Consideration of food and nutrition in blue economy voluntary commitments

Increasing the production of food from the ocean is seen as a pathway
towards more sustainable and healthier human diets. Yet this potential is
being overshadowed by competing uses of ocean resources in an
accelerating ‘blue economy’. The current emphasis on production growth,
rather than equitable distribution of benefits, has created three
unexamined or flawed assumptions that: growth in the blue economy will
lead to growth in blue food production; increased production will
inevitably lead to improved food and nutrition security; and mariculture
production will replace marine capture fisheries. In this Perspective, we
argue that if research and policies are pursued without addressing these
‘blind spots’, ‘blue food’ contributions to reducing hunger and
malnutrition, and to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, will be
limited. Taking a broader food system approach, beyond production to also
consider food access, affordability and consumption, will refocus the
‘blue food’ agenda on making production and consumption more equitable and
sustainable, while increasing access for those who need it most.