Marine Stewardship Council Insights

Blue foods:
June 2023

Tackling over-fishing is a ‘win-win’: conserving our rich marine resources will enable more
people to get the nutrients they need to live healthily, helping to improve livelihoods,
safeguard marine ecosystems and reduce the environmental impacts of food production.
This briefing gives an overview of the role of wild capture seafood in feeding a growing global
population as part of the United Nations (UN) ‘blue transformation’ strategy.

Key messages• With the global population set to reach more than eight billion by 2030, as well as the potentially catastrophic
impacts of climate change, we are facing unprecedented pressure on the world’s food production systems.
• Seafood is one of the most nutrient rich foods, packed with protein, vitamins and nutrients.
• Compared with other protein sources, aquatic foods are low carbon and have low environmental impacts.
• Fishing and seafood are also essential to national economies, providing livelihoods to 600 million people 		and global trade worth US$151 billion.
• Over a third of fish stocks are currently fished at unsustainable levels - but when fisheries are managed 			sustainably, it’s possible to catch more fish. Fishing sustainably could ensure more vital nutrients and 			employment for millions of people, helping to prevent serious and life-threatening health conditions and 			supporting national economies.
• New calculations show that if all global fisheries were managed sustainably, the resulting total seafood catch
could prevent iron deficiencies in four million people, calcium deficiencies in 24 million people and provide
enough omega-3 fatty acids to meet the daily requirements of 38 million people.
• Policy-makers must put the management of the ocean at the heart of national food strategies. They need 			to set enabling rules, to ensure that fishers who are managing the ocean sustainably are recognised, 			
consulted and supported.
• Fisheries responsible for nearly 20% of the world’s wild capture fisheries are certified or working
towards the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) standard for sustainable fishing. This standard offers a 			framework for wild capture fisheries, governments and seafood companies to respond to growing demand 		for sustainable seafood.

© iStock

The role of sustainable fishing infeeding a growing population

Marine Stewardship Council Insights: Blue Foods

2

The challenge: Feeding a growing population
With the world’s population set to reach 10 billion by 2050, but with hundreds ofmillions of people already undernourished and food systems under strain, meeting
our future food needs will be deeply challenging.
The global food system is a major driver of environmental change, emitting a quarterof all greenhouse gas emissions, occupying half of all ice-free land and responsible forthree quarters of global consumptive water use and eutrophication1*. Yet it fails to meetglobal nutritional needs, with 820 million people lacking sufficient food and a third ofpeople globally overweight or obese2.
The number of people who are chronically undernourished is rising, with one in ninepeople around the world suffering severe hunger3, a quarter suffering food insecurity4
and more than a third (almost 3.1 billion people) unable to afford a healthy diet5.
The ocean covers more than 70% of our planet and provides a major source of protein
for over three billion and people across the globe6, yet the role of food from the ocean
in helping to feed our population, has been over looked by governments, in favour ofland-based solutions, such as starchy vegetables and red meat7.
The consequence of these policies is stark. According to the UN8, health risks caused bycalorie-rich nutrient-poor foods has led to millions more early deaths. Over-consumptionof red meat contributes to serious but preventable illnesses, such as heart disease – nowa leading cause of death globally9.
A re-evaluation is underway, with the UN and leading scientists now urging governments
to make aquatic foods central to their food policies10 and for good reason. According to
the scientists behind the Blue Food Assessment – the work of over 100 professionals
from 25 universities - aquatic foods are under-utilised even though they are someof the most nutrient-rich foods on earth. In June 2022, the UN Food and Agriculture
Organisation (FAO) published its blue transformation roadmap, a strategy to support
policy makers, investors, producers, and businesses to meet growing demand foraquatic food while helping to achieve multiple Sustainable Development Goals.

