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Estimated numbers of individuals in global aquaculture production (FAO) of decapod species (2017)

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This page shows aquaculture production tonnages (FAO) for decapod species in 2017, together with estimated mean weights (EMWs) and estimated decapod numbers.
Farmed decapod numbers killed for food in 2017 are estimated to total 255,227-604,731 million, or 255-605 billion, individuals.
This includes 5-15 billion crabs; 37-60 billion crayfish and lobsters and 213-530 billion shrimps and prawns.

Scroll to the end to see the totals and footnotes. Click on the 'EMW id' for details on derivation of estimated mean weight using methods in Note 2 below.

Line Species Decapod group Production (t)¹ Estimated
mean
weight
(EMW)
(g)² EMW id² Estimated
numbers
(millions)³
1 Whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) Natantia 4,456,603 11-26 EMW-1001 171,408 - 405,146

2 Red swamp crawfish (Procambarus clarkii) Reptantia 1,193,344 20-32 EMW-1003 37,292 - 59,667

3 Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) Brachyura 751,003 80-200 EMW-1004 3,755 - 9,388

4 Giant tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) Natantia 739,426 20-60 EMW-1002 12,324 - 36,971

5 Giant river prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) Natantia 263,328 10-30 EMW-1006 8,778 - 26,333

6 Oriental river prawn (Macrobrachium nipponense) Natantia 240,739 10-30 EMW-1005 8,025 - 24,074

7 Green mud crab (Scylla paramamosain) Brachyura 151,976 Not specifically estimated⁴

8 Portunus swimcrabs nei (Portunus spp) Brachyura 119,777 Not specifically estimated⁴

9 Penaeus shrimps nei (Penaeus spp) Natantia 112,439 8-60 EMW-1009 1,874 - 14,055

10 Indo-Pacific swamp crab (Scylla serrata) Brachyura 98,835 50-1,000 EMW-1007 99 - 1,977

11 Metapenaeus shrimps nei (Metapenaeus spp) Natantia 78,899 Not specifically estimated⁴

12 Freshwater prawns, shrimps nei (Palaemonidae) Natantia 77,148 Not specifically estimated⁴

13 Kuruma prawn (Penaeus japonicus) Natantia 53,951 17-25 EMW-1010 2,167 - 3,231

14 Fleshy prawn (Penaeus chinensis) Natantia 37,476 Not specifically estimated⁴

15 Banana prawn (Penaeus merguiensis) Natantia 21,988 Not specifically estimated⁴

16 Orange mud crab (Scylla olivacea) Brachyura 17,459 Not specifically estimated⁴

17 Marine crabs nei (Brachyura) Brachyura 14,434 Not specifically estimated⁴

18 Indian white prawn (Penaeus indicus) Natantia 4,016 8-20 EMW-1013 201 - 502

19 Speckled shrimp (Metapenaeus monoceros) Natantia 3,957 Not specifically estimated⁴

20 Blue shrimp (Penaeus stylirostris) Natantia 2,790 Not specifically estimated⁴

21 Tropical spiny lobsters nei (Panulirus spp) Reptantia 2,003 Not specifically estimated⁴

22 Red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) Reptantia 239 Not specifically estimated⁴

23 Atlantic ditch shrimp (Palaemonetes varians) Natantia 204 Not specifically estimated⁴

24 Greasyback shrimp (Metapenaeus ensis) Natantia 161 Not specifically estimated⁴

25 Monsoon river prawn (Macrobrachium malcolmsonii) Natantia 159 Not specifically estimated⁴

26 Danube crayfish (Astacus leptodactylus) Reptantia 70 Not specifically estimated⁴

27 Mud spiny lobster (Panulirus polyphagus) Reptantia 62 Not specifically estimated⁴

28 Hairy marron crayfish (Cherax tenuimanus) Reptantia 62 Not specifically estimated⁴

29 Yabby crayfish (Cherax destructor) Reptantia 37 Not specifically estimated⁴

30 Blue swimming crab (Portunus pelagicus) Brachyura 31 Not specifically estimated⁴

31 Sawtooth caridina (Caridina denticulata) Natantia 14 Not specifically estimated⁴

32 River prawns nei (Macrobrachium spp) Natantia 14 Not specifically estimated⁴

33 Mediterranean shore crab (Carcinus aestuarii) Brachyura 11 Not specifically estimated⁴

34 Euro-American crayfishes nei (Astacidae, Cambaridae) Reptantia 7 Not specifically estimated⁴

35 Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) Reptantia 5 Not specifically estimated⁴

