Why more than 90% of global aquaculture faces substantial risk from environmental change Agri tech

Why more than 90% of global aquaculture faces substantial risk from environmental change

Many of the world's largest aquatic food producers are highly vulnerable to human-induced environmental change, with some of the highest-risk countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa demonstrating the lowest capacity for adaptation, a landmark study has shown.

Blue foods,” or foods sourced from aquatic environments, are an important dietary component for more than 3.2 billion people on Earth. But many of the world's largest aquatic food producers are highly vulnerable to human-induced environmental change, with some of the highest-risk countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa demonstrating the lowest capacity for adaptation, according to a new study 

According to researches, more than 90% of blue foods — including fished and farmed fish, shellfish, algae and plants in both freshwater and marine environments are vulnerable. These foods include more than 540 freshwater  species and more than 2,190 marine species that many people globally depend on for blue foods

The researchers who published their findings in the journal nature sustainability, evaluated how 17 different stressors, including sea level rise, pesticide runoff and algal blooms, impact quality and quantity of blue foods.

According to new studies, scratched the surface in our understanding of how environmental stressors are connected, and how they can both negatively impact the production and safety of the resulting blue foods,” Ling Cao, and professor at the State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science at Xiamen University, said in a statement. “Understanding the complexity of these stressors, and their cascading impacts, will be essential in developing successful adaptation and mitigation strategies.”

The study identified which countries are most affected by some of the top stressors, finding that blue foods in the U.S. are particularly at risk of invasive species, algal blooms, sea level rise and ocean warming. China, the top blue food producer, is vulnerable to inland eutrophication and severe weather, particularly for its freshwater food supplies.

The researchers also found that blue foods in marine ecosystems were the most vulnerable to stressors, mainly mercury, ocean warming and acidification. On the other hand, seaweed mariculture showed the most promise of adapting to the stressors and faced the least risks.

In general, though, blue food production is threatened all over the world and on every continent, the study found.

So, special attention should be paid to countries facing high exposure to environmental change yet not possessing adequate capacity for adaptation, including specially Bangladesh, Eswatini, Guatemala, Honduras and Uganda.

In terms of production systems, the finds that marine fisheries were generally more vulnerable to climate-related stressors, particularly rising temperatures and acidification, whilst aquaculture was more susceptible to the effects of diseases and hypoxia, or low oxygen levels.

Among the report's key recommendations is a call for more transboundary collaboration and adaptation strategies which recognize that the ecosystems that blue food production rely upon are highly interconnected, with environmental change in one area having potential knock-on effects elsewhere.

So, should be attention for diversification of blue food production in high-risk countries to cope with the impact of environmental change unless sufficient mitigation and adaptation strategies are adopted.

Likewise, should be needed for greater stakeholder engagement in understanding, monitoring and mitigating pressures on blue food production systems. Indigenous knowledge will be critical for strategic planning and policies to mitigate and adapt to environmental change, particularly for artisanal fisheries and heavy marine fisheries-dependent countries, such as Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

However, environmental stressors do not care about national borders, because researchers, said in a statement  “Stressors get moved by air, water, species, and humans, connecting land to sea and ecosystem to ecosystem.”

As Reuters reported, 85% of aquaculture production stems from just four countries: China, Japan, India and Vietnam. The study highlighted these countries, as well as small island nations, as top priorities in reducing vulnerability.

Some recommendations in the paper include diversifying types of blue food production, establishing international policies on sustainable blue food production and following the knowledge of Indigenous and local peoples in developing strategies and policies.

The research also includes an extended dataset which ranks countries around the world based on the exposure of their blue food production systems to the various environmental stressors.

"Although we have made some progress with climate change, our adaptation strategies for blue food systems facing environmental change are still underdeveloped and need urgent attention," said Rebecca Short, co-lead author and researcher at the Stockholm Resilience Centre.