Promote fish farming to meet growing demand

New York (PTI): With the world's fish consumption estimated to grow by 37 million tons by 2030, the UN food agency has called for farming fish under controlled conditions to meet the rising demand.

"Some 45 per cent of 48 millions tons consumed today is raised on farms. The addition of two billion people to the global population by 2030 will mean farming will have to produce nearly double that, or 85 million tons of fish per year, just to keep up with demand," the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said.

Addressing a meeting on fisheries and sustainable development on Monday, FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf stressed that while the development of fish farming, also known as aquaculture, should be a priority, it must be promoted in a responsible fashion.