UK – Global aquaculture generates around the same amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as the sheep industry, according to new research.
In the first study of its kind, researchers from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), FAO*, Cargill and WorldFish found that, in 2017, the fish farming sector generated 0.49 per cent of anthropogenic GHG emissions, or 263 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e).
The research, which has been published by Nature.com, was carried out to raise awareness of how and why GHG emissions arise in aquaculture supply chains.
It found that, while GHGs in aquaculture vary by system, the emissions from feed production generally dominate. Some systems, especially shrimps, also use a lot of energy for pumping water
Dr Michael MacLeod, who led the research, said: “Global aquaculture makes an important contribution to food security and is also a driver of economic development. But to enable sustainable expansion of aquaculture, we need to understand its contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions and how it can be mitigated.
“While the emissions from fish farming are unlikely to reach the levels of, for example, beef farming, it is important for the industry to consider ways to reduce emissions, which can also improve financial performance.
“There are lots of ways to reduce emissions, including developing genetically improved breeds suitable for lower feed conversion rates, improving health, using more precise feeding methods, and improving on-farm energy efficiency. Feed is the main source of emissions in most systems, so some of the reduction can be achieved before we even get to the fish farm, in the production of feed materials.”
Reference (open access):
MacLeod, M.J., Hasan, M.R., Robb, D.H.F. et al. Quantifying greenhouse gas emissions from global aquaculture. Sci Rep 10, 11679 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-68231-8
Source: Scotland’s Rural College
Editor at the digital magazine AquaHoy. He holds a degree in Aquaculture Biology from the National University of Santa (UNS) and a Master’s degree in Science and Innovation Management from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, with postgraduate diplomas in Business Innovation and Innovation Management. He possesses extensive experience in the aquaculture and fisheries sector, having led the Fisheries Innovation Unit of the National Program for Innovation in Fisheries and Aquaculture (PNIPA). He has served as a senior consultant in technology watch, an innovation project formulator and advisor, and a lecturer at UNS. He is a member of the Peruvian College of Biologists and was recognized by the World Aquaculture Society (WAS) in 2016 for his contribution to aquaculture.
