Boosting economic and social resilience with sustainable seafood practices

The 51st Conference of the Western Europe Fish Technologists Association (WEFTA) took place from 16 to 20 October 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The event, organized in collaboration with the Technical University of Denmark, marked the fifth time WEFTA had chosen Copenhagen as its host. With the theme “Sustainable utilisation of aquatic resources—changing the way we Seafood,” the conference aimed to shed light on various aspects of sustainable seafood practices.

WEFTA Chair for 2023, Nina Gringer, emphasised the importance of the annual conference as a valuable occasion for scientists, students, and the seafood industry to convene, share recent research achievements, and exchange experiences. Beyond the academic aspect, the conference served as an exceptional forum for discussions and networking.

Looking at sustainability from a variety of angles

e central theme of this year’s conference encapsulated the pressing need to transform our approach to the seafood industry in the face of environmental challenges. e event was organised around several topics: sustainable aquaculture and its link to seafood quality, micro-/macroalgae and their applications in food, utilising side streams from food and non-food products to reach zero waste generation, processing and quality of seafood, safety and authenticity, consumer attitudes, societal challenges, and innovative seafood products. e annual increase in global sh product consumption, at 3.1, outpaces population growth (1.6). In addition, shery resources support about an eighth of the world’s population, sustaining countless livelihoods. Moreover, sh provides 17 of the global animal protein supply for human consumption, and o ers various health bene ts, reducing the risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and more. Particularly, for women of childbearing age and for those over 50 reducing red meat intake and increasing sh consumption, can enhance overall health.

In line with the theme of sustainability and its vital role in the seafood industry, data shared at the conference highlighted the critical role of aquaculture in addressing the increasing global demand for sh products. Close to 90 of global seafood production is utilized for direct human consumption, with a substantial 60 coming from aquaculture.

Greater efficiency makes commercial and environmental sense

Incorporating sustainable and healthier seafood production through aquaculture signi cantly contributes to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2 (Zero Hunger) and 3 (Good Health and Well-Being).

e audience also learned that the seafood industry faces a signi cant challenge due to its low e ciency, with 30 to 50 of resources ending up as products and 50 to 70 as waste or side streams.

e solution lies in utilizing these side streams to create and market new products thereby increasing yields and reducing waste. Presentations also demonstrated that the future of aquaculture is tied to technological developments. For instance, arti cial intelligence is being deployed to automatically detect sh species, count the sh in an enclosure, and estimate the biomass, leading to an optimisation of operations.

Speakers also emphasized the need for transparency in seafood labelling. ey reported that consumers express a desire for information regarding the origin of raw materials and ingredients, as well as details about production methods and the environmental impact. Consumer choices are in uenced by factors like price, mood, and hunger, as well as by eating quality (appearance, taste, odour, and texture).

Sustainability benefits from international collaboration

As the conference delved into the issues and opportunities surrounding sustainable seafood practices, it became evident that promoting research and knowledge-sharing in fish processing, food science, aquaculture, seafood technology, health effects of seafood consumption, and consumer studies is vital. International collaboration is essential to address the challenges of sustainable seafood production and consumption, making platforms like WEFTA indispensable. e insights and knowledge shared at this event undoubtedly contribute to a brighter and more sustainable future for the seafood industry. e selection of Copenhagen as the venue for the WEFTA conference further solidied the city’s position as a hub for seafood expertise e next WEFTA conference will be organized in Izmir, Turkey. For more information about WEFTA and its conferences, please visit their website: https:// wefta2023.com/

Aris Adlers, Euro sh, aris@euro sh.dk