The world's population continues to grow, and according to a United Nations survey, it is estimated to reach approximately 2030 billion in 85 and 2100 billion in 112*. As a result, it is predicted that there will be a shortage of protein from livestock such as beef, pork, and chicken. This prediction is called the "protein crisis," and it is said that the balance between supply and demand will begin to collapse as early as around 2030. The fisheries industry, and aquaculture in particular, is attracting attention as a solution to this problem.
At the panel discussion "Global Fisheries Strategy and the Role of Aquaculture" held at the Tokyo Sustainable Seafood Summit 2023, Chris Ninnes, CEO of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), Hidemi Tomita, CEO of LRQA Sustainability Co., Ltd., Yoshiaki Ina of Skretting Ltd., and Katarina Martins of MOWI exchanged opinions on the future of global fisheries strategies and aquaculture. From that session, we will introduce the future potential of aquaculture, as well as the challenges and the keys to solving them.
ASC CEO Chris Ninnes
The importance of blue food and its aquaculture is increasing. However, only about 12% of the demand for sustainability is farmed seafood that is ASC certified*, so in the future, it will be important to promote certification of aquaculture operators. For this reason, ASC is formulating an "improvement program" to build a system together with aquaculture operators that increases the efficiency of aquaculture and improves the lives of producers.
As part of its climate change strategy, ASC is calculating greenhouse gas emissions using its own calculation method based on data collected from aquaculture operators, and promoting reduction and mitigation. In addition, it is building digital traceability to quickly identify the cause of problems in the supply chain.
In addition, as financial institutions are increasingly interested in ESG investment, ASC is working with a number of financial institutions to link ESG indicators with the goals of the SDGs. Certification will play an important role in allowing companies to demonstrate their achievements in the SDGs.
Ms. Catalina Martins, Chief Sustainability Officer and Chief Technology Officer, MOWI
Since seafood accounts for only 2-4% of human calories and 15% of protein, we need a "blue revolution" to unleash the ocean's potential and produce sustainable food.
Mowi has been a company that has been ranked at the top of the FAIRR* rankings for many years.
Sustainability Strategy "Leading the Blue Revolution Plan" has implemented more than 30 strategies. The company has achieved high achievement rates, including 100% achievement of its sustainable procurement policy.
Skretting Business Development Technical Sales Yoshiaki Ina
Skretting SustainabilityRoadmap 2025Of the three pillars of this strategy, "Climate and Circulation" is one, and we are creating a strategy based on the belief that sustainability, particularly in raw material sourcing, is important for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
That's why Skretting provides traceability for key ingredients and feeds that comply with global aquaculture certifications. We also prioritize the use of processing by-products and aim for low fishmeal content in feeds. Furthermore, based on our 20 years of sustainability work, we support our customers in obtaining certification.
Hidemi Tomita, CEO of LRQA Sustainability
Among the many risks in the fisheries industry, including climate change, marine plastics, a declining workforce, and human rights issues, aquaculture is a sector where risks are relatively easy to control and where improvements in productivity and sustainability can be expected. In this context, traceability that covers the entire supply chain from upstream to downstream is important to reduce risks such as issues with human rights, feed, and the processing stage.
ASCNiñez of the University of Tokyo says that in a situation where the catch of wild marine products is decreasing while the demand for seafood is increasing, the role of aquaculture is becoming more important but also comes with responsibility. Aquaculture cannot be multiplied infinitely, and it does not have no impact on the global environment, as it consumes land-based crops as feed. However, since aquaculture can utilize feed more efficiently than livestock farming, he expressed hope for future possibilities.
Martins of Mowi, a leader in sustainable seafood, pointed out that sustainability efforts require constant improvement, and that it is important to listen to the voices of stakeholders such as NGOs, engage in dialogue, and set priorities.
Regarding Japanese aquaculture farmers, Skretting Ina said that they have actually been farming close to global standards to begin with, so it should not be that difficult for them to meet overseas standards.
Japan is currently not making much progress in achieving SDG Goal 14, "Conserve and sustainably use the oceans and seas." Regarding this point, Mr. Tomita said that the reason for this is that many people have a sense of crisis, and there is no movement to create strong motivation to bring about change. He said that the key to resolving this is for stakeholders to be active and for consumers to raise awareness.
As we look towards 2030, the year in which the SDGs will be achieved, Ninnes says, "Sustainability should be mainstream, not just an option." To achieve the SDGs, we need to further raise the level of our actions.
The session archives can be found here.
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Key terms and concepts to understand seafood sustainability.
