish, other aquatic animals, or aquatic plants. No major companies dominate the industry.

The global production of aquatic animals reached about 180 million tons in 2020, according to the State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022 report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). In the same year, Asian countries accounted for 70% of the total fisheries and aquaculture production of aquatic animals, followed by the Americas (12%), Europe (10%), Africa (7%), and Oceania (1%).

The US aquaculture industry includes about 3,000 farms with combined annual revenue of more than $1.5 billion.

Fishing in natural aquatic habitats is covered in the Commercial Fishing profile. Processing of both farmed and wild-caught fish is covered in the Seafood Processing profile.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand is driven primarily by trends in fish consumption. The profitability of individual companies depends on efficient operations and protecting fish stock from death and disease. Large companies have advantages in vertically integrating operations from breeding to processing and packaging. Small farms, typically those that are family-owned, can compete effectively by specializing in unusual and high-end products or offering onsite fishing.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Key global products include carp, salmon, trout, tuna, shrimp, and mollusks such as squid, clams, and oysters. Major US products include catfish; mollusks, such as clams and oysters; and crawfish. Other products include shrimp, salmon, striped bass, and tilapia. Some farms specialize ...