How sustainable fish farming could secure our food supply in the future

Our diet will change enormously in the coming years. The reason for this is the growing world population. According to the UN, it is expected to exceed 9.7 billion by 2050. In terms of nutrition, this means an increasing demand for protein sources. At the same time, producers are faced with the challenge of working more sustainably, as natural resources such as water, agricultural land and fish stocks are limited.

How controlled fish farming could relieve pressure on the world's oceans

Overfishing of the world's oceans has increased significantly. Countries have now decided on measures to protect stocks in their waters in the long term. Norway, for example, has one of the strictest fisheries management systems in the world and sets scientifically based catch quotas. Iceland also introduced a quota system (Individual Transferable Quotas) back in the 1980s. In addition, fishing for private use is prohibited or strictly regulated in many places. In Wiltshire, for example, anglers may only fish with a valid fishing licence from the Environment Agency and must observe seasonal closed seasons for certain fish species.

To meet the growing demand for marine life, the number of aquaculture farms is increasing. Reports from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) show that over 50% of the fish consumed worldwide now comes from controlled breeding. Efficiency is required to ensure that companies can meet the clearly increasing demand economically in the long term. An essential part of this is aquaculture water treatment.

Water quality determines the health of the fish. Poor water quality can lead to disease, stress and lower growth rates. This could endanger the stock. However, professional water treatment also ensures stable production conditions and uniform growth. 

Popular fish species from aquaculture

Salmon is one of the most important aquaculture products worldwide. Norway alone produces over 1.5 million tonnes of farmed salmon annually. The advantage for consumers is that the fish is available all year round and is therefore subject to less price volatility than wild fish. 

At the same time, consistent and larger production volumes can help to keep prices stable. This means that even lower-income consumers can afford fish.

Aquaculture also makes it possible to purchase fish species whose stocks have actually declined significantly. One example of this is Atlantic salmon. Its natural stocks have declined sharply in recent decades, especially in Europe and North America. The causes of this include overfishing, water pollution and the construction of hydroelectric power plants that block migration routes. With the help of aquaculture, however, salmon can now be produced again to meet greater demand. This means that the already depleted wild stocks are not further depleted. 

Advantages of aquaculture: Do they really contain less protein and other nutrients?

Many consumers are still reluctant to eat fish from aquaculture. One reason often cited is that it is supposedly less nutritious than wild fish. However, studies show that this is not true across the board. Fish from aquaculture contain an average of 18-22% protein, which is similar to wild fish.

As the feed in aquaculture is specifically formulated, the nutrient content of the fish can be deliberately controlled.

As a result, the quality of the products often remains much more consistent than that of wild fish. Animals in open waters, on the other hand, are heavily dependent on natural conditions. The season, water temperature, food supply and migratory behaviour can also have an impact on nutrient content.