The importance of blue foods
The contribution that fish and seafood make to the livelihoods of individuals and theeconomies of countries and regions is huge. Today around 600 million people dependon aquatic foods for their livelihoods11.
Fish and seafood are among the most traded food commodities in the world with anannual international trade estimated to be worth US$151 billion12. Seafood also
provides an important local source of affordable protein. More than a third of theworld’s population (3.3 billion people) depend on seafood for at least 20% of theirprotein intake13.
Scaling up production of sustainable food from oceans, rivers and lakes, known as‘blue foods’, is therefore increasingly recognised as one of the most effective ways tofeed a growing global population while supporting economic development and reducing
the environmental impacts of food production.
Demand for aquatic foods is expected to double from 2015 levels by 205014. While muchof the growth in the production of blue foods will come from aquaculture, sustainablewild-capture fisheries also have an essential role to play.

* Eutrophication is over-enrichment of water bodies, such as rivers and lakes, by nutrients resulting in depletion of dissolved oxygen.

There is now wide acceptanceacross governments thataquatic foods will play afundamental role in feeding a
growing population while
reducing carbon emissions
and pressure on land-basedsources of food – but only if itis produced in a sustainable
way. Emerging policies,
investment and support foraquatic foods offer newopportunities for seafoodbusinesses to transform theway they operate.
Professor Manuel Barange, Director of
Aquaculture and Fisheries at the UN FAO

Marine Stewardship Council Insights: Blue Foods

Sustainably caught seafood is one of the most-nutrient rich foods, packed with protein,vitamins, and nutrients that are vital for health and development.
Nutrients, such as zinc, iron and vitamins A and B12, from seafood are better absorbed
and utilised by the body than nutrients from vegetables and food supplements, helping
to deliver more nutrients per pound15. Deficiencies in these nutrients have life-long
impacts, causing serious health problems, reducing life expectancy and slowing
economic growth in emerging economies16.
Fisheries that are managed sustainably are also more productive in the long-term17 and,by providing a more stable food source, they are ensuring seafood will be available for
future generations.
Latest estimates suggest if all global fisheries were managed sustainably, 16 million
tonnes more seafood could be harvested every year18. New analysis by the Marine
Stewardship Council (see appendix) shows that this additional catch together with the
96 million tonnes of wild seafood catch currently projected for 2030 could deliver
nutrients to help prevent some of the most serious and life-threatening health conditions
caused by malnourishment.
The total increased catch could, for instance, reduce iron deficiencies in four million
people and vitamin B12 deficiencies in 18 million people, helping to alleviate anaemia,
a global public health problem that affects nearly half of young children under five and
40% of pregnant women globally19.  
The higher volumes of catch could help eliminate zinc and calcium deficiencies inmore than two and a half million and 24 million people respectively, while increasing
vitamin A intakes for five million people. Deficiency in vitamin A alone is the leading
cause of preventable blindness in children20.
38 million people missing out on healthy levels of essential omega-3 fatty acids(DHA and EPA), which are mainly found in seafood, could also have their dailyrequirements met by an increase in sustainable fishing, helping to reduce deaths
from heart disease and strokes.

112 million tonnesof wild seafood catch
could prevent:

4 million

people from having iron deficiencies

18 million

people from having vitamin B12
deficiencies

2.5 million

people from having zinc deficiencies

24 million
people from having calcium
deficiencies

38 million

people from having omega-3 fatty
acids (DHA and EPA) deficiencies...and increase:vitamin A intakes for5 million

Surimi Lettuce Wraps. © Chef Chris Moore/ Anthony J Rayburn

Sustainable fishing and nutritious diets3

Marine Stewardship Council Insights: Blue Foods

4

Figure 1: Nutrient content of mussels and sardines compared with chicken and beef

Vitamin A (micrograms per 100g serving)

Vitamin B12 (micrograms per 100g serving)

Beef

Beef

Beef

Beef

Chicken

Chicken

Chicken

ChickenSardines

Sardines

Sardines

Sardines

Mussels

Mussels

Mussels

0Mussels

10

5

0

5

15

20

15

MCG
20
25

10

25

30

35

30

40
40

35

45

0

45

4

2

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

6

MCG
8
10

12

14

16

18

MCG

MCG

Iodine (micrograms per 100g serving)