36 Natantian decapods nei (Natantia) Natantia 3 Not specifically estimated⁴

37 Noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) Reptantia 2 Not specifically estimated⁴

38 Caramote prawn (Penaeus kerathurus) Natantia <1 Not specifically estimated⁴

39 Green crab (Carcinus maenas) Brachyura <1 Not specifically estimated⁴

40 Total for all decapod species 8,442,672 See totals below

Totals by estimate type Decapod group Production (t) Percent of
total
decapod
production
% Generic
Estimated
mean
weight
(g)⁵ Estimated
numbers
(millions)⁴

Single species with an EMW:

    True crabs Brachyura 849,838 10 75-221 3,854 - 11,364

    Shrimps and prawns Natantia 5,758,064 68 12-28 202,901 - 496,256

    Crayfish and lobsters Reptantia 1,193,344 14 20-32 37,292 - 59,667

All decapods 7,801,246 92 14-32 244,047 - 567,288

Multi species with an EMW:

    Shrimps and prawns Natantia 112,439 1 1,874 - 14,055

All decapods 112,439 1 1,874 - 14,055

All species with an EMW:

All decapods 7,913,686 94 245,921 - 581,343

Species without an EMW⁴:

    True crabs Brachyura 303,688 4 75-221 1,377 - 4,061

    Shrimps and prawns Natantia 222,812 3 12-28 7,851 - 19,203

    Crayfish and lobsters Reptantia 2,486 <1 20-32 78 - 124

All decapods 528,986 6 9,306 - 23,388

Total decapod crustacean production

    True crabs Brachyura 1,153,526 14 5,231 - 15,425

    Shrimps and prawns Natantia 6,093,316 72 212,627 - 529,514

    Crayfish and lobsters Reptantia 1,195,830 14 37,370 - 59,792

All decapods 8,442,672 100 255,227 - 604,731

Total crustacean production All crustaceans 8,442,713

Total aquaculture production (includes fishes) 111,946,623

Estimated by A Mood and P Brooke, Sep 2019

Notes
1. Source of production tonnage: FAO FishStat "Aquaculture Production (Quantities and values) 1950-2017 (Release date: 25th March 2019)".
2. Source of estimated mean weights (EMWs) : as described in our earlier estimate for fishes, see Estimating the Number of Farmed Fish Killed in Global Aquaculture Each Year.
3. The estimated numbers are calculated as the production tonnage divided by estimated mean weight (EMW) where a mean weight has been estimated for the species category.
4. The decapod numbers for species without an estimated mean weight (EMW) have not been estimated for each individual species. Total numbers for such species combined are estimated from
the generic estimated mean weight (GEMW)⁵, as described for our earlier estimate (note 2).
5. The generic estimated mean weight (GEMW) is obtained as the total tonnage for single-species categories with an estimated mean weight (EMW) divided by the total estimated numbers for these species. In other words, it is assumed that the mean weight of decapods for species without an EMW is equal to the overall mean weight of decapods for single-species categories with an EMW.

