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Blog

The sky is the limit!

By Árni M. Mathiesen ( Independent Chair of the Global Roundtable)


When thinking about the future of global aquaculture, three actual and potential megatrends come to mind. Starting with the trend towards healthier foods, with a focus on a higher proportion of quality protein and omega-3 fatty acids coming from fish or other aquatic blue foods. Next, the un-precedented pressure on the terrestrial environment, including climate change, water management and biodiversity, which in turn has led to potential food systems disruptions due natural disasters, crop failures and potentially due to further Covid 19 type events. 


There have been three food systems shocks experienced globally in just over ten years. Firstly, the food price crisis around 2010. Secondly, the potential logistics disaster faced during Covid 19, both affecting food transport as well as food workers’ transport. Thirdly, the potential disaster faced due to the creation of the double bottle neck of the emphasis on very few major cereal and pulse crop commodities. Production is concentrated in a few very favourable natural and technical surroundings, but in politically very unstable areas, as in the case of the major cereals in the Ukraine and Russia after the Russian invasion of the Ukraine. Jeopardizing globalisation in general and the security of global food systems value chain in particular!


The answer to all these three megatrend challenges is increased diversity in products and locations of production, and greater food sovereignty. And where better to look for the solutions than to the oceans and the aquatic freshwater systems, which cover over 70% of the Earth’s surface. Where also the environmental impacts of food production are less than on land, and even providing positive eco contributions under certain circumstances. Let’s remember also that almost all food produced originates from the sunlight’s primary production and therefore 70% of the suns primary production potential to produce food lies in the oceans and aquatic freshwater systems. Yet the oceans and freshwater systems only delivers today less than 2% of the global food production in carbohydrate or energy terms, and less than 20% in animal protein terms.


With wild stocks almost fully exploited, the potential lies in aquaculture in various forms. It is clear that the natural potential is there to answer the challenge if we do things right from an environmental perspective. That is of course critical!


There are three basic things we need for aquaculture: Marine or fresh water, feed and seed. 

Here in Iceland, we have plenty of both marine and fresh water at various temperatures. Our fish stocks provide us with feed in the form of fishmeal and fish oil. Here are our opportunities! But many will ask how will we fair as food exporters in a world of greater food sovereignty and less global trade in food? 


My answer to that it is twofold. I believe that our traditional markets will be the least affected by this trend. They are today very well integrated both commercially and politically. I even believe that we have potential to grow in these markets and possibly beyond. Take salmon, if with the resources of the industry we can solve the challenges faced for salmon farming, then these technology leaps can be applied across aquaculture, providing solutions for unknown species that could save the world. A lot of the answers are being found in Iceland. The sky is the limit!


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