Seafood Market By Type (Fish, Shellfish, Mollusks, Others), By Product Type (Fresh Seafood, Frozen Seafood, Canned Seafood, Processed Seafood), By Sources (Wild-Caught Seafood, Farmed Seafood, Sustainable & Ethical Sources), By Distribution Channel  (Retail  Store, Foodservice, E-commerce, Wholesale & Bulk, Specialty Seafood Stores), Global Market Size, Segmental analysis, Regional Overview, Company share analysis, Leading Company Profiles And Market Forecast, 2025 – 2035

Industry Outlook

The Seafood Market accounted for USD 373.4 Billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 810.5 Billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of around 7.3% between 2025 and 2035. The Seafood Market remains under constant growth, subject to the concentration of the population’s global need for healthy protein sources, improved heightened concern on health issues, especially concerning seafood, and other supply issues about aquaculture challenges. The requirements for responsibly sourced and recyclable materials and resources have become some of the latest trends among buyers.

Technological improvements in cold chains are revolutionizing distribution systems while processing techniques and VAPs meet the requirements of consumer convenience. Though problems such as overfishing, regulatory issues, and other environmental issues threaten the seafood industry, growth is inevitable due to occasional technology additions and more seafood consumption by people from various parts of the world.

Report Scope:

Market Dynamics

Increasing global population fueling demand for affordable and nutritious food sources.

The world’s population is rising steadily, and as a result, the demand for more food to feed the world’s population is rapidly rising. Seafood, as a nutrient-dense protein source, is a critical food to help meet the demand for food for the growing population, as it contains omega-three fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. As more people move into cities and median income increases, especially in the developing world, per capita consumption of fish and other seafood is increasing because consumers are looking for healthier, less processed foods in greater variety. Also, as a food that is available fresh, processed, or even as flour, families of all classes can consume it.

They want sustainable aquaculture and fishing as a way of making sure that people get their protein supply permanently. Thus, elevations of cold storage, distribution, and aquaculture are also further closing the gap between supply and demand. Nevertheless, further attention should be paid to the challenge of making later dwellings affordable without compromising the local environment. The global seafood market is expected to have a meaningful role in catering to the dietary needs of the growing population along with providing a boost to the economy and employment opportunities.

Increased urban populations seeking ready-to-eat and convenient seafood products.

With the rising population in urban areas, the consumption of processed and ready-to-eat seafood products is rising enormously. Schedules of today’s urban consumers allow for little or no time for meal preparation, hence the need to look for convenient, nutritional, and tasty foods. M&M’s for this market could easily be seafood since they are healthy foods with high mercury content and include pre-cooked shrimp, canned tuna, smoked salmon, and frozen seafood meals, among others.

Existing consumer demands are forcing food retailers and manufacturers to respond by providing marinated, pre-seasoned, or heat-and-serve seafood. Moreover, it is now easy to get meal kits and deliver other daily products such as seafood since there are many online stores in urban areas. This shift to convenience is changing seafood consumption patterns and contributing to value-added seafood market growth.

Limited demand in regions with lower seafood consumption due to cultural preferences.

The consumption of seafood in some places is still low because of the local people’s tastes, local eating habits, and local customs and beliefs. Those countries that rely more on the consumption of land-based protein animals, including beef, chicken, and pork, are those that exhibit low seafood consumption. For instance, areas that have restricted exposure to the shores or are dependent on agricultural strategies previously may not have adapted seafood. Religious diets in some regions may also limit the intake of particular kinds of seafood, which likewise will reduce demand even further.

Also, a lack of knowledge regarding the preparation methods of seafood and issues relating to fresh and quality products adversely affect their readiness. This is felt especially in those regions that have poor marketing and where there is little availability of seafood. Possibilities are in the domain of culinary education, wider availability of seafood, and repeated information on its positive effects on people’s health, which may alter these cultural perceptions gradually.

Technological advances in fish farming and aquaculture can increase production capacity.