Calcium (micrograms per 100g serving)

Beef

Beef

Beef

Beef

Chicken

Chicken

Chicken

ChickenSardines

Sardines

Sardines

Sardines

Mussels

Mussels

Mussels

Mussels

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

0

20

40

MCG
60

80

100

120

0

20

10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

30

MCG
40
50

60

70

80

MCG

Omega-3 fatty acids (micrograms per 100g serving, EPA and DHA only)

Iron (micrograms per 100g serving)
Beef

0

Beef

0

Beef

Beef

Chicken

Chicken00

Chicken

ChickenSardines

Sardines
Sardines

Sardines

Mussels

Mussels
Mussels

Mussels

0

200

0

200

400

600

400

MCG
800
600

800

1400

1200

1000

1200

1000

1400

1600
1600

Beef
Beef
Chicken
ChickenSardines
Sardines
Mussels
Mussels

0

0.5
0.5

1
1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

1.5

MCG
2
2.5

3

3.5

4

MCG

0
0

1
1

2

3

4

6

7

2

MCG
3

4

6

7

MCG

MCG

Zinc (micrograms per 100g serving)0

MCG

Source: Golden et al. Nature 2021; United Nations FAO presentation at Seafood Futures Forum 2023

Marine Stewardship Council Insights: Blue Foods

5

Environmental impacts of blue foods
Scientists working on the Blue Food Assessment found that the production of aquatic foods is generally less environmentally harmful
than the production of most land-based animal foods. Seaweeds and bivalves, and wild caught small pelagic fish like sardines,
mackerel and herring, have among the lowest impacts21. Wild capture seafood production requires no land, fresh water, fertilizers or
feed22 (figure 2).
Overall carbon emissions from seafood are also significantly lower than from red meat production23. Across wild-capture species,
greenhouse gas emissions range from relatively low, such as for sardines and cod, to relatively high for flatfish and lobsters24.
Importantly, the wild capture of small pelagic species, bivalves and salmon, with the lowest carbon emissions, also provide the highest
nutritional benefits25.
For higher carbon wild capture fisheries, reducing fuel use by optimizing fishing gear and improving fisheries management represent
the biggest opportunities for reducing carbon emissions26.

Figure 2: Environmental performance of wild fisheries compared with other sources of protein

14
13.15

12

gCO2 eq per gram protein

Liters of water per gram protein

240
220

238

200

200

180
160
140
120
80
60

84
65

40
0

Beef

Mutton Cheese

Pork

8.48

8

7.06

6

5.70

4
2.30

2
43

20

11.19

10

Poultry

39.5

38

Wild
Eggs
Fisheries

27

24

0

Milk Aquaculture

kg feed/kg live weight

Square meters per gram protein

Beef

CheeseEggs

MuttonPoultry

7

0.64

0.5
0.49

0.4
0.3
0.2

6
5
4
3
2

0.1
0

Aquaculture Pork

8

0.7

1

MuttonBeefc) Land usage

0.09

0.08

Cheese

Pork

0.043

0.02

5.70

0.05

Poultry

Eggs Aquaculture Milk

0.00
Wild
Fisheries

0

1.97
0.00

b) Freshwater usagea) Carbon emissions

0.6

2.14

0.00
CattlePig

Chicken Aquaculture

Wild
Fisheriesd) Feed conversion efficiency

Sources: a), b) and c): Wild seafood has a lower carbon footprint than red meat, cheese, and chicken, according to latest data, Oceana. d): Fry et al, 2018: Feed conversion efficiency
in aquaculture: do we measure it correctly? – IOP science, United Nations FAO presentation at Seafood Futures Forum 2023

Milk

Wild
Fisheries

Marine Stewardship Council Insights: Blue Foods

Wild

6

FarmedLower nutrition

Higher nutrition

Beef
Higher emissions

Relative greenhouse-gas emissions (%)

