Since the discovery of synthetic ammonia in 1909, the usage of synthetic fertilizers in agricultural lands has massively increased. Water from rain and melting snow washes down excess fertilizer from farmlands into water bodies and subsequently into oceans, causing ocean eutrophication, a phenomenon of excessive nutrient accumulation. The Mississippi River Basin, the largest in North America, drains about 41 percent of the United States (U.S.). The river discharges an estimated 1.6 million metric tons of nutrient fertilizer per year into the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). This substantial influx of nutrients supports excessive algal blooms in the coastal waters of the GOM. These giant algal masses eventually die, sink, decompose, and deplete the oxygen in the water, devastating aquatic habitats. GOM has exhibited the largest oceanic dead zone in the US, spanning over 20,000 km2 in some years. Such colossal dead zones occur every summer and have been linked to the massive destruction of marine habitats and a sustainability challenge for the coastal waters. This paper discusses the primary causes and far-reaching effects of eutrophication on GOM, and how this critical crisis could be sustainably mitigated.
Coral reefs are a vital marine ecosystem, providing food, income, and other ecosystem services to billions of people worldwide. Despite their proximity to coral reefs, not all tropical coastal communities have the training and ability to directly interact with reefs or learn about the threats reefs face locally and worldwide. Therefore, raising awareness through outreach and education in underserved communities is key to coral reef conservation, food security, and economic sovereignty in reef-rich nations like The Bahamas. On the island of Eleuthera, The Bahamas Coral Innovation Hub, was established to link coral restoration with outreach, practical training, and community engagement, particularly for Bahamian youth. This report documents the Hub's outreach and education activities conducted between January 2021 and April 2026 and summarizes observed outputs and outcomes based on participation records and informal qualitative feedback. During this period, 482 Bahamians were engaged in coral conservation activities, 171 obtained PADI dive certifications, and 59 joined the Reef Rescue Network, creating pathways for continued participation in restoration, marine conservation, and ocean-related careers. This report contributes to broader efforts to advance ocean literacy, local stewardship, and biodiversity conservation under the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
A persistent gap between marine decision-making and local government action limits the translation of ocean knowledge into practice. This case study shows how early-career marine social science research has been mobilized across the United Kingdom through the Local Government Ocean Recovery Declaration (‘Motion for the Ocean'), a voluntary, research–practice initiative that provides a framework for local government engagement in ocean recovery. To date, participating councils represent over five million people, demonstrating both reach and public mandate. The Motion has achieved international recognition, including presentation at the 2024 UN Ocean Decade Conference and inclusion in a High-Level Ocean Panel report. Drawing on 5 years of sustained collaboration, we trace the development and impact of this model and examine the role of co-production, voluntary contributions, and cross-sector partnership in enabling research impact. The case study highlights the often-overlooked dependence on in-kind contributions, and identifies key challenges and opportunities for policy, practice, and academia in scaling place-based ocean action.
The High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement) provides a new legal framework to protect ocean ecosystems increasingly threatened as economic activities expand across Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ). These global commons include the water column of the High Seas and the seabed with associated mineral resources. Implementation, however, will be challenged by deference to existing entities, by the ambiguities and failures of wider ocean governance, and by impacts due to global environmental change and activities in national waters and on land. Meaningful delivery will therefore depend on overcoming broader ocean governance issues that threaten to stymie action and integrating wider sustainability considerations that impact (and are impacted by) what happens in ABNJ. It is proposed that we could do this by treating ABNJ in their entirety as a de facto multi-use Marine Protected Area within a planetary sustainability paradigm. Global framing supports prioritizing conservation and sustainable use in ABNJ by contextualizing their importance and how necessary activities, including extraction, might be best managed in national waters or on land. In practice, any activities or infrastructure in ABNJ would need to support (or not impact) conservation and sustainable use outcomes balanced across ABNJ and the planet. Implementation would need institutional advocacy through the BBNJ Agreement Conference of Parties (COP) and other bodies. Adoption could be advanced legally and institutionally through both the BBNJ Agreement COP and as part of the upcoming post-2030 sustainable development agenda, with implementation led by the BBNJ Agreement COP or Secretariat in coordination with other instruments, frameworks, and bodies.
