What is the output of modern fish farming?
Aquaculture has displayed rapid growth world wide, expanding by approximately 10% over the past 10 years. This is considerable growth as compared to 3% growth in livestock meat and 1.6% in the capture fisheries over the same time period. Global aquaculture production, including extensive subsistence farming in Asia, increased by 2 million tonnes to reach 32.9 million tonnes in 1999. Various estimates of the future increase in aquaculture production have been made: By 2010, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that production will be as much as 39 million metric tons. Of all aquaculture products, finfish have shown the largest growth with high value species such as Atlantic salmon passing the one million tonne plateau in 1996. Overall, a 1997 data report by Price Waterhouse Coopers indicated that the production of finfish (salmon, trout, steelhead, arctic char, tilapia, perch, walleye) and shellfish (mussels, oysters, clams) increased to approximately 83,