Ending overfishing

1,000
500

SalmonWhitefish

Lower emissions

Significant strides towards sustainable fishing havebeen made in the last 25 years. Better management of our ocean resources is
Crustaceans Cephalopds
Large pelagic fish
beginning to pay off. Many of the world’s
200 largest commercial fish stocks have seen significant health improvements, with 82.5% of2019 landings from biologically sustainable stocks,a
3.8%
improvementfrom 2017.27. The UN suggests that the recovery of 98% of
Pork
Chickencurrently overfished stocks is possible
Averageby the middle of the century if the appropriate governance were in place28.
But the percentage of fish stocks that 50
are overfished continues to increase – from around 10% in the 1970s to more than 35% today
Small pelagic fish
(figure 3)29, with detrimental impacts on ocean ecosystems andBivalvesfishing communities. Small-scale fisheries, often operated by a few
individuals in small coastal villages, are
20 bearing the brunt of these impacts and now urgently need support to become sustainable30.
Their vulnerability to shocks from food insecurity and the impact of climate change could threaten their ability to provide food and
10security for millions worldwide.
150
50

Average
Relative nutrition score (%)

The collective impact of small-scale fisheries in delivering sustainable development is critical. Small-scale fisheries produce
size is foods
proportionate
globalproduction
volumes
forglobal
each seafood
type
in 2015.
37 million tonnes of nutrient-richPoint
aquatic
each toyear,
roughly
40%of thecatch,
whilejobs in small-scale fisheries
account for 90% total fisheries employment worldwide.31. Food caught by these fisheries is also more likely to be consumed locally,
offering greater potential to domestic food strategies32.
But better sustainable fisheries management helps build resilience to these shocks. Fish stocks can recover and replenish if they
are managed carefully 33.

Unsustainable

100
Overfished75

Maximally sustainably fished

50

25

Underfished

0
1974

1980

1990

2000

2010

2019

The Mayflower, part of the MSC certified Cornish sardine fishery © MSC / Nigel Millard

Source: UN FAO State of Fisheries andAquaculture (SOFIA) Report 2022

Sustainable

Percentage

Figure 3:
Marine fisheries
sustainability(global average
for all stocks)

Marine Stewardship Council Insights: Blue Foods

7

Case Study:
The Philippine Tuna Handline Partnership

The Philippine Tuna Handline Partnership became the first fishers’organisation in the Philippines to achieve certification to the MSC’s
standard for sustainable fishing. It is made up of 500 artisanal fishingboats harvesting yellowfin tuna using traditional handline fishing gear
along the Occidental Mindoro Straight and Gulf of Lagonov. The
Partnership includes around 2,000 fishers in one of the Philippines’
most productive fishing areas.

But the challenges are far from over. Despite 85% of Filipino fishers being registered as
small-scale fishers, the Philippines Bureau of Fisheries estimates that 10 of the country’s
13 major fishing grounds are overfished34 , while climate change is forcing tuna into
deeper ocean waters making fishing trips longer, more dangerous and resulting in
fewer catches.

In numbers:

500

artisanal fishing boats harvestingyellowfin tuna

2,000

fishers included in the partnership

Images © The Philippine Tuna Handline PartnershipThis is a microcosm of the threats facings small-scale fisheries globally. Within just a few
decades of overfishing in the 1960s and 1970s, the fish stocks on which this artisanal
fishery depended were close to collapse, putting at risk the health and livelihoods of thevillagers who depended on it. It took coordinated support from organisations including
the German Development Bank and WWF to help the fishery back to sustainability
through a 10-year credible Fisheries Improvement Programme.