Declines in marine biodiversity have sparked global concerns, leading to increased commitments to establish marine protected areas (MPAs) as a key tool to safeguard marine habitats and species from human and environmental pressures. However, the effectiveness of MPAs in achieving their ecological goals is often undermined by insufficient consideration of the human dimension and by a lack of meaningful community engagement. While there is growing recognition of community engagement in MPA governance processes and the increased research attention it has garnered, there remains a notable absence of comprehensive, systematic reviews of this topic using the Stakeholder Participation Assessment Framework (SPAF). This study, therefore, conducts a systematic literature review guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines, using 68 peer-reviewed articles from Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science, to synthesize the literature on community engagement in MPAs governance processes through the lens of the SPAF. Findings reveal that while the need to gather community input, establish rapport with communities, and comply with legal requirements are primary drivers of participation, community engagement practices in many MPAs often remain passive and serve only as tick-boxes. The study recommends adopting stakeholder analysis to ensure that public participation processes effectively incorporate diverse voices, knowledge systems, interests, and perspectives throughout all stages of the MPA governance process. MPA authorities should therefore work with academia and other key stakeholders to develop, refine, and reform public engagement practices if conservation goals are to be met.
The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) mandates the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to develop measures, including “rules, regulations and procedures” (RRPs), to govern deep seabed mining in areas beyond national jurisdiction. To this end, member states of the ISA have focused much recent work and time on developing and negotiating the Exploitation Regulations. A lesser discussed aspect of the regulatory regime are the Standards and Guidelines (“S&G”). S&G are subsidiary instruments required to operationalize and elaborate on the Exploitation Regulations. S&G will be essential regulatory tools within the system of RRPs that the ISA needs to establish to regulate deep seabed mining. There has been recent focus on the state of readiness of the ISA to regulate the emerging deep seabed mining industry. While this debate considers the status of the draft Exploitation Regulations, the status of the S&G is little discussed though their elaboration has barely begun. Since S&G are to be read in conjunction with the Regulations—which are still under development, the exact number and topics of the S&G remain in flux. This leads to uncertainty around the scope of the work the ISA needs to finalize before mining can be permitted. This paper examines how many S&G are currently needed within the regulatory framework, what kind of substantive guidance and obligations could be dependent on them, and provides a set of recommendations to progress this work further.
Now that most national maritime spatial plans have been prepared in accordance with Directive 2014/89/EU, challenges and uncertainties persist regarding flexibility to address socio-economic, environmental, and governance specificities at regional and local levels. This study proposes a methodological framework for integrating regional needs into national maritime spatial planning (MSP) processes, thereby enhancing the role of sub-national actors in MSP and the effective implementation of actions. The research employs a comparative analysis of eight case study regions from five European countries carried out within the REGINA-MSP (Regions to boost National maritime spatial planning) project. These were selected to encompass diverse governance structures, competent authorities, procedural approaches (from strategic to more detailed plans), and stages of MSP implementation (including recently adopted, long-established, and plans pending adoption). The findings highlight persistent challenges in regional and sub-regional integration, including gaps in stakeholder participation, data fragmentation and limited coherence between national strategies and regional and local needs. The proposed framework provides a structured, participatory approach to identifying regional needs, translating them into actionable measures, and prioritizing interventions based on their strategic relevance and urgency. This study contributes to improving the adaptability of MSP to different governance settings and provides a replicable methodology for enhancing regional engagement in MSP.
This study investigates how local authorities in the French Mediterranean, focusing on the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, navigate the complex landscape of European marine management policies, including the Water Framework Directive (WFD), the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), and the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive (MSPD). Drawing on empirical data from policy and planning document analysis, semi-structured interviews, and observations from stakeholder events, the research identifies a range of challenges faced by local authorities, such as administrative burdens, fragmented governance, resource constraints, and the disconnect between national policy design and local implementation. The findings highlight that while EU directives provide a coherent framework for biodiversity protection, their operationalisation at the local level is often hindered by overlapping regulations, limited capacity, and insufficient stakeholder engagement. Despite these obstacles, the study documents several innovative governance mechanisms and good practices developed by local administrations, including multi-actor councils, specialized marine services within Water Agencies, and territorial ecological restoration plans, which have helped improve policy coherence and stakeholder collaboration. The analysis further explores the science-policy-society interface, emphasizing the importance of integrating local expertise and feedback into policy development. Ultimately, this article offers case-based recommendations for streamlining regulatory frameworks, enhancing capacity building, and fostering participatory governance, with the aim of strengthening the effectiveness of biodiversity protection and advancing integrated marine management in the French Mediterranean, with potential relevance for other European coastal regions.
