Aquaculture summarised
- Aquaculture is the fastest growing food production method worldwide
- It has many sustainability benefits, such as easing the climate impact of animal meat
- It is also posed as a solution to food insecurity
- However, many fish farms are overcrowded, with fish kept in poor conditions and killed inhumanely
- Farmed fish are often carnivorous, meaning more fish must be killed for feed
Aquaculture is booming. It is the fastest-growing food production method globally, growing around 600% between 1990 and 2020. Many of the world’s fish are now produced via the method, rather than wild catch.
The EU is pushing for the blue economy, and aquaculture specifically, to be boosted.
Aquaculture is often seen as a sustainable alternative to wild caught fish.
However, in terms of animal welfare, the sector may have much to be desired.
What is aquaculture?
Aquaculture is, essentially, the farming of fish and other sea creatures, in many ways similar to agriculture on land. The National Ocean Atmospheric Association (NOAA) defines it as “the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of animals and plants in all types of water environments”.
Is aquaculture a sustainable solution for the protein problem?
As the world’s population grows, the demand for fish has outstripped the supply, or at least the supply available from wild caught fish. Aquaculture is a method which aims to plug this supply gap.
One of the main benefits of aquaculture is that it provides protein-rich food with a lower climate impact than on-land farming, according to the EU.
Like land animal meat, it is rich in protein, but it is not linked to the same levels of climate impact.
Also read → How sustainable is aquaculture?
This can also ease the pressure on land use created by animal agriculture.
Furthermore, some forms of aquaculture can contribute to the preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity.
It can also meet the growing demand for fish where wild caught cannot, according to the Aquaculture Stewardship Council.
Does aquaculture have poor animal welfare?
While sustainability concerns among consumers are slowly beginning to fade, many still care about animal welfare.
According to the Vegan Society, animal welfare has for a long time been one of the primary reasons consumers begin a vegan diet.
A recent report on plant-based food by Future Market Insights suggests that these concerns will remain high on the agenda.
When it comes to fish and seafood, some research suggests that consumers still care.
For example, a survey by the charity Compassion in World Farming found that nine out of 10 people in nine EU countries want better protection for farmed fish.
Another study found that consumers are willing to pay more for fish welfare although, the report states, they do sometimes overestimate their own willingness.
This consumer concern about animal welfare could arguably affect buying decisions.
Animal welfare in aquaculture has been soundly criticised for a range of reasons.
Many fish farms have issues with overcrowding and lack of space, explains Antoine Tifine, global campaigns manager for fish welfare at Compassion in World Farming. Fish are kept in poor conditions and are sometimes starved before slaughter.
Furthermore, many are killed using ice slurry, a slow and painful form of slaughter involving animals packed against each other in ice.
Many of the animals that are being farmed are carnivorous species, such as salmon, explains Giulia Malerbi, head of global policy at the Aquatic Life Institute.
This means that they rely on other fish as feed to survive. This drastically increases the number of fish killed in production. Because of this, suggests Malerbi, it is not the solution to overfishing (the depletion of the ocean’s fish stocks due to too much fishing) that it is often touted to be.
Forms of aquaculture that are not yet widespread, such as octopus farming, have been sources of controversy.
While octopuses are highly nutritious to humans, many have criticised the conditions in which they are kept. Despite being solitary animals, they are forced into close quarters, leading to aggression and even cannibalism. They are exposed to light at all times to increase production, despite a natural aversion to light. They are often slaughtered using ice slurry.
Octopus farming is not currently widespread in the EU, with a planned farm in the Canary Islands igniting controversy. Nevertheless, octopus farming is not illegal in the bloc.
How is aquaculture currently being regulated?
The EU has not moved significantly towards regulating aquaculture yet.
However, a regulation on protecting animals during transportation is currently being discussed in the European Parliament, explains Tifine.
Compassion in World farming is also in discussion with the EU on prioritising animal welfare in the development of aquaculture.
Are fish sentient?
Do fish have feelings? A significant body of research suggests that they do.
A review of the literature around the topic showed that there is a lot of evidence fish experience “a range of emotional states”, including depression and anxiety, and are even capable of altruism.
They can, explains Antoine Tifine, also recognise human faces and solve complex tasks.
The EU currently considers fish sentient, as does the UK.
