Our Oceans Could Give Us Six Times More Food Than Today – If We Would Manage It Better

Two-thirds of the animal protein U.N. food experts estimate will be needed to feed the future’s global population could be cultivated from the ocean with the help of improved management and technology, according to scientists.

This means the ocean could provide over six times more of its nutritious food than it does today. The scientists highlight that expanding the cultivation of mussels, scallops, clams and other bivalves could prove to significantly contribute to the potential gains, as bivalves feed off organic matter.

“The ocean has great, untapped potential to help feed the world in the coming decades, and this resource can be realised with a lower environmental footprint than many other food sources,” says lead author Christopher Costello. “If we make rapid and far-reaching changes in the way we manage ocean-based industries while nurturing the health of its ecosystems, we can bolster our long-term food security and the livelihoods of millions of people.”