The implementation of an ecosystem-based Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) requires a holistic understanding of the interactions between maritime activities and marine ecosystems. Cumulative Effects Assessments (CEA) are essential for providing planners with such knowledge. However, despite multiple national and international initiatives, their application in MSP still needs to be further developed. Significant challenges remain: methodological limitations such as the integration of the scale of pressures caused by each activity or the relative nature of the risk of cumulative effects calculated by most tools. In this context, we developed enhancements to the global framework for Cumulative Effects Assessments. To better integrate the scales at which different activities affects the environment, for each group of activities and category of pressures, we attributed a magnitude value approximating the proportion of the environment affected by the activity. We then integrated these magnitudes in an existing CEA tool to improve the binary relationship between activities and pressures. We also used these weighted relationships in combination with the sensitivities of ecosystem components to define an unsuitability value for activities: the unsuitability of an activity is higher wherever ecosystem components are highly sensitive to whichever pressures the activity emits at high magnitude. We completed a CEA applying these improvements in two North Sea case studies, respectively at local and sea-basin scales. Drawing on insights from these studies, we present conclusions regarding the application of CEA for MSP at local and sea-basin scales: weighting pressures by their magnitude refines the calculation without altering the overall distribution of results. The unsuitability of activities provides relevant information to organize activities sustainably. Finally, regarding scales, the use of a finer resolution, where possible, provides accuracy and reliability of results for the CEA that is most useful in the case of geographically restricted areas.
Marine litter remains a persistent environmental challenge in Caribbean coastal environments, where land-based plastic waste constitutes the dominant source of debris entering marine systems. This study evaluates the implementation of the Prevention of Marine Litter in the Caribbean Sea (PROMAR) project along the Guyana coast, applying a systematic, prevention-oriented framework grounded in circular economy principles. A mixed-methods approach was adopted across four flood-prone coastal communities, integrating household material flow analysis, knowledge-attitudes-practices surveys, drainage-level waste interception, beach litter assessments, and participatory stakeholder engagement. Results indicate that packaging plastics, particularly polyethylene terephthalate and high-density polyethylene, dominate intercepted and shoreline waste, confirming strong linkages between household disposal practices, drainage networks, and marine pollution pathways. Community waste-to-value hubs, incentive-based recovery schemes, and source-proximal interception measures collectively contributed to observable reductions in plastic leakage while improving awareness, participation, and local ownership of waste management practices. The findings demonstrate that technical interventions are most effective when reinforced by education, behavioral incentives, and multi-actor governance arrangements. Policy-relevant insights highlight the importance of Extended Producer Responsibility and decentralized recovery systems for sustaining and scaling marine litter prevention. The study provides transferable evidence that systematically designed, community-anchored circular interventions can deliver socially inclusive and environmentally effective solutions in vulnerable coastal settings.
