Eat less meat and fill your plate with more seafood. It's good for the climate - most of the time, anyway. But for business owners and consumers to make more sustainable choices, better knowledge of raw materials and production methods is needed at all levels.
"Starting to ask questions can be a virtuous circle of increased knowledge. Don't be afraid to ask your suppliers," says Friederike Ziegler, a researcher at RISE.
The climate issue is high on the social agenda, not least in the business world. Friederike Ziegler, who works on research and assignments in the field of sustainable seafood, and her colleagues are receiving more and more questions from companies, which in turn have been contacted by customers and investors. The questions often concern the expected climate impact of a new product.
"It is often difficult for a company, sometimes a small start-up, to answer what the climate footprint of its future product will be in a fully developed production," says Friederike Ziegler.
Norwegian farmed salmon most common seafood
Three quarters of the seafood - such as fish, crustaceans and algae - that we eat in Sweden is imported. Keeping track of the carbon footprint and other sustainability aspects is not always easy for an individual food producer. Norwegian farmed salmon is the most common seafood we eat, and it has about the same carbon footprint as Swedish chicken.
Friederike Ziegler:
"Seafood comes either from fishing or from aquaculture. There are completely different factors that determine the climate impact of the two production methods. Fishing is dependent on fossil fuels, which dominate the climate footprint, while the climate footprint of aquaculture is often dominated by feed production."
Fishing on sustainable stocks
There is a lot to do for seafood producers who want to take greater responsibility for the climate. When it comes to fishing, the most energy-efficient approach is to fish from sustainable stocks using energy-efficient fishing methods.
"Ask suppliers about the fishing method used and whether they know or can find out how much fuel was used per kilo of catch. For example, cod can be caught using a variety of methods. Then choose the raw material with the lowest energy consumption and climate impact."
Mussels and oysters, as well as algae and seaweed, can be caught without the use of feed
Keeping track of feed
For farmed products, it is important for a producer to keep track of the amount of feed used and the composition of the feed. For example, does it contain ingredients with a high carbon footprint, such as soy from Brazil or animal by-products?
Oysters, mussels and wild-caught salmon from Alaska are smart choices for those who want to be climate-friendly. Oysters and mussels don't need feed to grow, and wild Alaskan salmon is often caught using the energy-efficient method of purse seine fishing, which is much more important than the long, freezing transport by boat.
"Mussels and oysters, but also algae and sole, can survive without extra food," says Friederike Ziegler. "What they need comes with the sea currents, and that is a major advantage of this type of aquaculture."
Making the most of the raw material
So what can be done at the end of the production chain? Friederike Ziegler reminds us of the importance of minimising waste and using as much of the raw material as possible.
"A little waste in any part of the chain can add up to a lot, especially for fresh fish. Waste also increases the carbon footprint of the product."
Calculating climate impact with RISE
RISE often uses life cycle analysis (LCA) to map climate impacts.
Together with Norwegian colleagues, RISE researchers have studied the carbon footprint of key Norwegian salmon export products. The study also includes suggestions for improvements, showing how much the climate footprint could be reduced if the improvements were implemented.
"We often help producers to calculate their existing production, but we can also calculate opportunities for improvement and future scenarios," says Friederike Ziegler.
SEAFOOD OFTEN A BETTER CLIMATE CHOICE THAN MEAT
A study published in autumn 2022 shows that seafood is often a better climate choice than meat. Researchers from RISE and Dalhousie University in Canada analysed 41 species of seafood, both farmed and wild-caught. The study took into account both carbon footprint and nutrient density.
The list was topped by herring, mackerel and anchovies - which had the lowest carbon footprint relative to nutrient density. Wild-caught salmon from Alaska, farmed mussels and oysters are also considered climate-friendly and nutritious.
"Oily fish and shellfish contain valuable nutrients in the form of vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids and minerals that are important for us and are difficult to get in sufficient amounts from other foods," says Friederike Ziegler.
Source: Study published in Communications Earth and Environment, 2022.
