Researchers are investigating whether the world’s oceans can support food demands under climate change. 

Scientists believe expanding marine aquaculture (or mariculture) will be a vital step in feeding the billions of extra people expected to populate the globe by the end of the century.

Dr Reniel Cabral, a senior lecturer in Fisheries at James Cook University (JCU)says the ocean’s ability to supply food in the future will certainly be challenged by the expected increase in seafood demand.

“The human population is expected to increase by three billion by the end of the century, with a rise in affluence and demand for meat. Climate change will further challenge the ability of the ocean to provide food,” says Dr Cabral.

He says fixing overfishing and transforming wild fisheries management to account for climate change will be necessary – but will not in itself be sufficient to feed the extra people.

“But cultivating finfish and shellfish may just be the answer to this looming food security challenge… by reforming fisheries and expanding sustainable mariculture, current per capita seafood production can be maintained or increased up to the end of the century, except under the most severe climate change scenario,” said Dr Cabral

He says it is still vital to highlight the importance of reforming wild fisheries to allow mariculture expansion.

“Some mariculture species still depend on wild capture fisheries for feed and seedlings. Ensuring that wild fisheries are healthy will not only allow mariculture to expand but will minimise the gap mariculture would have to fill in seafood production,” said Dr Cabral.

He says fisheries in tropical countries will be disproportionately negatively impacted by ocean warming and acidification.

“Supporting mariculture in these countries would mean addressing several of the bottlenecks from governance, ensuring equitable access, conflicting ocean uses, and infrastructure challenges such as developing fish cages that can withstand typhoons,” said Dr Cabral.

More details are accessible here.