Aquafarm 2025

February 12 - February 13, 2025
Pordenone Fiere, Italy Show map

AquaFarm, an international trade fair and convention on aquaculture and the sustainable fishing industry, is holding its eighth edition in 2025.

AquaFarm 2025, happening on Feb. 12-13 at Pordenone Fiere, Italy, will bring together the aquaculture, shellfish, algae and sustainable fishing value chain, with over 130 companies involved. 

An overview of the global farming market 

The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture records that farmed fish production has overtaken fishing in terms of fish species with 51 per cent of the total corresponding to 94.4 million tonnes (latest certified data for 2022). About 62.6 per cent of production happens on land-based farms, the remainder in coastal waters. 

There are approximately 730 farmed species, although 17 varieties represent 60 per cent. The growth rate compared to 2020 was 7.6 per cent, more than half of which was concentrated in fish, followed by crustaceans and molluscs. 

The report states that 89 per cent of global aquatic species production was for direct human consumption, while the remainder was used for other purposes, most for the production of fish feed and oil. The share of production for food continues to grow, thanks to an increased use of waste and by-products from processing. About 34 per cent of fish feed and 53 per cent of oil in 2022 came from waste and by-products. 

In Italy, where AquaFarm 2025 is happening, the most farmed species is trout, with 30,000 tons and 280 million embryonated eggs, followed by sea bream and sea bass with 17,000 tons. Italy has been the world’s second-largest producer of sturgeon caviar with 65 tons of eggs, after China. Fish farming takes place in Italy in 800 production sites, 60 per cent concentrated in the North, 15 per cent in Central Italy and 25 per cent in the South, where more than 25 species are farmed. 

Yearly, AquaFarm brings together an ecosystem of companies to discuss emerging topics in the sector, and new opportunities and discover the latest in research, regulations and the market.