For billions of people worldwide, seafood is a crucial source of protein and nutrition. However, the state of our oceans is concerning. Studies show that 33% of wild fisheries are overfished, and another 60% are fished to their limits. Interestingly, more than half of the seafood we eat, including fish, shellfish, seaweed, and algae, isn’t caught in the wild. Instead, it’s produced through aquaculture, or aquatic farming.
Aquaculture is one of the fastest-growing food industries, expanding by 5.8% each year. While it offers a way to meet the growing demand for seafood, it also presents challenges similar to those faced by industrial agriculture on land. This raises an important question: how can we farm the ocean sustainably without repeating past mistakes?
One common method involves using large net pens to farm fish offshore. These floating cages, about 1,000 square meters in size, are used off the coasts of places like Chile and Norway. However, these environments can be stressful and overcrowded for the fish, leading to waste that pollutes surrounding waters and spreads diseases to wild fish. Antibiotics used to treat these diseases often end up back in the environment.
Net pens also risk fish escaping, which can disrupt local ecosystems by competing with wild fish and altering the gene pool. Other methods, like man-made coastal ponds used for shrimp farming in Southeast Asia, can also harm the environment. These ponds often destroy vital ecosystems like mangroves, which protect coastlines and absorb greenhouse gases.
One potential solution is to farm fish on land in closed systems, using tanks and raceways that filter and recirculate water to prevent pollution. However, these systems still face challenges, such as the reliance on fishmeal, which contributes to overfishing. Researchers are exploring alternative feeds made from insects and plants.
Despite these challenges, innovative farmers are finding new ways to farm the seas responsibly. One promising approach is to focus on farming organisms lower on the food chain, like shellfish and seaweeds. These organisms don’t need feeding and naturally improve water quality by filtering it. They also help combat climate change by capturing carbon through photosynthesis and reducing ocean acidification.
Restorative ocean farming can provide jobs for coastal communities and support diets rich in plants and shellfish with a low carbon footprint. In just five months, 4,000 square meters of ocean can produce 25 tons of seaweed and 250,000 shellfish. With efficient distribution, a network of small farms could potentially feed the world.
Farms like these are already appearing globally, with a new generation of farmers committed to a sustainable future. When done correctly, regenerative ocean farming can play a crucial role in supporting our oceans, climate, and communities.
Research different aquaculture methods, such as net pens, coastal ponds, and land-based systems. Prepare a presentation that compares their environmental impacts and sustainability. Highlight both the challenges and benefits of each method.
Participate in a class debate on the topic: “Is aquaculture a better solution than traditional fishing for sustainable seafood production?” Prepare arguments for both sides, considering environmental, economic, and social factors.
Design and build a small-scale model of a restorative ocean farm using materials like clay, cardboard, and string. Include elements such as seaweed and shellfish, and explain how your model contributes to ocean health and climate change mitigation.
Research alternative fish feeds, such as those made from insects and plants. Write a report on how these alternatives could reduce the environmental impact of aquaculture and support sustainable practices.
Create a menu for a restaurant that focuses on sustainable seafood options. Include dishes that feature farmed shellfish and seaweed, and provide information on the environmental benefits of each ingredient.
For 3 billion people around the world, seafood provides a significant source of protein and nutrition. However, recent studies indicate that 33% of wild fisheries are overfished, while another 60% are fished at their maximum capacity. In fact, over half of the seafood we consume—from finfish and shellfish to seaweed and algae—is not caught in the wild; it is grown through aquaculture, or aquatic farming.
Farmed seafood is one of the fastest-growing food industries, expanding in volume by 5.8% each year. Different methods of aquaculture come with various advantages and challenges, some of which mirror the serious issues seen in industrial agriculture. This raises the question: how can we avoid repeating the mistakes made on land, at sea? What aquaculture approaches are currently in use, and what does a sustainable way to farm the ocean truly look like?
