Shellfish and algae: Climate change mitigation through green and valuable foods

Area of Science:

• Aquaculture
• Marine Biology
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Growing global population and food safety concerns necessitate sustainable food sources.
• Shellfish and algae (SA) farming offers an environmentally friendly approach to food production.
• Quantitative evaluation of SA farming's contribution to carbon neutrality is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively assess the global carbon neutrality of SA farming.
• To analyze carbon sinks, drivers of carbon removal, and ecosystem service values.
• To evaluate the performance of carbon reduction mechanisms in SA farming.

Main Methods:

• Global data analysis of SA farming from 2000-2020.
• Assessment of carbon sequestration and value-added ecosystem services.
• Projection of future carbon reduction potential for SA farming.

Main Results:

• SA farming sequestered 16.57 Mt CO2-eq/yr globally (2000-2020), with Asia as the primary contributor.
• Product value was identified as the main driver for carbon sinks in SA farming.
• Annual added value of SA was $501.40 million (2000-2020), with algae farming contributing the most.
• Mussel and laver demonstrated high potential for carbon removal and added value.
• SA farming is projected to reduce carbon by 47.72–1539.95 Mt CO2-eq/yr (2021-2035).

Conclusions:

• SA farming is a viable strategy for achieving global carbon neutrality and enhancing food safety.
• Mussel and laver farming present significant opportunities for carbon reduction and economic value.
• Further research into optimizing mussel and laver cultivation for carbon sequestration is recommended.