According to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization, the world's population consumed just 10 kgs of fish per person in the 1960s. By 2020, that number had more than doubled. It is anticipated that by 2030, combined production from fisheries and aquaculture will reach 201 million tones, an increase of around 18% from 2020 levels. When existing fish sustainability levels are taken into account, the growth estimate becomes even more troublesome for the global fishing industry and environmental organizations. The Fourth Industrial Transformation, also known as 4IR or Industry 4.0, promises to bring together a wide range of technologies from the physical, digital and biological worlds, building on the digital revolution that began in the previous century. While progressive governmental bodies, businesses, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and academic institutions are dedicated to examining the possibilities of new technology to support sustainable fisheries management and aquatic sciences.

The Future Of Aquatic Sciences focuses on updated technologies being introduced within the fisheries sector, including advanced technologies in aquatic organism reproductive, developmental, and breeding biology, genomics, nutrigenomics and biosensors for the detection of pollution in aquatic ecosystems. Readers, including scientists, teachers, students, researchers and anyone else interested in working in this field, will benefit from this unique coverage of these advanced technologies and their direct application in the fisheries sector.

Dr. Mohd Ashraf Rather is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Fish Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Fisheries, Rangil, Ganderbal, SKUAST-K-190006,Jammu and Kashmir, India

Dr. Ishtiyaq Ahmad is a Senior Researcher in the Division of Fish Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Fisheries, Rangil, Ganderbal, SKUAST-K-190006,Jammu and Kashmir, India

Dr. Adnan Amin is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Aquatic Environmental Management, Faculty of Fisheries, Rangil, Ganderbal, SKUAST-K-190006,Jammu and Kashmir, India

Dr. Younis Ahmad Hajam is an Assistant Professor, Department of Life Sciences and Allied Health Sciences, Sant Baba Bhag Singh University, Padhiana, Jalandhar, Punjab, India