The deep sea corresponds to more than 95% of the global ocean volume, representing the largest biome on Earth, and faces unprecedented threats from both direct and indirect human pressures. In order to ensure the conservation and proper management of deep-sea resources, innovative strategies and long-term actions are necessary, supported by knowledge diversity, including interdisciplinary and intergenerational expertise. The engagement of Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) can provide innovative solutions while also fostering intergenerational diversity. Although increasingly recognized as key agents for change, ECOPs face several barriers to effectively engaging in research, production, and decision-making processes. Some of those barriers include limited professional opportunities, lack of trust by more experienced peers and financial resources, and language barriers, especially for ECOPS from developing countries. Against that, effective solutions require the observation of elements that influence the engagement of ECOPs-both from developed and developing countries in the science-to-policy space. To understand and examine challenges and needs affecting ECOPs, an anonymised online survey was conducted in four different languages. We obtained responses from 126 ECOPs, including 43 nationalities and six continents. Our results showcase that despite recognizing an existing role for ECOPs in the deep-sea science-to-policy interface, lack of funding and not knowing who to approach were listed as the main barriers for ECOPs from developing countries, while the latter was the main issue highlighted by ECOPs from developed countries. Main support needed includes opportunities to cover attendance in policy and decision-making processes followed by access to training and information about such processes. The results obtained from the survey provide relevant information to explore potential pathways for ECOPs to engage in the science-policy interface through international networks, including the Deep-Ocean Stewardship Initiative, here adopted as a study case. The establishment of nurturing spaces where learning and exchange take place was observed as an important step for furthering the engagement of ECOPs in deep-sea decision-making processes and to achieve future-proofing solutions for the ocean.
European marine and coastal areas are governed through complex policy landscapes where policy interplay occurs across multiple governance levels, policy areas, and geographical scales. Misalignments between policy objectives and measures along these dimensions generate policy incoherences, resulting in suboptimal tradeoffs and outcomes. This paper advances conceptual refinement and provides empirical validation of a prototype methodological framework designed to explain the structural drivers of policy (in)coherence in marine and coastal governance. The framework is organized around three explanatory factors: governmental organizations, the science-policy-society interface, and mechanisms for stakeholder involvement. Drawing on a systematic literature review, these factors were applied as an analytical lens to identify nuanced subcategories of archetypal patterns that characterize institutional barriers and enablers. Recurrent barriers include fragmented governance roles and limited coordination across the land-sea interface, while persistent enablers relate to harmonized data, knowledge-sharing platforms, stronger regional collaboration, and inclusive stakeholder engagement. Policy recommendations are also identified.
The Agreement under the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) established a key information system for implementation: the Clearing–House Mechanism (Mechanism). The BBNJ Preparatory Commission (PrepCom) is currently working to operationalize it, which will eventually replace interim measures. The Mechanism is designed to support the Agreement's four main elements: Marine Genetic Resources including fair and equitable benefit sharing, Area-Based Management Tools, including Marine Protected Areas, Environmental Impact Assessments, and capacity building as well as technology transfer. It will also facilitate secretariat functions and address related matters. The potential integration of advanced IT technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), into the Mechanism has not yet been confirmed by the PrepCom. However, the use of AI is referenced in the Consolidated draft study on the technical aspects of operationalizing the Clearing–House Mechanism, which was issued for the third PrepCom session. In this paper, AI is considered as a possible overlay to the Mechanism, a tool that could be incorporated after the system becomes operational. AI has the potential to enhance user experience without affecting the Mechanism's core workflows or underlying authority. While AI could improve user access and usability for open and restricted data within the Mechanism, its incorporation presents actual, potential, and perceived risks. This article explores how AI-supported tools might be integrated, especially for the capacity building and technology transfer needs assessment stages and proposes three key safeguards to address risks. Additionally, regarding perceived risks, such as misinformation, this article recommends strong engagement with administrators and users on awareness raising. Finally, the article highlights the importance of co-developing protections for traditional knowledge if handled by the Mechanism, with Indigenous Peoples and local communities leading such efforts. If the Advisory Mechanism on Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and traditional knowledge, as suggested by Pacific Small Island Developing States, is established, this group could collaborate with the secretariat and stakeholders to propose safeguards or to prohibit AI use for information related to traditional knowledge, and present recommendations to the Conference of the Parties.
