As the aquaculture industry grows, new research finds that seafoods raised in marine waters have a smaller carbon footprint than those raised in fresh water.
The global aquaculture industry is rapidly expanding due to the decline in wild fish populations from overfishing. Aquaculture now produces more seafood than traditional capture fisheries, with 38% coming from marine systems (mariculture) and 62% from land-based systems. However, the environmental impact of aquaculture, particularly its greenhouse gas emissions, remains uncertain.
A recent study led by Lu Shen from Peking University found that mariculture has a carbon footprint 40-50% lower than freshwater aquaculture. This difference is largely due to the presence of salt in marine environments, which promotes bacteria that compete with methane-producing microbes. The study used satellite data to compare emissions from 107 aquaculture sites worldwide, revealing that marine systems produce significantly less methane than freshwater systems.
The type of seafood farmed also influences emissions, with carnivorous fish like salmon producing more greenhouse gases than omnivorous fish or bivalves. Despite mariculture’s lower emissions, it still poses environmental risks, such as habitat disruption and the spread of diseases. As global fish demand is expected to rise, this research aims to help make future fish farms more sustainable.
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