Abundance. In ecology, local abundance is the relative representation of a species in a particular ecosystem. It is usually measured as the number of individuals found per sample.
Algae. A highly diverse group of mainly aquatic, autotrophic, photosynthesizing organisms ranging from microscopic single-cell forms to multicellular forms, distinguished from vascular plants by the absence of structures such as true roots, stems, leaves and flowers.a
Apparent food consumption and apparent food consumption per capita. Proxy measure to indicate the supply of food available in a country for the indicated reference period. Apparent food consumption refers to the amount of food available for human consumption and differs from effective food consumption, which is the actual quantity of food eaten and can be measured through household or individual food consumption surveys.b, c
Aquaculture expansion. In the context of Blue Transformation, sustainable aquaculture expansion refers to increased scale, scope and/or area for aquaculture activities. This expansion can include extension of aquaculture to new geographical areas or expansion/enlargement of existing aquaculture operations; diversification of farmed species; adoption of new and diversified farming systems and use of aquaculture in supporting ecosystem services including biodiversity conservation and management, environmental restoration or enhancement of climate change resilience, and integration of aquaculture with ecotourism.
Aquaculture intensification. In the context of Blue Transformation, sustainable aquaculture intensification refers to improved resource-use efficiency in aquaculture, increasing production and decreasing losses while minimizing waste and negative environmental impacts. Sustainable aquaculture intensification can include improved production and management practices for feed and feeding; enhanced seed supply and genetic resource management; biosecurity management and better animal health; effluent (water and nutrient) management and reuse through integration; adoption of modern technology and digitalization; and efficient energy use and management.
Aquafeed. Also known as aquaculture feeds, aquafeeds are feeds used to farm aquatic species. Semi-commercial feeds comprise a number of ingredients that are mixed in various proportions to complement one another and form a simple compound feed. These feeds are manufactured using simple production technologies such as grinding, cooking and drying, and are distributed and sold via local market chains. Aquafeeds in this category may be made by farmers or by small- and medium-scale feed manufacturers.
Aquatic animals. Animals grown in, or harvested from, water, whether brackish water or freshwater. They include fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic animals, with the exception of aquatic mammals, reptiles and other aquatic products (corals, shells, pearls and sponges). Trade statistics on aquatic animals also exclude data on amphibians and turtles (FAO, 2024i).
Aquatic animal foods. Foods for human consumption originating from animals grown in, or harvested from, water. They include foods from all types of aquatic animals, with the exception of aquatic mammals and reptiles (FAO, 2024i).
Aquatic foods. All foods for human consumption grown in, or harvested from, water. They include foods from all types of algae and aquatic animals (fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic animals, with the exception of aquatic mammals and reptiles).
Aquatic food systems. Food systems encompassing the entire range of actors and their interlinked value-adding activities involved in the production, processing, distribution, consumption and disposal of aquatic food products that originate from fisheries and aquaculture and parts of the broader economic, societal and natural aquatic environments in which they are embedded.
Aquatic products. The outputs of fisheries and aquaculture production presented whole or in parts, processed or unprocessed, in various product forms, regardless of their final utilization. They include all aquatic animals (fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic animals), algae (macro-algae, micro-algae, and cyanobacteria) and other aquatic products (e.g. corals and sponges).d Equivalent term: fisheries and aquaculture products (FAO, 2024i).
Aquatic value chain. The full range of operations required to bring a fisheries and aquaculture product or service from production to the final consumer at the local, regional or global level. Aquatic value chains include activities such as fishing, farming, processing, transportation, and wholesale and retail marketing, as well as support services (FAO, 2024j).
Biodiversity mainstreaming. The progressive, interactive process of recognizing the values of biodiverse natural systems in the development and management of fisheries and aquaculture, accepting full accountability for, and effectively responding to, the broader impacts of farming, fishing and fisheries-related activities on biodiversity and the related structure and functions of the ecosystem.
