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Could Deep-Sea Fisheries Contribute to the Food Security of Our Planet? Pros and Cons

Author

Listed:
  • Elkhan Richard Sadik-Zada

    (Institute of Development Research and Development Policy (IEE), Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
    Institute of Social Development, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town 7535, South Africa
    Centre for Studies on Europe (AIM), Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC), Istiqlaliyyet Ave. 7, AZ1007 Baku, Azerbaijan
    Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1TN, UK)

  • Mattia Ferrari

    (Institute of Development Research and Development Policy (IEE), Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
    Centre for Studies on Europe (AIM), Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC), Istiqlaliyyet Ave. 7, AZ1007 Baku, Azerbaijan)

  • Alicia Gonzalez

    (Institute of Development Research and Development Policy (IEE), Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany)

  • Laman Yusubova

    (Centre for Studies on Europe (AIM), Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC), Istiqlaliyyet Ave. 7, AZ1007 Baku, Azerbaijan)

Abstract

Hundreds of millions of people on the planet are affected by malnourishment. This contributes to the vulnerability of large swaths of the population worldwide. Children under five years old and adolescent girls are especially disproportionately vulnerable to diseases and even death in less developed countries. Today, by providing a substantial share of global protein intake, as well as fatty acids and micronutrients, fisheries contribute to global food security. As fish stocks in the upper sea levels are increasingly over-exploited, there is a surge in discussion on the potential contributions of deep-sea fisheries for global food and nutrition security. Some mesopelagic fishes show potential in providing important nutrients. Another way of supplying food security might be in using mesopelagic fish as fish feed. However, fishing in the mesopelagic zone could lead to severe ecological repercussions, especially because the impact on the biological carbon pump is uncertain. This paper highlights and juxtaposes different perspectives regarding exploitation pathways of the fish riches of deep seas, and reviews best practice model projects that deal with uncertainties related to fishery management in the mesopelagic zone. The review concludes that due to the essential role of the mesopelagic zone in the global biological carbon pump and complex interaction patterns between pelagic and mesopelagic species, exploitation of the fish riches of the mesopelagic zone must be based on comprehensive data and rigorous analyses. In the face of the current uncertainty on the respective mechanisms, the authors endorse an international moratorium on deep-sea fisheries and/or the rather small-scale exploitation of mesopelagic biomass.

Suggested Citation

  • Elkhan Richard Sadik-Zada & Mattia Ferrari & Alicia Gonzalez & Laman Yusubova, 2023. "Could Deep-Sea Fisheries Contribute to the Food Security of Our Planet? Pros and Cons," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-12, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:20:p:14778-:d:1257984
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Anne-Sarah Chiambretto & Hubert Stahn, 2017. "Voluntary Management of Fisheries under an Uncertain Background Legislative Threat," AMSE Working Papers 1712, Aix-Marseille School of Economics, France.
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