What the World Bank’s $1 Trillion Report Means for Aquaculture’s Data Infrastructure

In a bold new report released this past June, the World Bank declared aquaculture one of the most important investment frontiers of the next decade, estimating that the sector will require $1 trillion in capital to scale sustainably by 2035.
Titled Harnessing the Waters: A Trillion-Dollar Investment Opportunity in Sustainable Aquaculture, the report places a clear spotlight on infrastructure gaps, particularly in emerging markets. But woven throughout the 100+ pages is a resounding message: sustainable aquaculture is no longer possible without better data. And that has major implications for every farm, feed producer, policy-maker, and technology company in the space.
A Global Mandate: Build Smarter, Not Just Bigger
Aquaculture is the fastest-growing protein sector in the world. But with that growth comes intensifying pressure, from regulators, consumers, and climate itself.
The World Bank makes it clear: scaling production without accountability is no longer acceptable. Future investment will be conditional on transparency, traceability, and demonstrable environmental performance. And the only way to meet that bar?
Robust, farm-level data infrastructure.
"Achieving sustainable aquaculture growth will require advanced monitoring, traceability, and risk management tools, particularly in data-scarce regions."
— World Bank, 2025 Report
This signals a shift away from “tech-enabled farming” as a nice-to-have. Data systems are now being recognized as essential infrastructure, just like feed mills, hatcheries, or processing facilities.
Where the $1 Trillion Is Going and Why Data is at the Core
The report outlines four key investment categories:
- Responsible inputs (e.g. alternative feeds, sustainable sourcing)
- On-farm infrastructure (e.g. recirculating systems, offshore cages)
- Waste and environmental controls
- Traceability and monitoring systems
The fourth is especially telling: digital platforms for monitoring, traceability, and decision-making are now considered on par with physical infrastructure. The reasoning is simple: without these systems in place, no one can validate that sustainability claims are real.
Regulators (such as Mattilsynet) are already expecting this sort of accountability from farms in Norway - as seen with their recent farm audits.
Whether you're a farm managing sea lice resistance or a feed producer trying to validate performance, data systems are the bridge between action and accountability.
Why This Matters to Investors and Farms Alike
For investors, the report is a blueprint for where capital should flow, and what kinds of tools de-risk that investment. Financial institutions want transparency, outcome metrics, and a clear way to track improvements in fish health, regulatory compliance, and ESG performance.
For farming producers, this means that data visibility isn't just about daily operations anymore, it's about long-term viability. Farms that adopt strong data systems will be better positioned to meet evolving regulations, participate in future incentive schemes, and reduce exposure to environmental and market shocks. And for those farms that that can deliver on this - they are the ones most likely to unlock clear paths to growth in the future.
Manolin’s Take: Building the Digital Backbone of Aquaculture
At Manolin, we’ve long believed that the future of aquaculture would be built on clean, trusted, and actionable data. This report reinforces that belief and expands the stage.
It’s no longer just about “data collection.” What the industry needs now are systems that:
- Structure and standardize data across fragmented farms and geographies
- Detect anomalies, predict risk, and surface proactive recommendations
- Create shareable outputs that meet the needs of regulators, investors, and internal teams
- Support not just compliance, but confidence in decision-making
In short: Data infrastructure that doesn’t just record the past. It helps shape a better future.
A Global Call to Action
The World Bank report is more than a financial roadmap. It’s a signal that the aquaculture sector is maturing, and that the next decade will be shaped by those who can scale with intelligence, transparency, and trust.
We’re proud to already be working with farms and suppliers to make that future a reality. From population-level tracing to predictive disease models to audit-ready risk reporting, Manolin is building the intelligence layer that sustainable aquaculture will depend on.
Because in a $1 trillion industry, the farms with the best, cleanest data intelligence win.
Want to learn more about how Manolin’s data infrastructure is powering smarter aquaculture? Reach out.