Global food security could be enhanced if developed nations increased aid for sustainable seafood production in developing nations, U.S. scientists said.
Seafood is a key source of protein for nearly 3 billion people but lack of a coordinated policy worldwide threatens the planet's seafood supply, a group of economists and marine scientists wrote in a recent issue of Science.
"In an ideal world, each country governs its own resources well and the seafood trade contributes to worldwide economic growth and food security. But that's not the world we live in right now," said Martin Smith, who teaches environmental economics at Duke University in Durham, N.C.
Lack of a coordinated policy worldwide has pushed many fish stocks beyond sustainable yields and led to a precarious position for fisheries in food security, Smith and a consortium of international marine experts said.
Developing countries would benefit from more foreign aid for sustainable fishing gear, improved management and sustainable aquaculture facilities, the group said.
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