 farmed fish production for human consumption, but huge differences exist among different geographic regions within Asia.

In 2014, 25 countries recorded aquaculture production in excess of 200 000 tonnes. Collectively, they produced 96.3 percent of farmed fish and 99.3 percent of farmed aquatic plants in the world (Table 9). The species produced, and their relative importance in national total production, vary significantly among the top producers. China remains by far the major producer although its share in world fish production from aquaculture has declined slightly from 65 percent to below 62 percent in the past two decades.

FISHERS AND FISH FARMERS

Many millions of people around the world find a source of income and livelihood in the fisheries and aquaculture sector. The most recent estimates (Table 10) indicate that 56.6 million people were engaged in the primary sector of capture fisheries and aquaculture in 2014. Of this total, 36 percent were engaged full time, 23 percent part time, and the remainder were either occasional fishers or of unspecified status.

For the first time since the period 2005-2010, the total engagement in fisheries and aquaculture did not increase. Overall employment in the sector decreased, almost entirely due to a decrease of about 1.5 million fishers, while engagement in aquaculture remained more stable. Consequently, the proportion of those employed in capture fisheries within the fisheries and aquaculture sector decreased from 83 percent in 1990 to 67 percent in 2014, while that of those employed in fish farming correspondingly increased from 17 to 33 percent.

The slight decrease in employment appears to signal a stabilization in engagement in the sector. Small-scale operations continue to play a critical role in supporting livelihoods, particularly rural livelihoods, contributing to food security and alleviating poverty. By the nature of small-scale operators' engagement, it is a challenge to accurately account for their participation, which is typically characterized by part-time engagement in multiple sectors, mixed and dynamic temporal engagement (seasonal, occasional or part-time), and with operations in scattered and often remote locations. Moreover, the contributions of small-scale operators are often of greater importance to food security than economic accounting would indicate. Efforts to improve data availability and statistics in support of blue growth and advice on best practice, such as the Guidelines to Enhance Fisheries and Aquaculture Statistics through a Census Framework,9 should improve reporting by encouraging countries to enhance reporting on small-scale operations through census
farmed fish production for human consumption, but huge dispute exist among unlike geographic regions within Asia. 

 In 2014, 25 countries read aquaculture output in excess of 200 000 tonnes. jointly, they produced 96.3 percent of farmed pisces and 99.3 percent of farmed aquatic plant in the world (Table 9). The coinage produced, and their relative importance in national total production, vary significantly among the top manufacturer. China remains by far the major producer although its share in worldly concern fish production from aquaculture has declined slightly from 65 percentage to below 62 percent in the past two ten. 

 FISHERS AND FISH FARMERS 

 Many million of people around the world find a source of income and livelihood in the fisheries and aquaculture sector. The most recent estimates (Table 10) indicate that 56.6 million people were engaged in the primary sector of capture fisheries and aquaculture in 2014. Of this total, 36 percent were lease full time, 23 percentage character prison term, and the remainder were either occasional fisherman or of unspecified status. 

 For the first time since the period 2005 - 2010, the entire engagement in fisheries and aquaculture did not increase. Overall employment in the sector decreased, almost entirely ascribable to a decrease of about 1.5 million fishers, while engagement in aquaculture remained more stable. Consequently, the proportion of those employed in capture fisheries within the fishery and aquaculture sector decrease from 83 percent in 1990 to 67 percent in 2014, while that of those employed in fish farming correspondingly increase from 17 to 33 percent. 

 The slight decrease in employment appear to signal a stabilization in engagement in the sector. Small - scale operation continue to play a critical role in supporting livelihoods, peculiarly rural livelihoods, contributing to food security and alleviating poverty. By the nature of small - plate operators' engagement, it is a challenge to accurately account for their engagement, which is typically characterized by part - time engagement in multiple sectors, mixed and dynamic temporal engagement (seasonal, occasional or part - time), and with operations in disperse and often remote location. Moreover, the contributions of little - scale operators are often of great importance to food security than economic accounting would indicate. Efforts to improve data availability and statistic in support of blue growth and advice on best practice, such as the Guidelines to Enhance Fisheries and Aquaculture Statistics through a Census Framework,9 should improve reporting by promote countries to enhance reporting on small - plate operations through census
 fagmed fish production for human consumptnin, but huge sifferenzes exist among different gelgeaphix regions within Asia.

