Sustainable seafood
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Currently, seafood accounts for about sixteen percent of the animal protein daily consumed globally. While fisheries are still a major supplier, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states that aquaculture already ensures half of the aquatic protein supply. It estimates that by 2030, it will reach sixty-five percent. This makes aquaculture the fastest growing food production sector globally. Aquaculture could also be a sustainable way to meet the increasing global demand for food that is the result of the growing world population. The growing aquaculture sector has its own challenges to tackle. On which species should the aquaculture industry focus to maximize resource efficiency? How can we solve growing disease problems as the industry intensifies? These and other issues need to be addressed to sustain aquaculture at a global level but also to provide fresh and trustworthy products to local markets. Sustainable aquaculture can support coastal communities, diversifying their activities while alleviating fishing pressure. Furthermore, improving insights into the complexities of marine resources and environmental management will allow us to provide guidance for sustainable value creation. Understanding the interplay between all stakeholders (policy, science, industry, and society) and underlying impacts of marine resource exploitation is key to a sustainable use of the sea. BLUEGent is a world leader in sustainable aquaculture research, such as hatchery technology, extractive aquaculture (e.g. of mollusks and seaweed), strategies to tackle diseases and stress, as well as new sustainable technologies for integrated aquaculture in wind farms. Additionally, our research on marine ecosystem structure and functioning can also contribute to a sustainable fisheries sector. After all, it is now commonly accepted that both fisheries and aquaculture should be managed based on the ecosystem approach. BLUEGent offers a wide range of expertise related to sustainable seafood. We provide knowledge on topics such as:
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