WASHINGTON – With the global wild fish supply stagnant and the human population increasing, new research
shows that farmed fish and shellfish production will likely need to increase by 133 percent between 2010
and 2050 in order to meet projected fish demand worldwide.
The study finds that although aquaculture’s environmental impacts are likely to rise as production grows,
there are a variety of actions producers can take to minimize impacts and encourage sustainable growth
of the aquaculture industry.
The findings have been unveiled by the World Resources Institute (WRI), WorldFish, the World Bank, INRA,
and Kasetsart University in a new paper called Improving Productivity and Environmental Performance of
Aquaculture. This paper is the latest installment of the 2013-2014 World Resources Report: Creating a
Sustainable Food Future. The series profiles a menu of solutions to help feed more than 9 billion people
by 2050 in a manner that advances economic development and reduces pressure on the environment.
"The world’s oceans and inland waters are largely fished to their limit, and the supply of
wild-caught fish peaked in the 1990s," said Richard Waite, an Associate at WRI and lead author of
the report. "Aquaculture is growing quickly to meet world fish demand, and already produces nearly
half of the fish we eat today. Because farmed fish convert feed to edible food efficiently, aquaculture
could provide food and employment to millions more people than today, at relatively low environmental
cost."
Most forms of aquaculture require land, water, feed, and energy-inputs that are not only increasingly
scarce, but that are also associated with environmental impacts, such as habitat loss, pollution, and
greenhouse gas emissions.
The report features a "life cycle assessment" that examines how doubling aquaculture production
by 2050 could change the sector’s environmental impacts.
"Increased production from aquaculture will be essential in meeting the world’s food security and
nutrition needs," said Michael Phillips, director of Aquaculture and Genetic Improvement at
WorldFish. "Fish contribute one-sixth of the animal protein people consume, and also contain
important micronutrients and omega-3 fatty acids that are often deficient in the diets of the poor. But
as with all agricultural production, aquaculture production has environmental impacts. Our future
scenario analysis suggests that there are things we can do to reduce aquaculture’s environmental impact
while increasing production. If we take action on multiple fronts, we can get aquaculture growth
right."
The report highlights five approaches to grow aquaculture production sustainably:
• Invest in technological innovation and transfer, specifically breeding and hatchery technology and
other systems;
• Use spatial planning and zoning to reduce cumulative impacts of many farms and ensure aquaculture stays
within the surrounding ecosystem’s carrying capacity;
• Shift incentives to reward sustainability;
• Leverage the latest information technology, including satellite and mapping technology and support
sustainable forms of aquaculture development; and
• Shift fish consumption toward fish that are low on the food chain-"low-trophic" species such
as tilapia, catfish, carp, and bivalve mollusks.
As the global wild fish catch has leveled off even while the world population continues to grow, it is
essential to get aquaculture growth right-and ensure that fish farming contributes to a sustainable food
future.
Download the full report: http://www.wri.org/publication/improving-aquaculture.