Biofloc technology. Use of aggregates of bacteria, algae or protozoa, held together in a matrix along with particulate organic matter for the purpose of improving water quality, waste treatment and disease prevention in intensive aquaculture systems. Consumption of bioflocs also provides nutritional value to cultured species.
Biologically sustainable stock. A fishery stock of which abundance is at or greater than the level that can produce the maximum sustainable yield.
Biologically unsustainable stock. A fishery stock of which abundance is below the level that can produce the maximum sustainable yield.
Biosecurity. The management of all biological and environmental risks associated with food and agriculture, including forestry and fisheries and aquaculture.
Blue Transformation. The targeted process by which FAO and its Members and partners use existing and emerging knowledge, instruments, tools and practices to sustainably expand the contribution of aquatic food systems to food security, resilient aquatic ecosystems and healthy diets for all, leaving no one behind.
Capture-based aquaculture. The practice of collecting “seed” material – from early life to adult stages – from the wild, and its subsequent ongrowing in captivity to marketable size, using aquaculture techniques (Ottolenghi et al., 2004).
Capture fisheries production/catch/landings. The nominal landings, converted into a live weight basis, of aquatic organisms harvested for all purposes and by all types of fishing units operating both in inland waters (freshwater and brackish water) and marine areas. Data do not include discarded catches, live escapements or losses prior to landings (FAO, 2024i).
Certification. Procedure by which a certification body or entity gives written or equivalent assurance that a product, process or service conforms to specified requirements. Certification can be based, as appropriate, on a range of audit activities that may include continuous audit in the production chain (FAO, 2009a).
Ecolabelling. Logo or statement that certifies that the fish has been harvested in compliance with conservation and sustainability standards. It is intended to make provision for informed decisions of purchasers whose choice can be relied upon to promote and stimulate the sustainable use of fishery resources (FAO, 2009a).
Ecosystem approach to aquaculture. A strategy for integrating the activity within the wider ecosystem such that it promotes sustainable development, equity and resilience of interlinked socioecological systems (FAO, 2010).
Ecosystem approach to fisheries. An approach that strives to balance diverse societal objectives by taking into account the knowledge and uncertainties about biotic, abiotic and human components of ecosystems and their interactions and applying an integrated approach to fisheries within ecologically meaningful boundaries (FAO, 2009b).
El Niño Southern Oscillation. The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a natural recurring climate phenomenon that periodically causes Pacific Ocean warming (El Niño) and cooling (La Niña) and influences air surface temperature change and precipitation across the globe. El Niño and La Niña are the extreme phases of the ENSO cycle; between these two phases is a third phase called ENSO-neutral (Bertrand et al., 2020; Trenberth, 1997).
FAO Major Fishing Areas for statistical purposes. Arbitrary areas, the boundaries of which have been determined in consultation with international fishery agencies since the 1950s. The rationale is that each area should coincide, where possible, with the areas of competence of fishery commissions (when existing). There are currently 26 FAO Major Fishing Areas; seven are for inland waters. For statistical purposes, capture fisheries and aquaculture production are assigned to the areas where the catch/harvest took place according to this classification (FAO, 2024h).
Farmed type. A descriptor applied to farmed aquatic organisms at a level below species, including strain, variety, hybrid, triploid, monosex group, other genetically altered forms or wild-sourced type.
Fish silage. Liquid product produced from the whole fish or parts of it, to which acids, enzymes or lactic acid-producing bacteria are added, with the liquefaction of the mass provoked by the action of enzymes from the fish (Olsen and Toppe, 2017).
Fisheries access arrangement. An arrangement that provides access to marine resources of a coastal State in exchange for a fee or other benefits determined within the arrangement.
Fishery management. The integrated process of information gathering, analysis, planning, decision-making, allocation of resources and formulation and enforcement of fishery regulations by which the fishery management authority controls the present and future behaviour of interested parties in the fisheries, in order to ensure the continued productivity of the living resources (FAO, 1995b).
