C-level seafood executives from around the world gathered in Bergen, Norway, last week to discuss issues and opportunities for fisheries and aquaculture, including climate change, increasing production, technology innovations, environmental sustainability and the coronavirus (COVID-19) that is stoking fears worldwide, slowing industries and threatening vast economic impacts.
When the news broke that Seafood Expo North America in Boston scheduled just two weeks ahead was being postponed or even canceled as a result of the infectious disease and the dangers it presents to attendees, it prompted speculation that other events would also be affected. Many presentations referred to impacts already being felt or needed actions to overcome the challenge.
For this year’s North Atlantic Seafood Forum (NASF), attendance was indeed slightly down from previous iterations, according to the event organizers, who opted to live-stream the Day 1 morning program for those who opted not to travel to Norway. But for those who did come to the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel on Bergen’s storied waterfront, the program covered a wide range of subjects, and didn’t shy away from tough ones.
The oceans are our best defense against climate change but are nonetheless a victim. Climate change brings about much uncertainty for the seafood industry, said Vidar Helgesen, representing the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, a group of world leaders seeking to develop solutions for the environment. The countries represented in the 14-member panel represent about 30 percent of the world’s exclusive economic zones (EEZs), he said, and issued a comprehensive report last year.
The biggest risk, added Helgesen, is what we don’t know about ocean ecosystems, which is a lot: These ecosystems work well, and everything is OK until it isn’t. There are cascading effects, with dramatic results. We need to deal with the uncertainty and take action.
Climate change impacts on the global ocean economy could be severe, with up to a 30 percent decline in fish stocks in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean basins by the year 2100, he said. The impact on West African countries’ fisheries could be tragic, with a stock decline of up to 85 percent. With warming ocean temperatures, fish stocks will migrate to the north and south poles, with people living on or near the equator losing out big time.
A picture such as this can naturally be seen as gloomy, yet the authors of the report presented an opportunistic view, said Helgesen, concluding that seafood production must increase to meet demands from a growing global population. Helgesen recommended two ways to accomplish this: Increase aquaculture production and improve fisheries management.
Aquaculture has bright prospects, Helgesen said the panel’s report concluded that production could be ramped up significantly, up to six times its current size: On marine aquaculture, we were stunned to learn that mariculture can be six times bigger than today. Especially for low-trophic aquaculture shellfish hold enormous protein value and don’t have to be fed. It’s an economic opportunity, but also an opportunity for human health and nutrition. It’s a planetary opportunity and more land- and biodiversity-friendly.
Guus Pastoor, president of AIPCEE (European Fish Processors Association) in Brussels, Belgium, told NASF attendees that they have a common responsibility to find solutions to climate change. He is buoyed by the fact that many seafood stakeholders have been successful in warding off the total depletion of fish stocks that many had predicted.
Retailers are bearing the brunt of the responsibility when it comes to driving change in the food industry, and change the food industry must, said Giles Bolton, director of responsible sourcing at UK-based retailer Tesco.
Marcio Castro de Souza, senior fisheries trade officer for the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome, said that aquaculture production will surpass wild capture fisheries, for all purposes, human consumption or not, in 2022. Despite this, reports that 90 percent of global fish stocks are in danger is simply not true, saying that fishing to maximum sustainable yield is the goal.
Aquaculture continues to perform well, he said. In 2018, overall aquaculture production reached 114.5 million metric tons (MT), a 2 percent growth rate overall and a 3.2 percent growth rate with aquatic animals.
20162020 Global Aquaculture Alliance All rights reserved.