During its recent chairmanship of the U.N. Security Council, the United States rightly emphasized food security as a top priority. The Earth is now grappling with the hottest month in a staggering 120,000 years, resulting in catastrophic heatwaves, droughts, and floods that are decimating crops on a massive scale. Nations like Ethiopia, Afghanistan, and Haiti are teetering on the brink of worsening famine. Adding to these woes, Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea grain deal, which enabled Ukraine to export millions of tons monthly, has dealt a blow to global food security. The geopolitics of our changing climate have ushered in an era of unprecedented instability, and the worst is yet to come, with this year’s El Niño season predicted to persist until 2024.
To confront the mounting global food crisis, world leaders must expand their focus from the land to the waters—an often-overlooked but essential source of sustenance known as “blue foods.”
The term “blue foods” encompasses nutrition derived from marine and freshwater ecosystems, encompassing a vast array of sources, from tunas, pollock, and cod to shrimp and seaweeds. Regrettably, blue food initiatives continue to receive disproportionately limited political attention and funding in national and global food discussions, despite the critical role they play in nourishing populations and bolstering economies worldwide.
Blue foods are the lifeblood for over 800 million people and rank among the most widely traded global commodities. Nearly half of the global population relies significantly on blue foods for animal protein, essential micronutrients, and cultural identity.
While some blue foods may have a relatively lower environmental impact compared to land-based livestock, their supply is not infinite. In our oceans alone, approximately 92 percent of wild-caught fish originate from stocks that are unable to withstand additional fishing pressure or have already been overexploited. The situation is equally grim for migratory freshwater fish, which have seen a staggering 76 percent decline on average since 1970. As the demand for blue foods is projected to nearly double by 2050, the equation simply doesn’t align with a stable future. Aquaculture, the farming of aquatic species, is a vital part of the solution, but it cannot fully compensate for the depletion of ocean fish populations or shield the global economy from the repercussions.
Addressing the global food crisis necessitates a comprehensive approach, recognizing the pivotal role blue foods play in nourishing the world’s populations and ensuring a sustainable future for all.
