EDFish

Can we answer the questions eating at aquafeed?

Hands holding aquaculture feed

Is aquaculture sustainable? As with so many important questions, the inevitable—often infuriating—answer is, “it depends.”  

As the U.S. looks to expand into open ocean aquaculture (usually between 3 and 200 nautical miles off the coast), we have the opportunity to get things right from the start. We can create diverse local jobs, build a more climate-resilient domestic seafood supply, and, of course, minimize impacts on the climate and environment. We know that aquaculture can already be more sustainable than other forms of food production. But, we can make it even better by focusing on what remains unknown.  Read More »

Also posted in Seafood / Comments are closed

It’s Time to Uncover the Mysteries of Blue Carbon

By Rod Fujita and Kristin Kleisner 

To mitigate climate change, sea level rise, and other environmental problems, some experts are looking to nature-based solutions. But which solutions are the most impactful when it comes to sequestering carbon? And what do we still need to learn to improve our scientific understanding of nature-based solutions?   Read More »

Also posted in Climate Change / Comments are closed

Blending science and community to support mangrove restoration in Ecuador

This past August, in southern Ecuador amidst dense mangrove forests, scientists were at work. As I followed in her footsteps, Julie Shahan, a Stanford University Ph.D. student, navigated the challenging terrain, burdened by the large 25-pound piece of equipment on her back. This equipment, a gas analyzer, collects measurements to unlock the secrets of soil greenhouse gas emissions. This journey was a collaborative effort between Universidad Espíritu Santo (UEES), Stanford University, Scripps Institute of Oceanography and Environmental Defense Fund. Read More »

Also posted in Climate Change, International / Tagged , , , , | Comments are closed

Illuminating coastal seas: A new paradigm for ocean observing

By Christopher Cusack (EDF) and Cooper Van Vranken (Ocean Data Network)

In the early hours of October 25, 2023, Hurricane Otis made landfall near Acapulco, Mexico, with peak winds of 165 mph wreaking havoc on communities in its path. Normally, people would have had a chance to prepare but just the day before, the consensus of models forecasted that Otis would remain a tropical storm. Within hours of these predictions, Otis exploded into a Category 5 storm, the most intense classification. When the skies eventually cleared, the damage stood at a staggering $16 billion, and at least 53 people had lost their lives.

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Also posted in Climate Change, International, Seafood / Comments are closed

Can seaweed really help fight global warming? Here’s what we know so far.

Kelp in the ocean

We’re seeing the impacts of climate change in real time. There is an urgent need to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere to avoid more catastrophic climate change impacts. This will require both reductions in GHG emissions and the removal of GHGs from the atmosphere. In recent years, this need has driven interest in seaweed as a natural climate solution, as seaweed can absorb carbon and grow quickly.   

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Also posted in Climate Change, Seafood / Comments are closed

New platform seeks to prevent ocean conflict in the face of climate change

By Jacqui Vogel (EDF) and Dr. Sarah Glaser (WWF)

Oceans are under immense threat from climate change. Around the world, oceanographic changes like melting sea ice, warming waters, sea level rise and shifting fish populations make access to marine resources more uncertain and less secure.

Climate change threatens to disrupt the communities, supply chains and food systems that rely on marine systems that are now rapidly changing. An impact of climate change is conflict in the ocean, including conflict over shifting and shrinking natural resources. Fisheries conflicts have increased 20-fold over the last 40 years, and 23% of all fish stocks are expected to shift in distribution by 2030. But scientists are working on a solution.

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Also posted in Climate Change, Policy, Seafood / Comments are closed