Innovative technologies in fish farming and aquaculture are fast revolutionizing the seafood business through a boost in production capacity. Over and above, technologies ranging from recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) enable the efficient reuse of water and commodities. Automatic feeding systems control nutrition intake, enhance the rate of growth, and decrease ration loss. The system of control through sensors and artificial intelligence for water quality and fish condition or growth rate facilitates a controlled environment for production. Several recent genetic improvements are helping farmers to selectively breed better fish genetically suited to farm environments.

The use of practices such as IMTA adds more products per area and also reduces pollution levels in the environment. Several innovative growing methods are providing vertical solutions and density solutions to farming. Drones and underwater robots improve the monitoring process of farms to eliminate high costs of labor and inefficiency. Additionally, advances in the health care of fish, like vaccines, growth supplements, food, and protective measures against diseases, are reducing losses and enhancing fish health. All these technological enhancements have a positive impact on increasing productivity, sustainability, and economic rationality in aquaculture production.

Increasing shifts toward online shopping for fresh and frozen seafood allow companies to expand.

The growth in the global trend of buying fresh and frozen seafood online means that, as companies, there is a great opportunity to capture market share. Due to the increased adaptable nature of consumers towards procurement via the Internet, seafood businesses can provide value-added convenience to people's living spaces by giving them direct access to fresh and superior, carefully handled seafood products with no need to visit regular other stores. Online presence also increases possibilities of subscriptions, customized products, and products of a special type that could meet different consumer preferences.

 At the same time, improvement in cold chains guarantees that seafood does not rot during delivery, one of the problems affecting the industry. E-commerce also opens new opportunities to extend the existing markets, especially the markets in the regions that have a limited number of opportunities to buy fresh seafood and enhance customer relations through direct communication and individual attention. With consumers getting more conscious about the time and quality of products, demand for online seafood is a good growing factor for the companies.

Industry Experts Opinion

"Our SeaChange® program is a key driver in our strategy to address global challenges such as overfishing and climate change. We aim to lead by example in promoting ethical and sustainable seafood practices globally."

• Thiraphong Chansiri, CEO of Thai Union Group

"Aquaculture remains the most sustainable way to produce protein. We are committed to advancing technology and processes to reduce our environmental impact while meeting growing global seafood demand."

• Ivan Vindheim, CEO of Mowi ASA

Segment Analysis

Based on the Product Type, the Seafood Market is classified into various categories that appeal to different customer needs. Freshness is incredibly important, and customers who are conscious of their health choose seafood as it benefits both the restaurants or supermarkets and the consumers. Frozen seafood is preferred for the convenience it provides and because of the longer time that such products may be used by consumers or food preparers.

Further, canned seafood remains acceptable, flavorful, and easy to store, making such foods as tuna and sardines to be frequently purchased and consumed by many people, especially for a quick meal. Meat preparations like smoked, dried, or breaded processed seafood are gaining popularity in the market as convenient and easy-to-cook options, admired by the modern world’s families and QSRs. Finally, specialty seafood products comprise items such as caviar, lobsters, and exotic fish, which are in specialty product segments targeting consumers who are willing to pay a premium price. Every type of product is for a different need of the consumer, hence helping the market hit the growth target.

Based on the Sources, the Seafood Market is classified into different origin groups that shape consumers’ preferences, sustainability measures, and other practices. Seafood is the fish, shellfish, and crustaceans that are caught in the sea, rivers, and lakes. This segment tends to be preferred based on its naturalness and diversification and balance between seafood sources, while the negative impacts, such as overfishing, force people to increase demand for environmentally friendly species.

Farmed seafood is products like fish, shellfish, and algae raised in enclosures and fishponds, fish farms mostly. It is expanding quickly to satisfy the global consumption need and provide a far more stable source. MSC-labeled but at the same time, it has many issues regarding water, feed, and disease prevention. Eco-friendly and ethical sources, such as MSC-label seafood, have also emerged in the market since the market prefers to purchase products from sustainable sources. Organic seafood refers to products that are reared naturally without the use of synthetic chemicals, feed additives, or antibiotics to satisfy the growing market for organic goods.

