Ushering in a shared prosperity through aquatic food systems

WorldFish; June 8 2022

Aquatic food systems have transformative potential for sustainable development. They offer diverse solutions for tackling malnutrition, lowering the environmental footprint of our food systems and lifting millions of people out of poverty. Ultimately, a sustainable and equitable transition to aquatic food-based diets can deliver better outcomes for both people and planet.  

Yet there is a pressing need for additional research, innovation and investments to usher in such a momentous food systems transformation, and time is urgent. Hunger has risen dramatically in the fallout from COVID-19, with soaring inflation and serious disruptions to fish supply chains hitting low-income populations the hardest. Moreover, only one in three fish stocks are managed sustainably—jeopardizing food security, ecosystems and livelihoods.  

Aquatic food systems are often understood within their relation to the blue economy, which examines aquatic resources in the context of sustainable economic development and the benefits they provide to millions around the globe, particularly those in low- and middle-income countries.  

Unfortunately, thus far, the pursuit of the blue economy has largely been driven by profits, and governments and the private sector have paid less attention to the many societal benefits of the aquatic food sector. But in order to achieve a shared prosperity through aquatic food systems, global priorities must be reconsidered.  

When I say shared prosperity, I mean ensuring that benefits are equitably distributed among small-scale fishers, fish farmers and their communities, along with the three billion people globally who don’t have access to nutritious diets.  

Historically, the notion of ‘prosperity’ has been dominated by socio-political and economic indicators rather than a measure of human flourishing. I instead define prosperity as both a process and outcome, where aquatic ecosystems and the people who depend on them can attain their maximum well-being potential—with special focus on those often overlooked or forgotten in development initiatives. 

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