Fish is a food of excellent nutritional value and makes a very significant contribution to the diet of many fish-consuming communities in both the developed and developing world. A source of easily digestible high quality protein and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, fish is also a valuable source of essential fatty acids.
Elsevier Food International, Vol.9, No.2, May 2006
 
The global average fish consumption amounts to 16.1 kg per capita per year in 2003. Globally, 101 million tonnes of fish were available for consumption in 2001, two-thirds of which were consumed in Asia. Of this, just under half was consumed in China. A traditional and cheap protein source for people from developing countries, Asia and Oceania has the highest per capita consumption. The highest consumption levels are in some of the world s poorest developing countries, such as the Maldives (180.6 kg per capita), Samoa (90.6 kg) or Kiribati (74.3 kg). Importantly, the fishery resources in these regions are gradually changing. The rural populations that were once almost entirely dependent upon inland capture fisheries have seen the decline of these fisheries, with aquaculture now becoming an increasingly viable alternative. Per-capita consumption is also very high in developed countries with  well-established fishing traditions, such as Iceland and Japan (per capita consumption of 90.1 kg and 66.2 kg, respectively). In developed countries, fish as a culinary speciality is gaining wider acceptance and is moving away from being the basic food it once was. More retailers offer added value fish products (pre packed, pre-cut fillets or steaks, smoked,breaded/coated, processed like surimi products, skinless, boneless, etc). Per capita fish consumption in the EU-25 is expected to increase over the next ten years. A growing majority of European consumers also consider the environmental impact of seafood in their purchasing decisions and want more information on sustainable seafood, a trend that reflects an emerging activism for protecting marine resources.

Source: Promar International from diverse trade sources