Marine Stewardship Council Insights: Blue Foods

8

Making sustainable fishing a global reality
Sustainable fishing is an attainable goal and one which is supported by the public.
Independent consumer research also shows that alongside growing anxiety about
the future of our ocean, there is greater than ever public demand for sustainably
produced seafood35.
Effective change to improve health and livelihoods around the world is only possible
if policy makers put the management of ocean at the heart of their food strategies.
They need to set enabling rules, to ensure that the fishers who are managing the ocean
sustainably are recognised, consulted and supported.
The involvement of scientists, investors, fisheries, processors, retailers, brands, andconservationists will also be essential to delivering a systemic change in the way
seafood is produced globally. Those who support sustainable seafood stand to benefit
from growing public demand for sustainably produced seafood.
As the world’s most recognised and credible certification program for sustainable wild
capture fisheries, the MSC incentivizes and recognises sustainable fishing throughout
the world.
•

•

•

•

The MSC Fisheries Standard codifies the United Nations’ guidelines for sustainablefishing, setting requirements on stock health, minimising impact on the wider 		
ocean environment and excellent fishery management practices. Fisheries are 		
independently assessed to verify that they meet these requirements, in order to becertified as sustainable, and their catch eligible for the MSC ecolabel. Stocks which
are targeted by MSC certified fisheries score higher on key sustainability criteria
including abundance of fish, than those which are targeted by non-certified 		
fisheries36.

If more global fisheries aremanaged sustainably, we will
provide even more of thenutrition needed to feed agrowing population. But thisrequires urgent action.
Consumers, fishers andbusinesses are alreadysupporting this shift. But weneed governments to do more,ensuring the urgent
transformation of our foodsystems globally.
Rupert Howes, Chief Executive, Marine
Stewardship Council

The MSC programmein numbers> 19%

of wild marine catchMarket demand for sustainable seafood with the blue MSC ecolabel provides an
economic incentive for fisheries and their stakeholders to improve their practices inorder to access new markets where MSC certified seafood is in high demand, 		
particularly those in Europe and North America.

> 650

Where improvement is needed, the MSC’s in-transition program provides a 		framework for measurable, independently verified improvements together withfisheries improvement tools, training and funding through its Ocean Stewardship
Fund. Together, these tools are supporting fisheries on their journey to MSC 		certification, with a particular focus on increasing access to certification forsmall-scale fisheries and those in developing countries.

> 2,000

The MSC also provides guidance to financial institutions in identifying and 		
investing in sustainable fishing companies.

certified supply chain partners

More than 650 fisheries, representing around 19% of global wild seafood catch, arecertified or in assessment to the MSC Fisheries Standard. So far, more than 5,000
supply chain partners have gained certification to sell and trade MSC certified seafood,supplying consumers with sustainable seafood with the MSC ecolabel worth more than
US$12 billion in 2022/23. Fisheries involved in the MSC’s programme have also
undertaken thousands of improvements to their practices, to ensure they remain
world-leaders in sustainable fishing.
With so much to be gained from fishing in a way which ensures the future health of
our planet, marine life, seafood supplies and communities, the MSC has set an
ambitious target for fisheries responsible for a third of wild seafood to be engaged inits programme by 2030. To help achieve this target, the MSC is calling on governments
to do more to support wild fisheries in the blue transformation.

* Engaged means fisheries certified or in assessment to the MSC Fisheries Standard.

fisheries engaged*

fishery improvements> 5,000
20,000products with the MSC label soldin 70+ countries

