A recent report titled ‘Environmental performance of blue foods’ has shed light on the potential for enhancing sustainability in aquatic or ‘blue’ foods. The report, a collaborative effort between the Stockholm Resilience Centre in Sweden, Stanford University in the United States, and non-profit organization, EAT, forms part of the Blue Food Assessment (BFA).
Understanding Blue Foods and their Benefits
Blue foods refer to foods sourced from aquatic animals, plants, or algae, which are either caught or cultivated in freshwater and marine environments. Nutritionally superior to terrestrial animal-source foods and holding significant promise for sustainability gains, blue foods offer many advantages.
Many species under this category are nutrient-rich, loaded with essential elements such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. Aquaculture— the farming of fish, shellfish, and seaweed — yields species like tilapia, salmon, catfish, and carp, which have a lower environmental footprint than terrestrial meat.
Insights from the Report
The report puts forth some critical insights into the role and impact of blue foods in establishing sustainable food systems. According to the findings, blue-food production, besides involving the least land and water use, also results in minimal greenhouse gas and nutrient emissions.
Moreover, it highlights the role of capture fisheries, which involve harvesting living resources in freshwater and marine environments. These have the potential to cut down greenhouse gas emissions through improved management and optimising gear types. Innovations and improvement in management of fisheries could potentially increase consumption further and combat malnutrition effectively.
Promoting blue foods aligns well with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Nutrition) and SDG 14 (Sustainable use of marine resources).
The Way Ahead
For realizing the potential of blue food systems and ensuring their sustainability, the report underlines the need to empower small-scale fishers, who form a significant part of the global seafood system and bring to it an incredible diversity.
Blue foods encompass a broad spectrum, each carrying unique nutritional, cultural, economic, and environmental value. To tap into this potential, it is essential for policymakers to focus on:
– Better governance models that involve small producers, women, and other marginalized groups
– Improved stewardship of natural resources that blue foods rely on
– Investments aimed at building resilience to climate change.
Source: IE
