Published 2023 – Ocean Food Production: Limits and Strategies is a recent report published by the Club of Rome, where the authors dive straight into the issue of food production in a saturated planet, damaged by the severe impacts of climate change and ecological destruction.
The paper argues that not only the terrestrial but the oceans’ habitats should be taken into consideration as major resources of food and employment for peoples throughout the planet, as marine food contains bioavailable micronutrients and fatty acids essential to contribute to global food and nutrition security.
The authors demonstrate the advantages of “The Blue Economy” as a way of using ocean spaces in response to adverse climate warming effects. They also recommend five key actions for reversing the decline of fisheries as well as enhancing oceanic food resources and nutrition derived from the oceans and their coastal and estuarine spaces. In addition, the article analyses the available resources by evaluating the possibility of Earth’s oceans to theoretically provide food for humankind and finally focuses on adequate policies, trainings and adapted actions for resilience, such as preservation and restoration of marine resources and habitats, as well as mariculture.
The report concludes that a wise and sustainable management of existing resource ecosystems, by cultivating key marine species of plants and animals and regenerating the food web for natural species, represents a great promise for our population, especially for the poorest ones who often live near coasts.
Download publicationAuthors: Anitra Thorhaug, Ugo Bardi, Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Edward Manning and Ilaria Perissi
