Ecosystem change Key characteristic Implication for seafood
Change in biomass and redistribution of many species Increased productivity in some fisheries and access for new fleets and markets, decreased productivity in other fisheries, leading to reduced access to historical fleets and markets
Increasing intensity and frequency of extreme weather events Dangerous fishing conditions and challenges for coastal infrastructure, including mariculture
Pollution and warming of coastal waters Shift in mariculture to deeper waters or into enclosed land-based facilities
Redistribution of disease vectors and pathogens Emerging fisheries and mariculture issues requiring new technologies and medicines
Ocean governance Fishery management operating at national and sub-national scales, multiple agencies tasked with monitoring and management, leading to disjointed and incoherent objectives Current examples of weak and fragmented fisheries management, illegal fishing continues to limit productivity gains
Fisheries subsidies entrenched and fishing fleets continue to grow in many countries Support for overcapacity when transformative solutions are needed
Divestment in fisheries sustainability programs Limited effective management, particularly in developing regions
Growing presence of resource-based activities in the ocean, propelled by a blue economy Growing competition for ocean space and resources, increased militarisation of oceans
Fisheries management focus on economic and ecosystem benefits and does not recognise the socio-cultural connections Management changes to improve economic and ecosystem outcomes have been beneficial for some system aspects, but have also impacted traditional fishers and diminished opportunities to pass on traditional fishing and hunting knowledge
Development of alternative regional and subregional multilateral agreements, including Indigenous agreements, in some countries May provide a basis to strengthen ocean governance as envisaged in the SDGs
Influence of corporations Ongoing consolidation and concentration of company ownership along supply chains Unequal balance of power and decision control
Independent certification schemes and corporate initiatives are helping to improve transparency, although access to company information can be difficult Many supply chains lack transparency and comprehensive monitoring systems, allowing for poor social and environmental practices
Increased fish consumption through growth of transnational retail chains and supermarkets Consumers in the developed world have benefited from cheaper seafood, however, lower prices are associated with slavery or low wages
Loss of food and livelihoods for small scale operators and conflicts around access rights and equity issues with the rise of corporations Issues of equity and social justice continue to go unrecognised negatively affecting small-scale opertors
Several corporations are engaged in programs and platforms to improve sustainability along supply chains Sustainable leadership by dominant corporations could lead to rapid and far reaching change in practice throughout the entire seafood industry
Output and efficiency Substantial innovation and improvements in feed conversions ratios in animal mariculture Many farms, particularly small-scale, have not benefited from technology advancements to improve fish growth and feed conversion ratios, and reduce fish production costs for farmers
Global mariculture production is limited to a narrow range of species, typically farmed under monoculture Farming limited mariculture species reduces diversity and resilience, as observed in agricultural systems, resulting in greater exposure to food shocks
The majority of mariculture species have been cultured for a relatively small number of generations Considerable genetic variation exists that could provide the basis for substantial improvements in traits that contribute to improving production efficiency
Decreased wastage on boats Discarding of edible fish remains a problem in many fisheries
Technological improvements can benefit fisheries economics and sustainability (e.g. fuel use and CO2 emissions) and levels of mariculture production Increasing efficiency from technological improvements can result in overfishing, or can lead to switches in behaviour that increase emissions (e.g. where technology replaces lower emission alternatives on the basis of economic efficiency)
Post-harvest losses, including quality loss and discarding, are common Technological solutions to waste are emerging, but do not always match the capacities and conditions of the country or region
Consumer demand Seafood consumption in many low-income countries is driven by local supply, wealthier consumers can drive demand and access a wider range of seafood, but tend to choose a narrow range of products Seafood production has increased to meet demand but food and nutrition security are challenged by inequalities in access and availability. Seafood is not realising its full potential to contribute to nutritional needs as a result of inequitable access as well as societal choices
Consumers are generally motivated by taste, price and convenience, rather than sustainability Growing societal concerns over food safety and sustainability have created demand for transparency and accountability, however, overfished stocks continue to be overfished to meet demand and markets for new products that might be sustainable are limited
‘Sustainability’ labelling systems have influenced behaviour in high-income countries Broader reach is required to alter population-level consumer behaviour and change people’s diets to meet the SDGs
Nutrition focus Seafood products are the only source of key macro and micronutrients for some people, predominantly small-scale and Indigenous groups National and regional food security policies, goals and strategies often exclude seafood and therefore overlook the significance of seafood for nutritional security in these groups
Increased demand for omega-3 fatty acids, primarily sourced through marine ecosystems and seafood Benefits of omega-3 fatty acids widely recognised, but benefit of seafood to broader nutritional needs of populations not linked to targeting of wild capture species or promotion of mariculture species
Growing appreciation of how a ‘planetary health’ perspective can achieve environmental and human health objectives and recognition of the nutritional significance of seafood Increased inclusion of seafood sustainable and healthy diet discourse and policy, although equity not always considered, and fisheries and mariculture policy and management remain concerned with economic and environmental outcomes more than meeting social or health objectives