Line	Species	Decapod group	Production (t)¹	Estimated mean weight (EMW) (g)²	EMW id²	Estimated numbers (millions)³
1	Whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei)	Natantia	4,456,603	11-26	EMW-1001	171,408 - 405,146
2	Red swamp crawfish (Procambarus clarkii)	Reptantia	1,193,344	20-32	EMW-1003	37,292 - 59,667
3	Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis)	Brachyura	751,003	80-200	EMW-1004	3,755 - 9,388
4	Giant tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon)	Natantia	739,426	20-60	EMW-1002	12,324 - 36,971
5	Giant river prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)	Natantia	263,328	10-30	EMW-1006	8,778 - 26,333
6	Oriental river prawn (Macrobrachium nipponense)	Natantia	240,739	10-30	EMW-1005	8,025 - 24,074
7	Green mud crab (Scylla paramamosain)	Brachyura	151,976			Not specifically estimated⁴
8	Portunus swimcrabs nei (Portunus spp)	Brachyura	119,777			Not specifically estimated⁴
9	Penaeus shrimps nei (Penaeus spp)	Natantia	112,439	8-60	EMW-1009	1,874 - 14,055
10	Indo-Pacific swamp crab (Scylla serrata)	Brachyura	98,835	50-1,000	EMW-1007	99 - 1,977
11	Metapenaeus shrimps nei (Metapenaeus spp)	Natantia	78,899			Not specifically estimated⁴
12	Freshwater prawns, shrimps nei (Palaemonidae)	Natantia	77,148			Not specifically estimated⁴
13	Kuruma prawn (Penaeus japonicus)	Natantia	53,951	17-25	EMW-1010	2,167 - 3,231
14	Fleshy prawn (Penaeus chinensis)	Natantia	37,476			Not specifically estimated⁴
15	Banana prawn (Penaeus merguiensis)	Natantia	21,988			Not specifically estimated⁴
16	Orange mud crab (Scylla olivacea)	Brachyura	17,459			Not specifically estimated⁴
17	Marine crabs nei (Brachyura)	Brachyura	14,434			Not specifically estimated⁴
18	Indian white prawn (Penaeus indicus)	Natantia	4,016	8-20	EMW-1013	201 - 502
19	Speckled shrimp (Metapenaeus monoceros)	Natantia	3,957			Not specifically estimated⁴
20	Blue shrimp (Penaeus stylirostris)	Natantia	2,790			Not specifically estimated⁴
21	Tropical spiny lobsters nei (Panulirus spp)	Reptantia	2,003			Not specifically estimated⁴
22	Red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus)	Reptantia	239			Not specifically estimated⁴
23	Atlantic ditch shrimp (Palaemonetes varians)	Natantia	204			Not specifically estimated⁴
24	Greasyback shrimp (Metapenaeus ensis)	Natantia	161			Not specifically estimated⁴
25	Monsoon river prawn (Macrobrachium malcolmsonii)	Natantia	159			Not specifically estimated⁴
26	Danube crayfish (Astacus leptodactylus)	Reptantia	70			Not specifically estimated⁴
27	Mud spiny lobster (Panulirus polyphagus)	Reptantia	62			Not specifically estimated⁴
28	Hairy marron crayfish (Cherax tenuimanus)	Reptantia	62			Not specifically estimated⁴
29	Yabby crayfish (Cherax destructor)	Reptantia	37			Not specifically estimated⁴
30	Blue swimming crab (Portunus pelagicus)	Brachyura	31			Not specifically estimated⁴
31	Sawtooth caridina (Caridina denticulata)	Natantia	14			Not specifically estimated⁴
32	River prawns nei (Macrobrachium spp)	Natantia	14			Not specifically estimated⁴
33	Mediterranean shore crab (Carcinus aestuarii)	Brachyura	11			Not specifically estimated⁴
34	Euro-American crayfishes nei (Astacidae, Cambaridae)	Reptantia	7			Not specifically estimated⁴
35	Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus)	Reptantia	5			Not specifically estimated⁴
36	Natantian decapods nei (Natantia)	Natantia	3			Not specifically estimated⁴
37	Noble crayfish (Astacus astacus)	Reptantia	2			Not specifically estimated⁴
38	Caramote prawn (Penaeus kerathurus)	Natantia	<1			Not specifically estimated⁴
39	Green crab (Carcinus maenas)	Brachyura	<1			Not specifically estimated⁴
40	Total for all decapod species		8,442,672			See totals below

	Totals by estimate type	Decapod group	Production (t)	Percent of total decapod production %	Generic Estimated mean weight (g)⁵	Estimated numbers (millions)⁴
	Single species with an EMW:
	True crabs	Brachyura	849,838	10	75-221	3,854 - 11,364
	Shrimps and prawns	Natantia	5,758,064	68	12-28	202,901 - 496,256
	Crayfish and lobsters	Reptantia	1,193,344	14	20-32	37,292 - 59,667
		All decapods	7,801,246	92	14-32	244,047 - 567,288
	Multi species with an EMW:
	Shrimps and prawns	Natantia	112,439	1		1,874 - 14,055
		All decapods	112,439	1		1,874 - 14,055
	All species with an EMW:
		All decapods	7,913,686	94		245,921 - 581,343
	Species without an EMW⁴:
	True crabs	Brachyura	303,688	4	75-221	1,377 - 4,061
	Shrimps and prawns	Natantia	222,812	3	12-28	7,851 - 19,203
	Crayfish and lobsters	Reptantia	2,486	<1	20-32	78 - 124
		All decapods	528,986	6		9,306 - 23,388
	Total decapod crustacean production
	True crabs	Brachyura	1,153,526	14		5,231 - 15,425
	Shrimps and prawns	Natantia	6,093,316	72		212,627 - 529,514
	Crayfish and lobsters	Reptantia	1,195,830	14		37,370 - 59,792
		All decapods	8,442,672	100		255,227 - 604,731
	Total crustacean production	All crustaceans	8,442,713
	Total aquaculture production (includes fishes)		111,946,623