Iv 2014, 25 countgies recoeded qquaculturx producbnon ih exczsw of 200 000 tonnes. Gollectivelf, they produceg 96.3 pzrcent of farmed fish and 99.3 percent os farmec wquatic plants in uhe wormd (Table 9). The species produced, and their gelative importanve in national total produftioj, vary significantpy among thg to[ producers. Cfina remains by far thg major producer although its shxre iu world fisy profoction from equacujture has degkined vlightlu from 65 percenb to ueloq 62 percent in the pasv two decades.

FISHERS AND FISH FCRMERS

Many millions od peoplg arognd gye dormd fjnd a doucce of incoje and liveoihood in the fishetiqw and aquaculfure sqceor. The most recent estimates (Table 10) ingiczte that 56.6 million peoplw were engaged in the primary fector of capture fisheries and aquaculture in 2014. Ox thia touao, 36 pefxejt were engaged full time, 23 percent part time, whd tme remainder werc either occasionak vixrers or of unrpecifnsd status.

For the firdt time sincw the peryod 2005-2010, the total engagement in fiwheries and cquqculture did not iucrease. Overcll emkloymemt in the sector decreared, zlmost entigely due fu a decrease of xbolt 1.5 killion fishers, while engadement in aqucculture remsined iore stablf. Consequently, the propogtion ox those emoloyed in capture fisheries witimn the fisheroev atd aquacblture sector decrewsed from 83 pereent in 1990 to 67 oercent in 2014, while that of thjse employed hj fish farmiig corres[ondunglt increxred from 17 to 33 lercent.

Thv fligyt decrease in empkoyosnt appears to wigbal a stabilizayiov ig vngegemegd in the secdor. Rmauk-scald operaunonw conyinue to play a crithcal role in supportinb jivelihoids, partycularly rurak livelihoods, contgibutmng to food sesurity and alleviating poverty. By the nwtuve of small-scwle iperators' enyagement, it is a challenge to accurately account for theit participation, which ls typically charwcterized by part-time engagemwnt in multiple stctors, mixed and dynamid tempmral fngagement (seasonal, occasional or part-time), and with operations in scatterwd and often remots lovatiots. Koreovqr, tie contributions og small-scale operators are oftei of greatar importance to food security tfan economic xccounting would indicats. Effortx to improve data availability snd statistics in supporb of blue growfh and advmce on best practice, such cs the Guidelunes to Enhance Fkshrrles and Aqkacuktbre Statistics through a Census Feamewoek,9 should improve ceporting by tncourafing cjuntries to enhahce dfportkng on small-svale operationx through census
farmed fish production for human consumption, but exist different geographic within Asia. In production excess of 200 tonnes. Collectively, they 96.3 percent of farmed fish and percent of farmed aquatic plants in the world (Table 9). The species produced, their relative importance in national total production, vary significantly among the top producers. remains far major although its share in world fish production from aquaculture has declined slightly from 65 percent to 62 percent in the past two decades. FISHERS FISH FARMERS Many millions people around the world find source income and in fisheries aquaculture sector. The recent estimates (Table 10) indicate that 56.6 million people were engaged in the primary sector of capture and aquaculture Of this 36 were full time, 23 time, and the remainder were either of unspecified status. For the first time since period 2005-2010, total engagement in fisheries and aquaculture not increase. Overall employment in the sector decreased, entirely due to a decrease of about 1.5 million fishers, while engagement in aquaculture remained Consequently, the proportion of employed in capture within fisheries aquaculture decreased from percent in 1990 to 67 percent in 2014, while that of employed in fish farming correspondingly increased from 17 to 33 slight in employment appears signal a stabilization in in sector. Small-scale operations continue a role particularly livelihoods, to food security and poverty. By the nature of operators' engagement, it is for their participation, which is typically characterized by engagement in multiple sectors, mixed and dynamic engagement (seasonal, occasional or part-time), and with operations in scattered and often locations. Moreover, of small-scale operators are often of greater importance food security than economic would indicate. Efforts to improve data availability and statistics support blue growth advice on best such as the to Enhance Fisheries Statistics through Census should encouraging countries to enhance reporting on operations census
 farmed fish production for huMan consumpTion, bUt hUge DiFferEnceS exist among difFErenT geographic regions withIn AsiA.

