CAIRO, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's annual fish production has surpassed 2 million tons as part of efforts to enhance food security, according to a statement released Wednesday by the Egyptian cabinet's Information and Decision Support Center.

A worker arranges salted fish at a factory in Port Said, Egypt, on April 19, 2025. (Photo: Xinhua)

The higher output, up from roughly 1.5 million tons a decade ago, was fueled primarily by aquaculture expansion, with its production more than doubling to over 1.6 million tonnes, said the statement.

The increase places Egypt among the world's top 10 aquaculture producer and the largest in Africa, while ranking third worldwide in tilapia output, with annual production exceeding 1.05 million tons, it said.

The center attributed the aquaculture expansion to rehabilitating the country's nine major lakes through dredging, clearing encroachments and weeds, and restoring channels to boost productivity.

Egypt aims to increase annual fish production to 3 million tons by 2030-2035 to bolster food security, lift exports, and drive sustainable growth, it added.