Regional Analysis

Currently, the global Seafood Market is dominated by North America, especially the US and Canada, due to high consumptive tendencies, a well-developed seafood industry, and the progressively growing demand for healthier and organic food sources. Another region that needs mentioning is the European market, given that many countries, such as Norway, Iceland, and the United Kingdom, are not only producers of fish and seafood but also their consumers, especially of higher-value products such as salmon and shellfish.

Chinese consumers, along with those in Japan and India, are showing higher and growing demand for fish and seafood, as disposable income is also high in the APAC region and various aquaculture practices are increasingly being adopted to meet these demands. Having initially benefited from increased export possibilities for farmed salmon and other seafood. This is an overview of trends affecting some of the largest seafood markets, where issues to do with regional preferences, production methods, and sustainability concerns form major trends affecting the market.

The Asia-Pacific region is already one of the most rapidly developing markets in the fish business. The Asia-Pacific region also has increased demand for seafood originating from important levels of seafood consumption in countries such as China, Japan, and India; increased population of middle-class people; rising disposable income that can afford seafood; and an improved consciousness towards healthy living that begets seafood protein. Also, there have been improvements in aquaculture increasing.

The market for seafood products can further increase as customers of the region are increasingly opting for products that are sustainably sourced and organic, and the region offers a huge domestic market and export market. The extraordinary growth in seafood consumption and other related trends, such as the changing diversification and product portfolio, contribute significantly to the continuous growth of the market.

Competitive Landscape

It is standard for the Seafood Market to be populated by both large global firms and weaker local or regional counterparts. Thai Union Group, Mowi ASA, and Maruha Nichiro Corporation are some of the leading companies present in the seafood market with a huge product range, an enhanced distribution network, and an emphasis on sustainable production. These firms are consequently expanding their sustainable sourcing strategies and aquaculture technologies to satisfy the growing customer awareness of sustainable products. Specialized or small companies tend to specialize in superior, eco-friendly, or simply locally sourced fish and seafood products aimed at specific consumer categories. Meal kit services and other e-commerce platforms are new entrants that can directly compete for customers and change the nature of sales.

Similarly, private labels are being enhanced in the retailing outlets depicting competitively priced seafood products. Also, the adoption of more synthesis solutions has made the companies differentiate themselves by developing value-added products, including ready-to-cook and processed seafood, to attract time-sensitive consumers. Industry forces include matters like a source of supply, brand image, and response to ecological standards. Like it or not, consumer tastes and expectations change, and, therefore, there is an ongoing need for companies to respond to these needs and wants in terms of creating more labels conducive to the modern world of transparency, eco-friendliness, and easy functionality.

Seafood Market, Company Shares Analysis, 2024

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Recent Developments:

• In May 2023, Trident Seafood Corporation and Copper River Prince William Sound Marketing Association partnered to launch a new line of prized fish products on the US market.
• In April 2023, Jefferson Parish is home to the new location that Inland Seafood established. They brought 55 jobs to Jefferson Parish by investing over USD 4 million to buy and renovate a 14,000-square-foot property in Elmwood.

Report Coverage:

By Type

• Fish
• Shellfish
• Mollusks
• Others

By Product Type

• Fresh Seafood
• Frozen Seafood
• Canned Seafood
• Processed Seafood

By Sources

• Wild-Caught Seafood
• Farmed Seafood
• Sustainable & Ethical Sources

By Distribution Channel

• Retail Store
• Foodservice
• E-commerce
• Wholesale & Bulk
• Specialty Seafood Stores

North America

• U.S.
• Canada

Europe

• U.K.
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Spain
• Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

• China
• Japan
• India
• Australia
• South Korea
• Singapore
• Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America

• Brazil
• Argentina
• Mexico
• Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa

• GCC Countries
• South Africa
• Rest of the Middle East & Africa

List of Companies:

• Maruha Nichiro Corporation
• Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. (Nissui)
• Thai Union Group
• Mowi ASA
• Cermaq
• Cooke Aquaculture
• Grieg Seafood ASA
• Clearwater Seafoods
• Austevoll Seafood ASA
• Pacific Seafood Group
• High Liner Foods
• Trident Seafoods
• Royal Greenland
• Kangamiut Seafood
• Chilean Salmon Company

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)