Valued at USD 325.37 billion in 2025, the global aquaculture market is projected to reach USD 341.58 billion in 2026 and USD 507.73 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 5.1% during the forecast period 2026–2034. Growth is driven by rising seafood demand, declining wild fish stocks, and growing investments in sustainable aquaculture technologies. This article examines the demand drivers, leading segments, and regional dynamics relevant to B2B feed suppliers, equipment makers, producers, and processors in the aquaculture market.

Supply Gap and Growing Demand

Aquaculture covers the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and aquatic plants under controlled freshwater, marine, and land-based environments. The industry helps address the gap between seafood demand and declining wild fish stocks and has become a significant contributor to global food security. Products are supplied to retail stores, restaurants, food processors, and export firms.

Rising seafood consumption is the first driver, owing to consumer preference for high-protein foods and healthy diets. According to the OECD, forecast global average consumption of aquatic animals is expected to increase from 21.1 kg in 2022–2024 to 21.8 kg in 2034. Demand for salmon, shrimp, tilapia, and shellfish keeps rising across hospitality, retail, and food processing, and seafood consumption has risen markedly in emerging nations on higher disposable incomes.

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Technology Raises Farm Productivity

Adoption of smart farming technologies is the second driver. These include AI-based monitoring solutions, automatic feeders, IoT sensors, and predictive analytics that improve feed conversion ratios and minimize mortality. In August 2025, DNV introduced an AI-based compliance solution that helps automate reporting and ensure compliance. Smart farming technologies also improve water quality monitoring and reduce dependency on manpower, and the value chain, from hatcheries and feed producers to equipment manufacturers, processors, cold storage, and retailers, benefits from the efficiency gains.

Disease outbreaks and environmental concerns remain the main restraint. Diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, and poor water quality cause great economic loss to farmers, and waste disposal and antibiotic use are raising compliance costs for exporting producers.

Segment Leaders

By species, fish dominated with an 81.3% share in 2025 because of strong demand for salmon, carp, tilapia, catfish, and trout and large-scale farming across China, India, Norway, and Vietnam. By environment, the freshwater segment dominated with 48.6% owing to low operational cost and easy scalability, since freshwater farming requires lower infrastructure investment than marine systems and carp and catfish production is concentrated across Asia.

By technology, traditional aquaculture systems held 95.0% of the market in 2025 because of the relatively low capital investment needed. Pond culture and cage culture remain popular in developing nations, and small-scale producers rely on conventional infrastructure. These traditional aquaculture systems account for a large share of global seafood production.

Regional Analysis

Asia Pacific dominated with 51.3% in 2025 on large-scale production across China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Bangladesh. According to India's Ministry of Commerce & Industry, seafood exports reached a record USD 8.28 billion in FY 2025–26, with frozen shrimp generating USD 5.51 billion.

Europe held the second-largest share of 12.3%, supported by salmon farming and seafood exports. According to Eurostat, EU aquaculture production amounted to 1.0 million tonnes worth about USD 5.4 billion in 2024, with Spain, France, Greece, and Italy contributing 64.6%. North America is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.0%, and Latin America at 3.48%, on shrimp exports from Ecuador and salmon from Chile.

Competitive Landscape

The Aquaculture is moderately fragmented. Key players include BioMar Group, Cargill Incorporated, Cermaq Group AS, Cooke Aquaculture Inc., Grieg Seafood ASA, Lerøy Seafood Group ASA, Mowi ASA, Nissui Corporation, Nutreco N.V., SalMar ASA, Thai Union Group PCL, and Tassal Group Limited. Competition revolves around production capacity, price, fish quality, sustainability, and export capability. In April 2026, BioMar increased R&D for barramundi and yellowtail kingfish feeds, and in May 2026, Innovasea introduced a new brand identity and restructured its leadership team.

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