Hybrid introgression. The infiltration of alleles or genes from one species into another via hybridization. First generation hybrids (F1 hybrids) have equal genetic contribution from both parents but genes from the two species begin to segregate differentially in subsequent generations (Basavaraju, Penman and Mair, 2004).
Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing). A broad term that describes a wide variety of unacceptable fishing activities that can be found in all types and dimensions of fisheries. It occurs both on the high seas and in areas within national jurisdiction. It concerns all aspects and stages of the capture and utilization of fish, and it may sometimes be associated with organized crime.e
Integrated multitrophic aquaculture. The practice that combines, in appropriate proportions, the cultivation of fed aquaculture species (e.g. finfish, shrimps) with aquaculture species that extract inorganic food (e.g. seaweeds) and organic food (e.g. suspension feeders such as bivalves and deposit feeders such as sea cucumbers) from their surroundings. Such practices create a balanced ecosystem management approach to aquaculture for environmental sustainability (biomitigation), economic stability (product diversification and risk reduction) and societal acceptability (better management practices) (FAO, 2010).
Inbreeding depression. The decrease in fitness with increased genome-wide homozygosity that occurs with accumulation of inbreeding (Huisman et al., 2016).
Indicator inland fishery. An inland fishery whose status provides information on the overall condition of the ecosystem and of other fisheries in that ecosystem (Hesselink et al., 2007).
Integrated water resource management. A process that promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources to maximize the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems (FAO, 2022f).
Market access. The conditions countries impose to allow specific products to enter their markets, including tariff and non-tariff measures (WTO, 2024).
Maximum sustainable yield. The maximum sustainable yield (MSY) is the highest theoretical equilibrium yield that can be continuously taken (on average) from a stock under existing environmental conditions without significantly affecting the reproduction process. It is estimated using surplus production models (e.g. the Schaefer model) and other methods. In practice, however, MSY and the level of effort needed to reach it are difficult to assess (FAO, 1999).
Other aquatic products. Corals, pearls, shells, sponges and other inedible products such as fish waste.
Overfished stocks. Fishery stocks having abundance lower than the level that can produce maximum sustainable yield (FAO, 2018c).
Precision farming. A management approach that focuses on (near real-time) observation, measurement and responses to variability in crops, ponds, cages and animals. It can help increase yields and animal performance, reduce costs, including labour costs, and optimize process inputs (EIP-AGRI, 2024).
Preferential access in international trade. Preferential access occurs when there are benefits in market access between two or more countries, whether of a tariff or non-tariff nature, resulting from a particular trade agreement entered into for trade-incentive and beneficial purposes (Fugazza and Nicita, 2010).
Recirculating aquaculture system. Technology to farm fish or other aquatic organisms in a closed system where the culture medium (i.e. water) undergoes mechanical and biological filtration to adequately control the environmental parameters through the removal and transformation of the waste produced by the farmed organisms (Bregnballe, 2022).
Seaweed cultivar. A variety of seaweed produced and maintained by cultivation. Cultivar is a contraction of the words "cultivated" and "variety".
Stock assessment. The process of collecting and analysing biological and statistical information to determine the changes in the abundance of fishery stocks in response to fishing and, to the extent possible, to predict future trends of stock abundance.
Stock maximally sustainably fished. Fishery stock with abundance at or close to maximum sustainable yield (FAO, 2018c).
Traceability. The ability to trace the history, application or location of any given product (FAO, 2009a).
Transshipment. The direct transfer of any quantity of fish onboard from one vessel to another vessel regardless of the location of the event, without the fish being recorded as landed (FAO, 2023j).
Underfished stocks. Fishery stocks with abundance above the level corresponding to maximum sustainable yield (FAO, 2018c).
Vulnerable marine ecosystems. Assemblages of marine benthic organisms or habitats which are susceptible to anthropogenic disturbance, especially that arising from the impact of fishing gear used in bottom fishing.
Water basin/catchment basin. The area of land drained by a particular river system, reservoir or other body of water; a drainage basin.