US$12.6 billion

retail sales with the MSC label
in 2022-23

Marine Stewardship Council Insights: Blue Foods

9

Appendix
MSC’s analysis: How the nutrition figures were calculated
The estimates are derived from the Aquatic Foods Composition Database, a product of the Golden Lab at the Harvard TH Chan
School of Public Health, that presents the most comprehensive global database of more than three and a half thousand aquatic foodspecies and hundreds of nutrients, created to increase the understanding of the nutritional benefits of aquatic foods.
The report Aquatic Foods to Nourish Nations 2021 found that by 2030, the combined production of seafood by wild caught capture
and aquaculture will lead to reductions in inadequate intake across most assessed nutrients (reduction of 8.1 million iron, 5.5
million zinc, 49.3 million calcium, 36 million vitamin B12, and 76.8 million DHA+EPA inadequate intakes), while potentially increasing
10.1 million vitamin A inadequate intakes.
To work out these nutritional values for the year 2030 the above report relied on the fish production projections for 2030 taken fromthe SOFIA report 202037. SOFIA breaks down fish production projections for 2030 between aquaculture (109 million tonnes) andwild capture (96 million tonnes). This gives wild capture a 47% share of fish production by 2030 and thus will contribute 47% of theabove nutrients (this percentage is the same for SOFIA 2022).
However, if sustainable fisheries were better managed, another 16 million tonnes (Costello et al, 201638) or 16.5 million tonnes (Ye etal, 201239) of fish could be harvested. If 16 million tonnes were added to the 96 million tonnes of wild capture that SOFIA estimates
will be produced by 2030, then wild capture fisheries’ share of production increases from 96 million tonnes to 112 million tonnes.
This would give wild capture fisheries a 50% share of total fish production by 2030: 112 million tonnes (96 million added to 16
million tonnes) is 50% of the combined total production of wild fisheries and aquaculture of 221 million tonnes (96 million tonnes,
plus 16 million tonnes, plus 109 million tonnes).
Consequently, wild capture fisheries could contribute a 50% share of the nutrients above.
50% of the nutrients above work out as: decreasing nutrients deficiencies by 4 million for iron, 2.7 million for zinc, 24.6 million for
calcium, 18 million for vitamin B12, and 38.4 million for DHA+EPA, while increasing the intake of 5 million for vitamin A.
References
1. Gephart, JA et al. Blue Food Assessment (2021), Environmental
performance of blue foods, Nature 597, 360–365 https://www.
nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03889-2
2. Gephart, JA et al. Blue Food Assessment (2021), Environmental
performance of blue foods, Nature 597, 360–365
3. New Internationalist (2020) Hunger: the facts https://newint.org/
features/2020/09/30/hunger-facts
4. FAO (2020) The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2020,
https://www.fao.org/3/ca9229en/online/ca9229en.html
5. FAO (2022) The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World
https://www.fao.org/3/cc0639en/online/cc0639en.html
6. UN FAO State of Fisheries and Aquaculture (2022) (SOFIA) Reporthttps://www.fao.org/3/cc0461en/online/cc0461en.html
7. Allegretti, A. and Hicks, C.C. (2022) ‘Getting the Right Nutrients toThose Who Need Them Most’: towards nutrition-sensitive
governance of fisheries in the Global South. Reviews in Fish Biology
and Fisheries https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/
s11160-022-09743-6

16. Peter, et al, Selected Nutrients and Their Implications for Healthand Disease across the Lifespan: A Roadmap, Nutrients, 201417. Hilborn et al (2020) Effective fisheries management
instrumental in improving fish stock status, PNAS https://www.
researchgate.net/publication/338575514_Effective_fisheries_
management_instrumental_in_improving_fish_stock_status

32. Arther R, Skerritt D, Schuhbauer A, Ebrahim H, Friend R and
Sumaila U (2021) Small-scale fisheries and local food systems:
Transformations, threats and opportunities. Fish and Fisheries
https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12602

18. Costello, C et al. (2016), Global fishery prospects undercontrasting management regimes. Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences, 113, 13 0.1073/pnas.1520420113

33. Hilborn et al (2020) Effective fisheries management
instrumental in improving fish stock status PNAS. Melnychuk, M etal. (2022) Wild-caught fish populations targeted by MSC-certified
fisheries have higher relative abundance than non-MSC
populations, Frontiers https://www.frontiersin.org/
articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.818772/full

