User:MClarus23/Sustainable seafood

Aquaculture
Main article: Aquaculture

As global seafood catch has plateaued, aquaculture, or fish farming, is increasingly being employed to meet the ever-rising demand for fish. The ongoing development of aquaculture since the 1960s is termed by some as the blue revolution, much like the green revolution of the 1960s and 1970s. Proponents of aquaculture believe that the industry can contribute to both the sustainability of seafood and food security as it eases fishing pressure on wild fish stocks while providing a reliable, steady supply of seafood.

However, aquaculture operations are rife with controversy. One strong criticism is that most aquaculture feeds are derived from commercial reduction fisheries, where certain species of wild fish—like anchovies—are targeted and harvested to be processed into fish meal and other secondary fish products. Such practice is often viewed from an ecological and food security standpoint as inefficient and unsustainable; in 2002, for instance, 36% of global fish landings were processed in this manner and not used for human consumption. Other concerning implications of aquaculture include aquatic pollution from large, concentrated amounts of fish waste and effluent as well as the influence that transgenic farmed fish (aquaculture fish are sometimes genetically-modified to accelerate growth, improve reproductive output etc.) might have on wild fish populations should they find their way, intentionally or not, into natural waters. In addition, some critics argue that aquaculture can actually increase rather than displace demand for wild-caught fish, as they not only enable consumers to acquire a taste for these fish, but also lull them into a false sense of complacency when it comes to their understanding of the stability of wild fish stocks.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)[edit]
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a national government agency that has authority over conservation, marine fisheries, and management. The NOAA has created FishWatch to help guide concerned consumers to sustainable seafood choices. The fisheries in the United States are overseen by the Ten National Standards of the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Therefore, the National Standards are protecting the fish population and eliminating overfishing. Along with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, U.S. fisheries are also regulated under the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Act.

The NOAA fisheries service has started using aquaculture to produce sustainable seafood. Its focus is on an alternative seafood source to help repopulate and save the ocean's ecosystems.

Impetus brought about by COVID-19
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the global seafood industry. Due to widespread travel restrictions, export of seafood has been significantly reduced, hurting fishermen' and fish farmers' livelihoods around the world. Demand for seafood, and with it price, has also plunged in the midst of social distancing practices as people no longer dine in restaurants. To industry analysts, the coronavirus outbreak has exposed the inherent vulnerabilities of seafood supply chains that are characteristically long-distance, international, multi-stage and thus complex. The interdependent nature of these supply networks means that complications at any stage have and will continue to translate into far-ranging ripple effects. For example, should the pandemic disrupt the U.S. Alaska pollock fishery—the "single most valuable fishery in US waters" that the At-Sea Processor's Association (APA) and NOAA are working hard to protect—the production chains of many processed seafood commodities ranging from fish burger patties to surimi would be affected. That said, if there is any silver lining to the pandemic, it is that released fishing pressure in recent months and the foreseeable future will allow fish stocks to recover.

To sustain seafood production and trade in this period, the industry has seen a shift away from international supply chains and consumption of fresh fish towards locally-contained supply chains and rising demand for retail seafood and convenient, processed seafood products. As export revenue falls, large fishing vessels are disincentivized to continue operations as usual, giving smaller-scale local fishermen the opportunity to thrive; many have adopted direct-to-consumer sales to improve their profits. Demand for canned and frozen seafood as well as other "shelf-stable" products like smoked salmon are increasing as more people have begun and grown accustomed to preparing their meals at home, a trend that might persist beyond the pandemic. The pandemic has also prompted the U.S. government to revolutionise and strengthen the resilience of the American seafood industry, one that is currently heavily reliant on imports. Aside from a US $300 million fisheries assistance funding package to tide the sector through this period, an executive order published on May 7, 2020 stated the government's commitment to reduce regulations on domestic fishing and aquaculture operations, expand local aquaculture, combat international illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and "improve access to foreign markets through trade policy and negotiations." Elsewhere, the World Economic Forum is exploring the possibility of employing blockchain technology to increase the efficiency and transparency of seafood supply chains.