Greetings and a very Happy New Year for 2024. I am sure we will see continued growth this year of our aquafeed sector and many more technical and scientific discoveries towards elevating our knowledge and skill base for the aquaculture industry. I think we are in for an exciting year ahead and I am ready to report here as usual as I have for the last 15 years as Editor for Perendale Publishing Ltd as of this January.
Last month in Dubai, UAE we saw a gathering of world leaders at the COP28 global summit on climate change seeing an assemblage of experts and some 10,000 stakeholders with concerns to address the pressures on the environment and ecosystems of our endangered planet. The conference was opened by His Majesty King Charles III who gave a wonderful balanced speech to encourage politicians to act cohesively to address climate change and related issues affecting us all. The King’s interests in food security and how we farm our crops and animals is legendary and very close to his heart. COP28 included scientists working on the oceans and seas with expertise of how projected elevated temperatures can affect our fisheries and of course aquaculture in the coming decades. In our area of aquafeeds, we depend so much on wild fisheries not just for food but also industrial fisheries for our fishmeal and fish oil to a large extent for many species. External socio-economic, political events and abiotic factors can have very serious and long term damaging impacts on our food supply chain and is indeed very complex. COP meetings focus on developing and implementing strategies to mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the existing and anticipated impacts of a changing climate. These strategies can directly influence food security by addressing issues such as altered precipitation patterns, temperature extremes, and sea level rise. The latter will have direct effects on coastal aquaculture based operations and especially island states such as in the tropics.
The role nations can play is paramount in addressing climate change and its implications for global food security. There is also much focus on deforestation and increasing crop production directed to humans and animal production systems. For example, soybean meal is a significant component of aquafeeds, especially in fish and shrimp farming. The soybean industry has been associated with deforestation in some regions such as in Brazil, contributing to serious long term environmental concerns. Nations can promote sustainable soybean cultivation by enforcing regulations that discourage deforestation for agriculture, supporting certification schemes (e.g., Roundtable on Responsible Soy), and encouraging the adoption of alternative protein sources in aquafeeds. Research into innovative protein sources and technologies is also crucial and we have reported in IAF many developments to use alternative plant based ingredients from more sustainable practices and also technically advance novel proteins such as SCPs like bacterial cell proteins, algae and of course insects.
Deforestation is a major contributor to climate change, as it releases stored carbon into the atmosphere and reduces the planet’s capacity to absorb greenhouse gases. We must preserve and protect our tropical rainforests as a vital carbon sink mechanism that is under increasing threat of further diminishing. Countries can play a crucial role in combating deforestation by implementing and enforcing strict land-use policies, promoting sustainable forestry practices, and investing in reforestation efforts.
Nations should therefore adopt climate-smart agricultural practices, invest in research and development of resilient crop varieties, and provide support to farmers for adapting to changing climatic conditions. Policies promoting sustainable agriculture and efficient water use are also critical and will be of increasing importance to aquaculture and our reliance on oilseed derived proteins and cereals as ingredients in our future strategies. This support may include funding for technology transfer, capacity building, and infrastructure development. Our continued use of fossil fuels to process and transport our aquafeed ingredients and finished feeds is costly and energy dependent. Attention to more efficient energy processes and transition to renewable energy sources to drive our aquafeed industry must be considered to enable a reduction in our carbon footprint. This is one good reason to undertake comprehensive Life Cycle Analysis (LCAs) of ingredient commodities as many commercial fish feed manufacturers are advocating.
Aquaculture is an important component of global food security, providing a significant portion (>50%) of the world’s seafood. Discussions at COP should include plans to make aquaculture more resilient to climate change impacts, such as changes in water temperature, ocean acidification, and extreme weather events. COP meetings must address the role of oceans, including the importance of maintaining healthy marine ecosystems for food security. Blue carbon initiatives, which focus on the role of coastal and marine ecosystems in carbon sequestration, may be discussed as part of broader efforts to mitigate climate change. Emphasis of the blue-green economy will be crucial for implantation of a sustainable agenda. As the aquafeed sector is integral to many of these aforementioned areas, we need to engage more, and we stakeholders should attend future COP meetings to make our case for aquaculture and feed commodities stronger.
In our magazine we often include health related topics for fish and shrimp within our main section but also associated technology in system and engineering design that allows optimal production and welfare. Our diets for various species must be balanced in nutrient terms but the delivery of feed and its production characteristics are also important. Therefore, the integral technologies of milling and pelleting is crucial to achieve desired effects in fish farming practice. The science and art of feed making comes together in synergy and so the nutritionist, feed formulator must work in tandem with the feed milling companies and equipment manufacturers to keep abreast of developments.
In this respect, International Aquafeed and Fish Farming Technology is the prime magazine at the forefront of the aquafeed sector and our audience remains robust and expanding in all directions.
Happy New Year and enjoy our content. Continue your journey with us in 2024 and beyond!
