Seafood has been crucial to human survival for over 150,000 years and has shaped our evolution. It plays a vital role in food and nutrition security across the globe, providing important nutritional benefits including bioavailable vitamins and minerals, essential fatty acids and animal protein. In some countries, particularly Small Island Developing States, seafood represents as much as 50% of the total animal protein consumed (Follett and Smith 2019).
Seafood Effectiveness
The way in which we harvest and consume seafood is changing rapidly due to a wide range of drivers including ecosystem change, ocean regulation, influence of corporations and evolving consumer demand. These changes are creating new challenges for meeting our nutritional needs and the broader goals of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030.
Our research aims to examine the anticipated global trends in the production and distribution of seafood within the overall food system over the next ten years. It identifies and prioritises actions that could shift from our current trajectory to a sustainable 2030, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
We use an evidence-based narrative approach to explore key future trends for seafood systems within the broader global food system over the next ten years. The drivers that influence seafood production and consumption are identified and grouped into six overarching categories: ecosystem change; ocean governance; influence of corporations; output and efficiency of seafood systems; and nutrition. We then construct a scenario that illustrates the impact of these factors under a business-as-usual approach to seafood (Business-as-usual 2030) and a more sustainable outcome (More sustainable 2030).
Despite their importance for nutrition, seafood and marine foods can also carry significant health risks. They can be sources of bacterial and viral pathogens, such as Salmonella, as well as chemicals such as mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls. Additionally, certain species of seafood can be vulnerable to pollution from human activity and may accumulate contaminants during their life cycle.
Regular fish consumption is associated with lower blood cholesterol levels and improved heart health. It also provides people with essential fatty acids, especially omega-3, which are associated with reduced joint stiffness and depression, as well as lower blood pressure.
Seafood is a good source of vitamin D, which is essential for bone health and immune function. The anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 fatty acids can reduce arthritis symptoms and reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis in young adults. Omega-3 fatty acids are also thought to help prevent depression by encouraging the production and absorption of serotonin.