19. World Health Organization

34. Philippines Bureau of Fisheries

20. World Health Organization

35. Marine Stewardship Council (2022) Shoppers change buying
habits amid rising eco-anxiety about the future of oceans – global
survey https://www.msc.org/media-centre/press-releases/
press-release/shoppers-change-buying-habits-amid-rising-ecoanxiety-about-the-future-of-oceans-global-survey

21. Gephart, J.A. et al. (2021). Environmental performance of blue
foods. Nature, 597(7876), pp.360–365. https://www.nature.com/
articles/s41586-021-03889-2
22. Petsko, E. (2021) Wild seafood has a lower carbon footprint than
red meat, cheese, and chicken, according to latest data Oceana
https://oceana.org/blog/wild-seafood-has-lower-carbon-footprintred-meat-cheese-and-chicken-according-latest-data/

36. Melnychuk et al. (2022) Wild-caught fish populations targetedby MSC-certified fisheries have higher relative abundance than
non-MSC populations Frontiers

8. UN FAO (2022) The State of Food Security and Nutrition in theWorld

23. Wild seafood has a lower carbon footprint than red meat,cheese, and chicken, according to latest data, Oceana

37. SOFIA 2022 hadn’t been published at the time but the
breakdowns by percentage for wild capture and aquaculture areexactly the same in both SOFIA 2020 and 2022.

9. World Health Organization

24. Gephart et al (2021) Environmental performance of blue foods,
Nature38. Costello et al. (2016) Global fishery prospects undercontractingmanagement regimes, PNAS

25. Coleman, J (2022) Eat more fish: when switching to seafood
helps — and when it doesn’t https://www.nature.com/articles/
d41586-022-02928-w

39. Ye et al. (2012) Rebuilding global fisheries: the World Summit
Goal, costs and benefits, Fish and Fisheries https://onlinelibrary.
wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-2979.2012.00460.x

10. FAO (2022) Blue Transformation Roadmap 2022-2030: A vision
for FAO’s work on aquatic food systems https://www.fao.org/
documents/card/en?details=cc0459en/
11.UN FAO (2022) The State of Food Security and Nutrition in theWorld
12. UN FAO State of Fisheries and Aquaculture (2022) (SOFIA) Report
13. UN FAO State of Fisheries and Aquaculture (2022) (SOFIA) Report
14. Naylor, R.L., Kishore, A., Sumaila, U.R., Issifu, I., Hunter, B.P.,
Belton, B., Bush, S.R., Cao, L., Gelcich, S., Gephart, J.A., Golden,
C.D., Jonell, M., Koehn, J.Z., Little, D.C., Thilsted, S.H., Tigchelaar,
M. and Crona, B. (2021) Blue food demand across geographic andtemporal scales. Nature Communications, 12(1) https://www.
nature.com/articles/s41467-021-25516-4
15. Bogard J R, Thilsted S H, Marks G C, Wahab M A, Hossain M A R,
Jakobsen J and Stangoulis J (2015) Nutrient composition ofimportant fish species in Bangladesh and potential contribution torecommended nutrient intakes J. Food Compos. Anal. 42 120–33,
and Thilsted S H, Thorne-Lyman A, Webb P, Bogard J R, Subasinghe
R, Phillips M J and Allison E H (2016) Sustaining healthy diets: therole of capture fisheries and aquaculture for improving nutrition in
the post-2015 era Food Policy 61 126–31

26. Gephart et al (2021) Environmental performance of blue foods,
Nature27. UN FAO (2022) The State of Food Security and Nutrition in
the World
28. UN Second World Ocean Assessment page 18
29. UN FAO. (2022) The State of Food Security and Nutrition in
the World
30. UN FAO, Duke University and World Fish (2023) Illuminating
Hidden Harvests The contributions of small-scale fisheries tosustainable development. https://www.fao.org/documents/card/
en/c/cc4576en
31. UN FAO, Duke University and World Fish (2023) Illuminating
Hidden Harvests Report

Find out more

msc.org
info@msc.org@MSCecolabel/MSCecolabel/marine-stewardship-council© Marine Stewardship Council 2023