This document reviews the development of the aquaculture industry in the Latin America and the Caribbean region over the past decade. In 2018 aquaculture production in the region amounted to an estimated 3.1 million tonnes of aquatic products (excluding seaweeds) worth USD 17.2 billion at first sale. This food sector is vastly concentrated in a few countries with the combined output from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico representing over 85 percent of the total regional production. Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout, tilapia, whiteleg shrimp and the Chilean mussel collectively contributed 80.4 percent and 85.9 percent of the regional production by volume and value, respectively. Marine aquaculture has been the dominant production environment in the region for the past two decades, accounting for 70.1 percent of the farmed output in 2018. Production models vary widely, with a concentration of large-scale companies in Chile, while primarily small- and/or medium-size operations in Brazil, Peru and several other countries. Introduced species remain top on the list among those farmed such as tilapia and the different salmonids both of which have contributed to local livelihoods and employment. Tilapia farming has contributed significantly to food security in many countries of the region while the largest proportion of farmed salmons have been destined to the export markets. Production prospects remain promising, however the industry requires in general better governance, the adoption at all levels of appropriate technologies and best practices, and renewed efforts to guarantee environmental sustainability and social acceptance as well as competitiveness and foresight to deal with climate and market changes. The small island developing states (SIDS) face additional challenges including limited expertise, high production costs, poor seed supplies, as well as extreme and destructive weather events. The report discusses issues that require wider regional attention for the aquaculture sector to grow. Key recommendations focus on governance-related improvements highlighting the need for solid sectoral development plans, support policies, and effective rules and regulations. The promotion of a stronger cooperation among the countries in the region as well as further afield on technical matters, species diversification and equal support to smalland large-scale farming operation are identified as key elements to foster investment and help the region gain a solid position among world aquatic food producers.

Feeding an expected global population of 9 billion by 2050 is a daunting challenge that is engaging hundreds of millions of farmers, food processors, traders, researchers, technical experts, and leaders the world over. Fish and other aquatic products from aquaculture can and will play a major role in meeting the dietary demands of all people, while also meeting the food security needs of the poorest. To realize the maximum contributions of the aquaculture sector toward achieving the targets set by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2030, coordinated and accelerated actions are required. Not only must these actions increase sustainable production, but also address the broader value chain, markets, and decent employment. Recognizing the critical importance of aquaculture, and the need to exchange and discuss reliable information to further enhance its contribution to sustainable development, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), at the request of its Members, collaborated with the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, to organize the Global Conference on Aquaculture Millennium +20 (GCA +20), 22–25 September 2021, in Shanghai, the People's Republic of China. Under the theme “Aquaculture for food and sustainable development”, the GCA +20 aimed to bring stakeholders from government, business, academia, and civil society together to identify the policy and technology innovations, investment opportunities and fruitful areas of cooperation in aquaculture for food and sustainable development. A key output from the GCA +20 – the Shanghai Declaration on Aquaculture for Food and Sustainable Development – highlights the principles and strategic pathways to maximize sustainable aquaculture in achieving the SDGs, with a special focus on “Leaving no one behind”.

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circulars Whereas aquaculture in Latin America and the Caribbean is progressing at rates above world averages, growth is slowing due to governance, planning and environmental issues, among others. This report provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges facing aquaculture in the region, as well as opportunities for further development.

This document provides a synthesis of six regional aquaculture reviews: Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Near East and North Africa, North America and sub-Saharan Africa. Global aquaculture production, including aquatic plants, in 2018 was 114.5 million tonnes, with an estimated value of USD 263 billion. The Asia-Pacific region continued to be the major producer. Globally, aquaculture provides over 50 percent of fish for human consumption. In 2018, aquaculturists were reported to farm about 622 species or species items including 387 finfishes, 111 molluscs, 64 crustaceans, seven frogs and reptiles, ten miscellaneous aquatic invertebrates and 43 aquatic plants. From 2000-2018, aquaculture production in freshwater, brackish water and marine water increased at a compound annual growth rate of 5.7 percent, 7.7 percent and 5.2 percent respectively while total aquaculture production grew at an annual growth rate of 5.6 percent. Global food supply and per capita consumption of fish and fish products continued to increase faster than human population growth. Aquaculture is striving to innovate in order to increase production and sustainability. Progress in biosecurity and fish health management, feed formulation and utilization, and genetic resource management are showing good, but uneven progress. The aquaculture sector faces challenges including competition for land and water resources, as well as external factors such as climate change, conflict, economic uncertainties and most recently the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic and other stresses such as droughts and tsunamis, revealed that the aquaculture industry has not engaged sufficiently in disaster preparedness. International and national mechanisms are being put in place to increase the sustainability, good governance and social license of the sector to address these challenges. The diversity of the sector, the opportunities for good jobs and commitments by governments to good governance will help the sector meet these challenges.

The 2024 edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture features the Blue Transformation in action, illustrated by activities and initiatives, led by FAO in collaboration with Members, partners and key stakeholders, to integrate aquatic foods into global food security and sustainability, enhance policy advocacy, scientific research and capacity building, disseminate sustainable practices and technological innovations, and support community involvement. Part 1 of this edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture benefits from significant improvements in data collection, analytical and assessment tools and methodologies to present the most up-to-date review of world fisheries and aquaculture production and utilization. Part 2 highlights the role of FAO and its partners to catalyse the transformational changes required to support aquaculture expansion and intensification, effective management of global fisheries and upgrading of aquatic value chains. Part 3 covers the high-impact challenges and opportunities of the untapped potential of utilizing whole fish and by-products to improve food security and nutrition, expounds on the role of aquatic food systems in providing critical climate, biodiversity and environmentally sound solutions, and highlights the importance of their integration into national and multilateral processes. It also presents an outlook on future trends up to 2032 based on projections. The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024 provides the most up-to-date and evidence-based information, supporting policy, scientific and technical insights on challenges, opportunities and innovations shaping the present and future of the sector, for the benefit of a wide and expanding audience of policymakers, managers, scientists, fishers, farmers, traders, civil society activists and consumers.

This book covers the recent trends on the biological applications of nanomaterials, methods for their preparation, and techniques for their characterization. Further, the book examines the fundamentals of nanotoxicity, methods to assess the toxicity of engineered nanomaterials, approaches to reduce toxicity during synthesis. It also provides an overview of the state of the art in the application of Artificial intelligence-based methodologies for evaluation of toxicity of drugs and nanoparticles. The book further discusses nanocarrier design, routes of various nanoparticle administration, nano based drug delivery systems, and the toxicity challenges associated with each drug delivery method. It presents the latest advances in the interaction of nanoparticles with the cellular environment and assess nanotoxicity of these engineered nanoparticles. The book also explores the comparative and mechanistic genotoxicity assessment of the nanomaterials. This book is useful source of information for industrial practitioners, policy makers, and other professionals in the fields of toxicology, medicine, pharmacology, food, and drugs.

A global blue economy is an economic arena that depends on the benefits and values realized from the coastal and marine environments. This book explains the "sustainable blue economy" as a marine-based economy that provides social and economic benefits for current and future generations. It restores, protects, and maintains the diversity, productivity, and resilience of marine ecosystems, and is based on clean technologies, renewable energy, and circular material flows.