Blue Foods: A Key to Global Nutrition and Climate Resilience
Aquaculture is widely recognised as the world’s fastest-growing food production system and has increasingly provided more food for direct human consumption. As the sector grapples with the dual challenges of food insecurity and climate change, the potential of aquatic-based food sources such as fish, seaweed, and shellfish is still untapped.
How can the sector leverage its position to promote sustainable, nutrient-rich solutions to global nutrition and address environmental challenges of our time?
Thought leaders from across the aquaculture and blue food value chains (AQUA-SPARK, RABO VENTURES, MOWI) have shared their insights on how blue foods can lead the way in fostering a resilient and sustainable global food system.
The Case for Nutrition
The seafood industry plays a pivotal role in global nutrition and food security. Maria Velkova of Aqua-Spark emphasises that seafood is one of the most nutritionally dense food sources, supplying high-quality protein, essential micronutrients, and healthy fatty acids. “Fish is among the most bioavailable sources of nutrients,” she notes, highlighting its unparalleled benefits for human health. If managed properly, fish farming can be a more sustainable source of protein compared to terrestrial livestock farming, with lower land and water-use requirements and fewer greenhouse gas emissions.”
Catarina Martins of Mowi echoes this sentiment, underscoring the critical role of aquatic foods in supporting dietary diversity and combating malnutrition, particularly in coastal and island communities. She explains, “Seafood supports dietary diversity and alleviates nutrient deficiencies, making it a triple win for people, the environment, and local communities. Aquatic food is environmentally sustainable compared to terrestrial animal-source food, making it a triple win for people, the environment, and local communities.”
Bridging the Gap for Protein Demand
Meeting a surging demand will require the continued development and expansion of sustainable fishing systems. This underscores the urgency of embracing innovative solutions and scaling sustainable practices across the seafood industry. Jeroen van der Staay of Rabo Ventures points to key barriers such as disease prevention, waste management, and the dependency on forage fish for feed: “Besides minimising FFDR (forage fish dependency ratio) and FCR (feed conversion ratio), preventing disease and parasites and reducing and recycling waste are key challenges to be addressed.”
Beyond fish and shellfish, farmed seaweed offers a promising avenue for sustainability. Maria explains: “Beyond nutrition, farmed seaweed, for example, may not only be consumed directly by humans but could also replace fossil fuels in sectors such as plastic and fabric production, while simultaneously providing carbon sequestration without competing for land.”
“To meet growing food demands and enhance climate resilience,” Catarina adds, “the industry must transition to a low-carbon economy by improving energy efficiency, collaborating with up- and downstream suppliers, and leveraging smart farming technology for efficient and climate-resilient production.”
Innovation and Investments Driving the Sector
What technological advancements and solutions are on the horizon for these experts solving these critical challenges and enhancing global nutrition and environmental sustainability?
Maria highlights the role of technology enabling transparency, optimisation, and digitalisation of the value chain, creating healthier products and more efficient and resilient operations, especially in alternative feed, “Alternative feed ingredients, for example, have finally started to enter the market, gradually reducing the dependency on fishmeal, preserving marine ecosystems, and diminishing industrial fishing, which is seen as one of the large contributors to climate change.”
Similarly, Catarina notes the success of integrating advanced monitoring technologies in aquaculture, which enable disease prevention and ensure healthier protein production: “In salmon farming, the integration of advanced camera and sensor technology, image recognition, machine learning, artificial intelligence, robotics, blockchain, big data, and analytics is already underway.”
According to Jeroen, solutions in RAS, disease prevention and building resilience remain key, “Improving monitoring and control of the farming environment (through use of recirculating and flow-through aquaculture systems), while continuing to focus on prevention and mitigation of disease outbreaks (through use of off-shore farms, vaccines) and other biological risk resilience (e.g. nano-bubbles) remain key, just as converting to 100% sustainable ingredients.”
He further underscores the impact of investments in companies like “ViAqua, MiAlgae, and Protix, contribute to making seafood production more efficient through improvement of FCR (feed conversion ratio), reduction of mortality rates and disease events, and increase of the overall production volume.” Maria further adds that, “Investments in antibiotic replacements in aquaculture provide sustainable solutions for disease prevention, allowing for better farming practices and the production of healthier protein.”
Collaboration and Tech: The Key to Scaling Impact
Experts across the board agree that the path forward requires collective action across industries, governments, and investors.
Catarina highlights the importance of technological advancements to boost sustainable production, “Investing in technology is crucial for enhancing the sustainability and climate resilience of aquatic production. These technologies, combined with remote operations centers, subsea farming, and closed containment post-smolt production, are improving operational practices and optimising production.”
“Policies that support sustainable practices and incentivise innovation will be crucial for scaling the impact of blue foods,” she concludes.
“Fortunately, technological advancements are being made to tackle each of these. The responsibility lies with legislators to ensure that this advancement is further accelerated, and not slowed down, through various relevant policies,” Jeroen further notes the need for collaboration between industry and policymakers.
Maria echoes this sentiment, “However, to continue the momentum, while prioritising biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and improved food security, capital, markets, and industry must work together.”
Join the Conversation
As the world seeks solutions to feed a growing population while combating climate change, blue foods offer a unique and scalable opportunity. By embracing technological advancements, fostering investment in sustainable practices, and adopting supportive policy frameworks, the seafood industry can lead the charge in building a resilient and equitable global food system. The tide is turning; and blue foods are at the forefront of this transformation.
These critical discussions shaping the future of blue foods and their role in global nutrition and climate resilience will continue at the upcoming Blue Food Innovation Summit, this April 8-9. Explore the full agenda here and register to join 250+ senior aquaculture and blue food leaders accelerating climate resilience and food security in aquaculture production: www.bluefoodinnovation.com/register.
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