Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1893/33056
Appears in Collections:Aquaculture Journal Articles
Peer Review Status: Refereed
Title: Environmental performance of blue foods
Author(s): Gephart, Jessica A
Henriksson, Patrik J G
Parker, Robert W R
Shepon, Alon
Gorospe, Kelvin D
Bergman, Kristina
Eshel, Gidon
Golden, Christopher D
Halpern, Benjamin S
Hornborg, Sara
Jonell, Malin
Metian, Marc
Mifflin, Kathleen
Newton, Richard
Tyedmers, Peter
Zhang, Wenbo
Ziegler, Friederike
Troell, Max
Contact Email: richard.newton@stir.ac.uk
Keywords: Environmental impact
Sustainability
Issue Date: 2021
Date Deposited: 10-Aug-2021
Citation: Gephart JA, Henriksson PJG, Parker RWR, Shepon A, Gorospe KD, Bergman K, Eshel G, Golden CD, Halpern BS, Hornborg S, Jonell M, Metian M, Mifflin K, Newton R, Tyedmers P, Zhang W, Ziegler F & Troell M (2021) Environmental performance of blue foods. Nature, 597, Art. No.: 360-365. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03889-2
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.
DOI Link: 10.1038/s41586-021-03889-2
Rights: This item has been embargoed for a period. During the embargo please use the Request a Copy feature at the foot of the Repository record to request a copy directly from the author. You can only request a copy if you wish to use this work for your own research or private study. Please cite as: Gephart, J.A., Henriksson, P.J.G., Parker, R.W.R. et al. Environmental performance of blue foods. Nature 597, 360–365 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03889-2 Articles, books and chapters published within the Springer Nature group of companies which are made available through academic repositories remain subject to copyright. Any further use is subject to permission from Springer Nature. The following restrictions on use of such articles apply: Academic research only; Use must not be for Commercial Purposes; Wholesale re-publishing is prohibited; Moral rights (All use must be fully attributed and must ensure that the authors' moral right to the integrity of their work is not compromised) ; Third party content (It is the obligation of the user to ensure that nay use complies with the copyright policies of third party content owners); Use at own risk

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