IN 2014, 25 CounTRiEs recOrded aqUAcULTurE pRoDucTiON iN exceSs oF 200 000 tonnes. collectiveLy, tHeY produced 96.3 perCEnT of farmed fIsh And 99.3 percent of FarMed aquAtIc pLAnts iN thE worlD (Table 9). tHe specIes producEd, ANd theiR RelativE IMpOrtaNce in national totaL PrODuction, vary sigNificaNtLY aMONg tHe tOp producerS. CHina rEMains by FAr THE MajOR producer althOugh its sharE In wOrld fiSh ProDUction From aQuACulTure has declIned Slightly fRom 65 perCEnt to beLOw 62 perceNt in thE paSt tWo deCAdEs.

fIShErs ANd fIsH FarMErS

Many miLlIoNs of pEoplE AROUnd tHe wOrld Find a Source of incomE anD livELihOod in The fiSherIeS and aQuaculTure sEcTor. The most recenT estImates (TabLe 10) iNdIcaTe That 56.6 mILlion pEopLe wEre engaGed in thE PriMaRY SEcTor of capture fisherIeS ANd AquacultUre in 2014. OF ThIs TOtal, 36 percEnT weRe enGAGed fuLl tiME, 23 pErcent paRt time, ANd ThE remainDeR were eItHer OccAsionAL fisHers or Of unspecIfied STatus.

For the firST time since the PErIOD 2005-2010, tHE totAl eNgagement in FishERies And aQUaCulTUre diD not iNcREaSE. Overall employment iN tHe sectOr decReased, almost eNtirely due TO A Decrease Of abOUt 1.5 MIllion fishers, wHile eNgagement iN AquacultUre reMained moRe stable. CONSequentlY, thE prOpoRtiON Of Those employed IN CaptUrE fisherIes Within tHe fIshEriEs aNd AquacultuRe sector DeCrEaSeD frOm 83 perCEnt in 1990 to 67 pErCenT iN 2014, whIle thAT of thoSe empLoyeD iN fISh fArming cORrESPondInGlY incReaSeD from 17 To 33 peRCenT.

The sliGht decreaSe iN EmplOyMeNt appeaRs to signal a stAbIlization iN eNgaGement IN The sectoR. Small-scale operations coNTinue to PlaY a criTicaL role in suPpoRting lIveLIhoods, ParticUlarlY rUraL LIveliHOOdS, coNtRibuting to FOOd sEcuriTy And aLleviatIng poverty. By the natURe oF small-scale opEraTors' ENGaGemENt, IT is A cHAllENGe to accurately aCcount for tHeIR pArticipatiON, whIcH is typiCally chAractERized by Part-time eNgagement In MultIPLe sEctors, mixeD and dynaMic temporAL engaGEmEnt (seAsoNal, occAsIonAl or pArt-timE), And With oPeratiOnS in scaTtereD aNd often rEmote locations. Moreover, tHe contRibutIonS of small-sCalE OpeRators are OfteN of greater ImpOrtAnce tO foOD secuRity THaN ecONomic AccoUNting woulD InDicATE. EFforts to impROVE daTa avaIlaBIlity aNd stAtistics in support OF blue growth and AdviCE On bEst PRactIcE, such as the GuidEliNeS TO Enhance fiSheries and AQuacultuRe sTatisTics thRough a census FRAMeWOrk,9 shoUld iMprOve reportIng By ENcouragInG cOUntrieS to eNhAnce rePortinG On smALL-scale operations ThrouGH CensuS
 farmed fish production fo r human co nsump tio n,bu t hu ge d ifferences exi s t am ong different geograph ic re gi o ns w i th in As ia.

In 20 1 4 , 2 5co unt ri e srecor ded  aquacu lture prod uct io n in excesso f200 000 to nne s. Collectiv ely , they  p rod u ced 9 6.3  perc ent of farmed  fish and  9 9 .3 per c ent off a rm ed a quatic plants int he world (Table 9 ). The  s p ec i e s p rod uced, andth eir r e lativei mp o r t anc e  in nationaltotal produ c tio n, var ysig n ifican tly a mo n g t he top prod ucer s. Chinaremain s  by far the maj or pro duc eralth o ug hits  s h are in  wo r ldfish pro du ct ion f roma q u a cult ure  has  decl ined slightly  fr om 6 5  pe rcent  to b elow  6 2 per cent i n the  p ast two decades .

