Seafood Cultivated

Sustainability: A New Horizon with Cultivated Seafood

Published: October 8, 2023

Traditional fishing has long been under scrutiny for its impact on marine ecosystems. Industrial-scale fishing practices have led to overfishing, reduced biodiversity, and, ultimately, the jeopardisation of an important protein source for billions.

The potential for cultivated seafood to offer a sustainable source of protein can't be overstated. Rather than depleting oceanic resources, this innovative approach involves cultivating fish and shellfish cells, offering a product that mirrors the taste and texture of 'natural' seafood³. In doing so, it sidesteps the numerous negative externalities associated with industrial fishing¹.

Why should you care? Traditional seafood production is hitting planetary boundaries hard. The situation appears bleak, with more than 85% of the world's fisheries already pushed to or beyond their biological limits. Thus, the argument for cultivated seafood becomes not just viable but compelling. Unlike traditional fishing methods that can be limited by seasonal cycles, fish migration, and regulatory constraints, cultivated seafood production is theoretically limitless. This is particularly pertinent given the projected 14% growth in global seafood demand by 2030, driven by burgeoning markets in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Oceania.

It should also be noted that cultivating seafood occurs in controlled environments. This allows for a more consistent product and makes it possible to sidestep issues of overfishing and bycatch¹.

Environmental Impact

The narrative around traditional seafood rightly revolves around the damaging impact on marine ecosystems. But, by cultivating fish and shellfish cells in controlled environments, we might be able to lessen the environmental footprint of seafood consumption¹,⁶. Yet, how does this innovation align with a world facing the grim reality of overfished oceans and dwindling marine ecosystems?

Energy Inputs and Resource Needs

Cultivated seafood could indeed offer an ecological reprieve. The extraction from wild fish populations, which are already at or beyond their ecological limits, is bypassed¹⁷. Those concerned with the devastating effects of overfishing, such as habitat destruction and ecological imbalance, might find solace in this alternative. Cultivated seafood is inherently a non-extractive process, reliant on cell culture technology rather than destructive fishing techniques¹⁰.

It's not just about what you save; it's also about what you expend. Cultivated seafood production demands controlled environments with regulated temperature and humidity alongside particular nutrient needs—all of which consume energy²⁰. Moreover, if this energy isn't sustainably sourced, the carbon footprint could still be high, potentially offsetting the ecological benefits of reduced wild-catch¹⁸.

Graph by the US Environmental Working Group (EWG)

A surprising amount of carbon dioxide is released due to domestic water use as these graphs show for older homes (left) and new build homes (Credit: Waterwise/Javier Hirschfeld)

Climate Implications

What are the long-term climate implications of these energy inputs? While avoiding wild-catch seafood offers some relief from marine ecosystem pressures, there is a trade-off. Could it be that the energy consumption associated with cellular agriculture might mitigate the initial environmental gains? The research suggests that fish's carbon footprint can often be lower than meat's, yet energy-intensive cell-based fish could challenge this notion¹¹ ¹². Nevertheless, we haven't even begun to utilise renewable energy sources in a full scale to mitigate these consumption needs.

Waste Management and By-products

Waste is another factor. While cultivated seafood avoids certain ecological pitfalls of traditional seafood production, such as by-catch and water pollution, it introduces its waste stream⁹. Used culture media and other laboratory by-products necessitate proper disposal or recycling, introducing another layer of environmental complexity¹⁹. Could there be a secondary market for these by-products? Indeed, the principles of a circular economy suggest that by-products from cellular agriculture could find a second life as agricultural fertilisers, aligning waste streams with nutrient cycles. An avenue perhaps for them to be utilised as inputs into renewable energy processes? Certainly, these by-products could also be converted into bioenergy, offering a method to offset some of the energy consumption associated with cellular agriculture.

Health Benefits

Unlike traditional seafood, cultivated options offer an intriguing nutritional advantage profile that deserves attention. These health benefits may influence consumer choice and become a focal point for regulatory bodies looking to promote healthier food options.

Summary of results from the surveys of regulated contaminants in fish sampled at known locations in UK waters. Concentrations are given in milligram of metal per kilogram of seawater, and nanogram of metal per kilogram of seawater, as well as picogram total toxic equivalency (TEQ, defined by the World Health Organization – WHO) per gram of seawater. * indicates use of 90th percentile value.

A Free Pass on Contaminants

Perhaps one of the most compelling arguments favouring cultivated seafood is its lack of environmental contaminants. As the New Blue Economy Seafood Sector report indicates, cultivated seafood is notably free from contaminants such as mercury and microplastics, often found in their wild-caught counterparts²³. Given the increasing concerns regarding the long-term effects of such contaminants, this feature could be a game-changer for public health. Although the full scope of these health risks remains a topic of ongoing research, preliminary studies suggest a potential for negative impacts, such as neurological issues and endocrine disruption.

Nutritional Consistency

The cellular cultivation process allows for precise control over the nutritional profile of the seafood, thereby offering the possibility to enhance particular nutrients or eliminate undesirable elements. This control is not feasible with wild-caught seafood, where nutrient levels can fluctuate significantly depending on many variables, including diet, water quality, and season. The precise nature of cultivated seafood’s nutritional profile could lead to customised seafood products that cater to specific health needs or dietary restrictions.

Lower Risk of Foodborne Illnesses

Cultivated seafood also presents a reduced risk of foodborne illnesses. Since the cells are cultivated in a controlled environment, the chance for cross-contamination with pathogens common in industrial aquaculture or open-water fishing is considerably lower. While robust systems are in place to check for such contamination in traditional seafood, it's evident that the closed-loop system of cultivated seafood offers a level of biosecurity that could lead to safer consumption.

Ethical Implications

With growing awareness of food provenance and ethical sourcing, cultivated seafood is a salient alternative to traditional options. The ethical underpinnings of this emerging food category hold implications beyond sustainability—encompassing public health, particularly mental well-being.

Consumer sentiment increasingly leans towards ethical choices in food consumption. While these choices do not present a health benefit in the traditional sense—vitamins, nutrients, and so on—a body of evidence suggests a correlation between ethical consumer choices and positive mental health outcomes. Such psychological benefits may include decreased cognitive dissonance and subsequent stress reduction attributable to ethical consumption habits.

The element of trust in ethical and transparent sourcing could feasibly drive more healthful consumer choices, adding another layer to the public health conversation. The consumer focus on transparency and ethical considerations potentially makes cultivated seafood a more compelling option, as it is relatively easier to assure its ethical sourcing than conventional alternatives.

From a nutritional standpoint, cultivated seafood is under examination for its potential health benefits. Initial research indicates that cultivated variants may offer fewer contaminants and a more beneficial nutritional profile, particularly in the context of omega-3 fatty acids. These preliminary findings add nuance to the role of cultivated seafood, suggesting it is not merely an alternative but possibly a preferable option for the health-conscious.

This article was written with Grammarly
Wildtype Shiok Meats BlueNalu

Sources

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse

Seafood Cultivated

Sustainability: A New Horizon with Cultivated Seafood

Environmental Impact

Energy Inputs and Resource Needs

Climate Implications

Waste Management and By-products

Health Benefits

A Free Pass on Contaminants

Nutritional Consistency

Lower Risk of Foodborne Illnesses

Ethical Implications

Sources

Sustinability:

Environmental Impact

Health Benefits

©2024 CHRISTIAN BUSSE | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | IMPRESSUM | PRIVACY POLICY | EMAIL CONTACT