One common aquaculture method involves large pens made of nets, where fish are farmed offshore in floating cages roughly 1,000 square meters in size. This method is commonly employed off the coast of Chile and in the fjords of Norway. However, these fish, like many industrially farmed animals, occupy stressful, overcrowded pens. They produce significant amounts of waste, which can pollute surrounding areas and potentially spread diseases to wild species. Additionally, antibiotics used to combat disease are not fully absorbed by the fish, leading to their excretion back into the environment.
Net pens are also vulnerable to escapes, releasing large numbers of fish that compete for resources and weaken the local gene pool with genes adapted for captivity. Escaped fish can disrupt local ecosystems as invasive species. Other techniques, such as man-made coastal ponds commonly used for shrimp farming in Southeast Asia, create additional environmental challenges. Similar to net pens, these ponds are prone to spreading pollution and disease. Their construction often destroys important ecosystems like mangroves and marshes, which protect coastal areas from storms, provide habitats, and absorb significant amounts of greenhouse gases.
One potential solution to these problems is to farm fish on land in completely contained systems. Tanks and raceways can recirculate and filter water to prevent pollution. However, even fully contained facilities face another major hurdle: fishmeal. About 10% of the seafood caught globally is used to feed animals, including carnivorous farmed fish. Researchers are exploring fish feed made from insects and plant-based proteins, but many inland fish farms are still linked to overfishing.
Despite these challenges, innovative farmers are discovering new ways to responsibly farm the seas. One promising solution is to focus on lower levels of the food chain. Instead of raising large, carnivorous fish in pens, we can work with natural ocean systems to produce substantial amounts of shellfish and seaweeds. These low-maintenance organisms do not require feeding and naturally improve water quality by filtering it as they absorb sunlight and nutrients from the seawater. By capturing carbon through photosynthesis, these farms help combat climate change and reduce local ocean acidification while creating habitats for other species.
Transitioning to restorative ocean farming could provide good jobs for coastal communities and support healthy plant and shellfish-based diets with a remarkably low carbon footprint. In just five months, 4,000 square meters of ocean can yield 25 tons of seaweed and 250,000 shellfish. With the right distribution network, a series of small farms collectively the size of Washington State could feed the planet.
Farms like these are already emerging around the globe, and a new generation of farmers is stepping up to pursue a more sustainable future. When done properly, regenerative ocean farming could play a vital role in supporting our oceans, our climate, and our communities.
Aquaculture – The cultivation of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and aquatic plants for food, restoration, or other purposes. – Example sentence: Aquaculture has become a vital industry in providing sustainable seafood to meet the growing global demand.
Sustainability – The practice of using resources in a way that meets current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. – Example sentence: Implementing sustainability in agriculture can help preserve ecosystems and ensure food security for future generations.
Ecosystems – Communities of living organisms interacting with their physical environment, functioning as a unit. – Example sentence: Healthy ecosystems provide essential services such as clean water, air purification, and pollination.
Overfishing – The practice of catching fish at a rate faster than they can reproduce, leading to population decline. – Example sentence: Overfishing has severely impacted marine biodiversity, threatening the balance of ocean ecosystems.
Pollution – The introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment, causing adverse effects. – Example sentence: Pollution from industrial activities has led to the degradation of air and water quality in many urban areas.
Carbon – A chemical element that is the basis of all known life and a major component of fossil fuels, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions when burned. – Example sentence: Reducing carbon emissions is crucial in mitigating the impacts of climate change.
Biodiversity – The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem, crucial for resilience and adaptability. – Example sentence: Protecting biodiversity is essential for maintaining ecosystem services and overall environmental health.
Nutrition – The process by which organisms take in and utilize food material for growth, metabolism, and repair. – Example sentence: Adequate nutrition is vital for maintaining the health and productivity of both humans and wildlife.
Climate – The long-term patterns and averages of temperature, humidity, wind, and precipitation in a region. – Example sentence: Changes in climate can have profound effects on ecosystems, agriculture, and water resources.
Restoration – The process of returning ecosystems or habitats to their original structure and function after they have been degraded or destroyed. – Example sentence: Ecological restoration projects aim to revive damaged ecosystems and enhance biodiversity.