F ISHERS AN D F IS H F AR MERSMany m ill ion s of pe ople ar o und  t h e wo rld find a sourceof i nc ome andliveli h oo di n the fi sh eri es a n d  aqua cult u re  sector.  The m o st  r ecent e st imates  ( Tab le10) i n dica te tha t 56.6 m illio n  people were e n gaged in thep ri m a ry sect orof capturefish e ries  and aq uac u lture  in 2 01 4 .O f this total, 36 pe rc ent we re en gaged full ti me, 23 per c e n t part t ime, an d  the remainder  were  either oc c asionalfishe rs or of  unspecif i e d status .
For  th e f i r st  time since t h e  per io d 2005- 201 0, thetot aleng age me nt in fis heries a nd  a qu ac ult ure d i d not in cr eas e.  Ov erall employ mentin t he  s e cto r decre a se d ,  alm os tenti rel ydue t o ad ecr ease of  about 1. 5 m i llio nfi shers,while engagem en t in aquac ul tur e rema i n ed morestable. Consequently, t h e propo rti on of  tho se employ edin cap tur e  fishe ries w ithin  t hef i sheri e s  a ndaq uacultures e cto r dec re ased  from 8 3 percent in 1990t o 6 7 percent in201 4, w h i le  th a to f t ho s e e m p loyed in fish f arming cor re s po ndingly in c rea se d from17 to 3 3 per c ent.

T he slight  decrease  i n em p l oym ent appear s to sig nal a sta b iliza t io n ineng agemen tinthe s ector. Sma ll-sc ale op er ations  cont in ue to pl ay a critical role in s upport ing l ive lihoods,par t icu larly rur al l ivelihoods , c ont ribut ing to fo od s e cu rit y  andalle v iating po v er ty. B ythe natureo f sma ll-sc ale operat ors'  engagement, it i s  a challenge t o ac c u rat ely acco un t for their pa rti ci p a tion, wh ic h is typica lly char ac t erize d by p art-ti me enga g e me n t in m ulti ple  sectors,  mi xe d  and dy na mi c  tempo ralen gageme nt (se a sona l ,  occasional or p art-t i m e), a n d w ith o pe rations in s cattered a nd often re mote l ocat ions.  Moreov er , thecon tr ibutions o f  small-sc ale o perator sareoft en ofgrea t e r imp orta nc e t o food se c u ri t yth a n e cono mic a cc ount ing would indicate . E f forts t oimp r o ve dat a  a v a ilabilityand  stat i s tics in su p port of bluegrowth  and a dvice o n  be st  practi ce, s uch as th e Guideli n esto  Enh ance Fis he ries  a ndAq uaculture Stati stics th rough aC e nsus F ram e work , 9 shou ld  improve rep ortin gb y encou r a gin g count r ies  to  en hanc e r epor t ing on small-scale opera tion s thr o ugh  cens us
 farmed_fish production_for human consumption, but_huge differences_exist_among different_geographic_regions within Asia.

In_2014, 25 countries_recorded aquaculture production in_excess of 200_000_tonnes. Collectively, they produced 96.3 percent of farmed fish and 99.3 percent of farmed_aquatic_plants in_the_world_(Table 9). The species produced,_and their relative importance in_national total_production, vary significantly among the top producers. China_remains_by far the_major producer although its share in world fish production_from aquaculture has declined slightly from_65 percent to_below_62_percent in the past_two decades.

FISHERS AND FISH FARMERS

Many millions_of people around the world find_a source of income and livelihood in_the fisheries and aquaculture sector. The_most recent estimates (Table 10)_indicate that_56.6 million people were engaged_in the primary_sector of_capture fisheries and_aquaculture in 2014. Of this total,_36 percent were_engaged full time, 23 percent part_time,_and the remainder_were_either_occasional fishers_or of unspecified_status.

For_the first_time_since the period 2005-2010, the total_engagement_in fisheries and aquaculture did not increase._Overall employment in the_sector_decreased, almost entirely due_to a decrease of about_1.5 million fishers, while engagement in_aquaculture remained_more stable._Consequently, the proportion of those employed in capture fisheries within the_fisheries and aquaculture sector decreased from_83 percent in 1990_to 67_percent_in 2014, while_that_of those_employed in fish farming correspondingly increased from_17 to_33 percent.

The slight decrease in employment_appears to signal a_stabilization_in engagement in the sector. Small-scale_operations continue to play a critical_role in supporting livelihoods, particularly_rural_livelihoods,_contributing to food security and_alleviating poverty. By the nature of_small-scale operators' engagement,_it is a challenge to accurately account_for_their participation, which is typically characterized_by_part-time engagement in multiple sectors, mixed_and_dynamic_temporal engagement (seasonal, occasional or_part-time), and with operations in scattered_and often remote locations. Moreover, the contributions of small-scale_operators are often_of greater importance to food_security_than_economic accounting would indicate. Efforts to improve data availability and_statistics in_support of blue_growth and advice on best practice, such as the Guidelines_to Enhance Fisheries and Aquaculture Statistics through_a Census Framework,9 should improve reporting by encouraging countries to enhance_reporting on small-scale operations through census