Sustainable Aquaculture critical to feed the World
Researchers told the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) that aquaculture- or the farming of seafood- is helping to fill the gap between sustainable wild supplies and the increasing demand for seafood. Their findings suggest that there is an enormous potential for growth within the sustainable aquaculture sector- especially through increased feed efficiency and the ability to expand production in the ocean.
"At a time when heart disease kills one American every 35 seconds, and the overall health benefits of consuming seafood are evident, it is essential to educate the public about [the benefits of] increasing their consumption of a lean protein such as fish", Dr. Steven Otwell of the University of Florida and member of the Seafood Safety Committee of the National Academy of Sciences told the meeting. "To meet the growing demand for healthy seafood, we absolute must embrace and expand aquaculture".
According to the UN organization FAO, aquaculture is the fastest growing food supply in the world, and the current production will have to double by the year 2050 in order to meet the demend. "Whether from fresh or marine waters, be it catfish or cod, farmed seafood allows greater numbers of Americans to enjoy the health benefits of fish in an environmentally-friendly way", panel organizer and president of the National Aquaculture Association Dr. Randy MacMillan stated at the meeting. "Aquaculture is a "relief valve" that takes pressure off wild capture fisheries and helps promote sustainability of the natural ecosystem".
