Aquaculture: Relief for the seas, but a burden on the environment?
DBU starts funding initiative for more sustainable fish and seafood production
Salmon, herring or tuna, grilled, processed into sushi or as a side dish for pizza and salad - seafood specialties are "in" with German consumers. According to the fish information center, the German citizen consumes an average of almost 16 kilograms per year, and the trend is rising. In contrast, there is a dramatic decline in global fish stocks. Aquaculture - the controlled rearing of fish, mussels or crabs - is becoming increasingly important as an alternative to traditional wild-caught fish and can help to relieve overfished waters. But as the industry grows, new environmental problems can arise. "Large areas of mangrove forests are cleared for breeding facilities in Southeast Asia, for example. Fish droppings and leftover feed pollute bodies of water, and fresh water is consumed in large quantities," explains Dr. Fritz Brickwedde, Secretary General of the German Federal Environment Foundation (DBU). With her new funding initiative "Sustainable Aquaculture" she wants to help find solutions to the problem.
Threatened by overfishing of the world's oceans: the North Sea cod.