IntroductionThe global seafood supply chain is inherently complex and vulnerable, facing significant challenges including high perishability, strict cold chain requirements, transportation disruptions, fraudulent practices, and emerging contaminants. These problems compromise seafood safety, quality, and economic feasibility that demands innovative solutions beyond conventional management methods.MethodsThis review was prepared following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines for scoping and systematic reviews to ensure methodological transparency and reproducibility. A structured search was performed in Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science databases for the period 2015–2025 using combinations of the following keywords: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Seafood, Cold Chain, Logistics, Blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), Digital Twin, and Computer Vision. This review examines their applications across the seafood supply chain from production to final consumption.ResultsAI technologies have demonstrated strong potential to transform the seafood supply chain by introducing innovative technological interventions. IoT sensors and Machine Learning (ML) models facilitate real-time, predictive cold chain monitoring, reducing spoilage rates and extending shelf life. Computer vision systems attain significant accuracy in automating seafood quality evaluation and detection of spoilage, surpassing traditional subjective evaluation. Furthermore, blockchain integration enables tamper evident traceability which helps in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and species substitution fraud by providing transparent, verifiable data from vessel to final point of sale. AI-driven predictive analytics also enhance inventory management and active routing, mitigating logistics disruption risks and positioning supply with demand.DiscussionThe integration of AI presents a transformative shift toward a more transparent, efficient, and resilient seafood industry. However, there are barriers to be tackled before a widespread adoption of AI throughout the sector is possible. Issues such as high implementation costs, lack of technological infrastructure among small-scale operators, data privacy concerns, and the need for standardized, Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable (FAIR) data needs to be addressed over the time. Future success depends on collaborative efforts to develop inclusive, cost-effective AI solutions, establish reliable regulatory frameworks, and invest in digital skills training. By successfully addressing these challenges, AI can significantly enhance seafood safety, minimize side streams, guarantee sustainability, and safeguard consumer trust on a global scale.
The effectiveness of the BBNJ Agreement will depend critically on its ability to identify, understand, and respond promptly to new information about impacts on marine biodiversity. Its Scientific and Technical Body (STB) will be central to this ability. Article 49 tasks the first meeting of the BBNJ Conference of the Parties to define the STB's terms of reference (ToRs) and modalities of its operation. We identify trade-offs and best practice to foster the salience, credibility, legitimacy and effectiveness of the STB's advice, and we reference key language to inform final negotiations on STB ToRs and modalities of operation. The analysis is based on governing documents of scientific advisory bodies under 12 intergovernmental institutions, and professional experience with their practical functioning and effectiveness documented in 12 expert interviews. The analysis converges toward a concise vision of an effective STB: 1) A small expert body of 10–30 regionally nominated members with scientific training and experience in implementation procedures for marine MPAs and EIAs, participating in personal capacity and subject to strong safeguards against conflicts of interest. Tenure periods should enable members to grow into their roles and to mentor younger peers. Among the reviewed bodies, there is no example of a successful Committee of the Whole (CoW) to address technical questions similar to those required from the STB. Indeed, precedents underwent reforms to address weaknesses of larger bodies similar to CoWs. 2) Decision making procedures should enable efficient formulation of effective advice, while striving for consensus and reflecting all views. Voting procedures enhance the clarity, concision and timeliness of scientific advice, as they incentivize compromise in building consensus—which is why scientific advisory bodies rarely need to exercise them. Where deliberations are science-based, balanced, inclusive, transparent, and agreed by a clear majority, and where governing bodies also operate with voting procedures, most scientific advice is respected by CoPs. 3) Openness of proceedings to Parties and non-government expert institutions with speaking rights (observers) harnesses external capacity, information and perspectives required to fulfill the STB's mandate. Information compilation, analysis and presentation should follow scientifically robust, transparent, and multilaterally agreed methods.
The increasing demand for reliable marine data to support environmental policies such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) in Europe requires harmonized, high-quality datasets that are findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR). This paper presents a multi-level quality control (QC) protocol applied within the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) Chemistry initiative, focused on eutrophication parameters (nutrients, chlorophyll, and oxygen) across European marine regions. The approach combines automated and expert-based validation and includes three consecutive QC steps performed by the data originators (Level 1 QC), the data centers (Level 2 QC), and the regional coordinators (Level 3 QC). Particular attention is also given to collecting and maintaining comprehensive metadata associated with the datasets, as well as methodological quality assurance (QA) information. The framework ensures transparent and consistent QC practices across different data providers, improving data comparability and usability. Additional procedures—including cross-parameter checks, derived variable analysis, and region-specific broad range comparisons—are implemented to detect outliers and enhance dataset reliability. The protocol supports the implementation of European marine policies by enabling coherent environmental assessments, and is adaptable to other variables such as ocean acidification and pollution. This work demonstrates the value of expert based, interoperable QC procedures to advance marine data quality and reusability.
