Sustainable diets and biodiversity

are abundant in most aquatic foods, and fish can

play an extremely important role as a very good

source of essential nutrients, particularly as a

source of micronutrients, where other animal

source foods are lacking.

More than one billion people, within 58 developing

and low-income food-deficit countries, depend on

fish as the primary source of animal protein. Fish is

a unique food that could be used to address almost

all the major malnutrition disorders. Beyond provid-

ing food, aquaculture and fisheries also strengthen

people’s capacity to exercise their right to food

through employment, community development,

generating income and accumulating other assets.

Sustainability of aquatic resources as food

The global production of marine capture fisheries

was about 80 million tonnes in 2008. The stocks of

the top ten species account for about 30 percent of

the world marine capture fisheries production, most

of them fully exploited (Figure 1). The widespread

failure to manage fishery resources properly, has

resulted in a situation where some 32 % of stocks

are overexploited, and 53% of the stocks are fully

exploited, leaving only 15% of the stocks with a po-

tential for increased capture and biodiversity in

foods based on capture fisheries. There is general

scientific agreement that significantly more cannot

be produced from wild fish populations (FAO, 2011a).

Figure 1.Global trends in the state of world marine stocks since

1974 (FAO, 2011a).

However, total global fish production has continued

to rise, amounting to 14 2 million tonnes in 2008. The

balance is made up by production from aquaculture,

which amounted to 52.5 million tonnes in 2008, con-

tributing 46 percent to the total foodfish production.

Although there is no association between resource

sustainability and health, the issue of sustainability

must be considered if proven health benefits lead to

an increased demand for seafood. With the known

wide range of benefits from seafood consumption, it

is pertinent to consider whether increased production

is possible.

The increasing demand for fish will mainly be provided

by increased aquaculture production. However,

the increasing demand for fisheries products is also

encouraging a better use of available, but limited,

resources. FAO is encouraging technology and

knowledge that could help the fisheries industry and

fish processors to reduce waste and increase the

amount of fish ending up as food.

Post-harvest losses of high quality fish are also a

challenge due to poor handling of fish and fisheries

products. In some cases 20 percent of fish landed

are lost before reaching the consumer due to poor

hygiene facilities and handling. Poor handling also

causes big physical losses of fish, as well as economic

losses due to lower quality and value of the end

product. As demand for fisheries products will

increase in the future and acknowledging the

important role of the fisheries sector in food and

nutrition security, the economy and livelihoods of

many vulnerable populations, sharing knowledge on

handling and storing of a perishable product such

as fish should be given high priority.

Increased focus on improving the utilization of fish

species of low value, such as the Peruvian anchoveta

should also be encouraged. The anchoveta has

traditionally been processed into fish oil and fishmeal,

but is a good example of an excellent fish with a

potential for direct human consumption; very high

nutritional value, and affordable for most people. Although

challenges such as cultural acceptance and conflict

96

Percentage of

stocks assessed

Underexploited + Moderately exploited

Full exploited

Overexploited + Depleted + Recovering

74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 0 8

60

50

40

30

20

10

0