Author
Listed:
- Jessica A. Gephart
(American University)
- Patrik J. G. Henriksson
(Stockholm Resilience Centre
WorldFish
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences)
- Robert W. R. Parker
(Dalhousie University
Aquaculture Stewardship Council)
- Alon Shepon
(Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health)
- Kelvin D. Gorospe
(American University)
- Kristina Bergman
(RISE Research Institutes of Sweden)
- Gidon Eshel
(Bard College)
- Christopher D. Golden
(Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health)
- Benjamin S. Halpern
(University of California
University of California)
- Sara Hornborg
(RISE Research Institutes of Sweden)
- Malin Jonell
(Stockholm Resilience Centre
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences)
- Marc Metian
(Radioecology Laboratory)
- Kathleen Mifflin
(Dalhousie University)
- Richard Newton
(University of Stirling)
- Peter Tyedmers
(Dalhousie University)
- Wenbo Zhang
(Shanghai Ocean University)
- Friederike Ziegler
(RISE Research Institutes of Sweden)
- Max Troell
(Stockholm Resilience Centre
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences)
Abstract
Fish and other aquatic foods (blue foods) present an opportunity for more sustainable diets1,2. Yet comprehensive comparison has been limited due to sparse inclusion of blue foods in environmental impact studies3,4 relative to the vast diversity of production5. Here we provide standardized estimates of greenhouse gas, nitrogen, phosphorus, freshwater and land stressors for species groups covering nearly three quarters of global production. We find that across all blue foods, farmed bivalves and seaweeds generate the lowest stressors. Capture fisheries predominantly generate greenhouse gas emissions, with small pelagic fishes generating lower emissions than all fed aquaculture, but flatfish and crustaceans generating the highest. Among farmed finfish and crustaceans, silver and bighead carps have the lowest greenhouse gas, nitrogen and phosphorus emissions, but highest water use, while farmed salmon and trout use the least land and water. Finally, we model intervention scenarios and find improving feed conversion ratios reduces stressors across all fed groups, increasing fish yield reduces land and water use by up to half, and optimizing gears reduces capture fishery emissions by more than half for some groups. Collectively, our analysis identifies high-performing blue foods, highlights opportunities to improve environmental performance, advances data-poor environmental assessments, and informs sustainable diets.
Suggested Citation
Jessica A. Gephart & Patrik J. G. Henriksson & Robert W. R. Parker & Alon Shepon & Kelvin D. Gorospe & Kristina Bergman & Gidon Eshel & Christopher D. Golden & Benjamin S. Halpern & Sara Hornborg & Ma, 2021.
"Environmental performance of blue foods,"
Nature, Nature, vol. 597(7876), pages 360-365, September.
Handle:
RePEc:nat:nature:v:597:y:2021:i:7876:d:10.1038_s41586-021-03889-2
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03889-2
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