This study examines consumer perceptions of aquaculture products in Eleuthera, The Bahamas, within the broader context of food security and seafood import dependence in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). A mixed-method community survey (n = 63) combining quantitative responses and coded qualitative analysis was conducted across South, Central, and North Eleuthera. Results revealed strong cultural preference for wild-caught marine species and limited familiarity with freshwater aquaculture species such as tilapia. While respondents expressed skepticism related to taste, quality, and freshwater origin, overall acceptance of aquaculture products was relatively high, with the majority demonstrating conditional willingness to purchase farmed products when quality, transparency, and price were favorable. Environmental sustainability and food security were frequently identified as perceived benefits. Statistical analysis indicated a weak, non-significant relationship between knowledge of aquaculture and acceptance, suggesting that awareness alone does not strongly influence consumer attitudes. Instead, findings align with Caribbean and global literature indicating that consumer trust, sensory quality, and cultural familiarity are primary determinants of aquaculture adoption. The study highlights the importance of social license to operate in shaping aquaculture development in The Bahamas, emphasizing the need for culturally aligned species selection, transparent production systems, and community engagement to support sustainable marine food systems in island contexts.
Marine wildlife trafficking is a lesser documented but significant component of wildlife trafficking. This paper expands on innovative 3D X-ray CT technology to create targeted marine wildlife algorithms using AI for the autodetection of marine wildlife in mail/air traveler pathways. A total of 298 scans derived from 68 samples of dried shark (n = 18), dried seahorse (n = 30) and dried sea cucumber (n = 20) were used to develop initial algorithms. 3D convolutional neural networks and 3D Threat Image Projection were used to expand the training data set. Algorithm detection performance across all marine life subclasses was high (PD shark fin: 95%, seahorse: 96% and sea cucumber: 86%), with low false alarm rates (PFA shark fin: 2%, seahorse: 9% and sea cucumber: 1%). This paper demonstrates the efficacy and potential impact of AI detection tools to complement existing methods (e.g., human inspection) to combat the trafficking of target marine species globally.
The International Ocean Governance Framework comprises a vast network of United Nations (UN) and regional instruments, serving sustainable ocean planning and management. For the framework to be effective, it demands cross-instrument synergies, sectoral implementation incentives, and integration into national policies and plans. To ensure long-term and holistic efficiency, country-led instrument of maritime spatial planning (MSP) must be grounded in international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and obligations and requirements set forth by relevant international agreements and frameworks, which collectively guide actions and development. These instruments include the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Implementing Agreement of UNCLOS on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). As the Triple Planetary Crisis (climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss) intensifies, the role of international frameworks becomes ever more critical. Emerging technologies and innovative approaches, such as offshore renewable energy, are rapidly expanding to meet the targets and objectives of these international instruments. As these developments, alongside growing sectors like aquaculture, restoration, and shipping, compete for limited space, the need for comprehensive, whole-system planning in MSP becomes ever more urgent to optimize marine space and balance competing demands. The European Ocean Pact (2025), a comprehensive strategy to align and strengthen the EU's ocean management policies, identifies the revision of the EU MSP Directive as a cornerstone of its action plan. This update seeks to modernize and reinforce MSP as a strategic tool, ensuring it supports the priorities of the forthcoming Ocean Act with enhanced cross-sectoral coordination and a more structured sea basin approach. Accelerating technological innovation in the North Sea and adopting innovative resilience-building approaches, such as those targeting the Maltese Islands, demonstrate examples of concerted action toward achieving these ambitious goals.
Aquatic food systems–as a critical nutritional component of the larger food system–must be rooted in justice to promote global nutrition and planetary health goals. Here we examine the global fishmeal and fish oil (FMFO) industry, which annually consumes around 15–20 million tons of wild-caught fish, through four dimensions of justice–distributional, recognitional, institutional, and environmental. Drawing on examples from South America, West Africa, and South Asia, we explore how FMFO production generates and exacerbates inequities in food access, environmental harm, and governance failures. Addressing these justice gaps requires reforms in corporate and State governance to realign FMFO production with human rights and environmental sustainability objectives.
