Scientists studied where fish and fish-based products go around the world and discovered something important: fish farming is growing super fast and could help solve world hunger. They looked at over 2 million trades of fish products between 2015 and 2019 and found that farmed fish provides enough nutrients to feed millions of people. The problem? Most of these nutritious fish products are being shipped away from the countries that need them most—the poorer nations where people struggle to get enough food. The researchers say we need to change how we trade these products so that hungry people actually get to eat them.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How fish farming products move around the world and whether they’re helping feed people in countries that need food the most
  • Who participated: The study analyzed over 2 million real fish trade transactions from 2015-2019 involving more than 2,800 different types of fish and fish products
  • Key finding: Fish farming provides enough nutrients to feed about 250,000 people on average across 14 important nutrients, but 77% of these nutrients stay in the countries that produce them, while poorer countries that export fish often don’t keep enough for their own people
  • What it means for you: Fish farming could be a powerful tool to fight hunger worldwide, but only if we change how we distribute these products. Countries that grow fish for export should be allowed to keep more for their own hungry populations

The Research Details

Researchers collected data on every major fish trade deal between countries from 2015 to 2019—over 2 million transactions. They looked at what nutrients were in each type of fish (like protein, vitamins, and minerals) and tracked where those nutrients went. They studied both fish meal (ground-up fish used as animal feed) and farmed fish that people eat directly.

The team created a detailed map showing which countries sent fish products where, and they calculated how many people could be fed with all those nutrients. They paid special attention to whether nutrients were staying in the country that produced them or being shipped elsewhere.

This approach is like following the money in a business, except they followed the nutrients in fish instead. By combining information about fish nutrition with real trade data, they could see the whole picture of how fish farming affects world hunger.

This research matters because fish farming is the fastest-growing way to produce food in the world. Understanding where these nutrients go helps us see if fish farming is actually helping hungry people or just making rich countries richer. The study shows that we have the food to solve hunger, but our current system isn’t set up to get it to the people who need it most.

This study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, one of the world’s most respected science journals. The researchers analyzed real trade data from millions of actual transactions, not just guesses or estimates. They looked at specific nutrients in specific fish species, making their findings detailed and reliable. However, the study focuses on trade data from 2015-2019, so newer patterns might be different.

What the Results Show

The research found that fish farming could provide enough nutrients to feed about 250,000 people per day on average when you look at 14 important nutrients like protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and B vitamins. For some nutrients like Vitamin B12, farmed fish could feed up to 2.7 billion people—that’s more than one-third of the world’s population.

However, the study revealed a major problem: 77% of the nutrients from farmed fish stay in the countries that produce them. This sounds good, but there’s a catch. The countries doing most of the exporting (shipping fish to other countries) are often the ones where people are hungry and malnourished. About 58% of fish meal exports and 66% of farmed fish exports come from countries where many people don’t have enough food.

This means that while fish farming is producing enough food to help solve world hunger, the current system sends most of it away from the people who need it most. The nutrients are flowing in the wrong direction—from poor, hungry countries to richer ones.

The study also found that different countries specialize in different types of fish farming. Some countries focus on fish that are rich in certain nutrients, while others focus on different types. The researchers discovered that if we could redirect even some of the exported fish products back to the countries that produce them, it could make a huge difference in fighting malnutrition. They also noted that fish farming creates jobs and economic growth in developing countries, but those countries often can’t afford to keep the fish they grow.

Previous research has shown that fish farming is important for food security, but this study is one of the first to track exactly where nutrients go in the global fish trade. Earlier studies looked at fish farming’s environmental impact or its economic value, but this research focuses specifically on whether it’s helping hungry people. The findings support what many experts have suspected: we produce enough food globally to feed everyone, but our distribution system doesn’t work fairly.

The study only looked at data from 2015-2019, so trade patterns may have changed since then. The researchers couldn’t track what happens to fish products after they’re traded—for example, they don’t know if exported fish actually reaches hungry people or if it’s wasted. The study also focuses on nutrients in the fish itself and doesn’t account for other factors like cost, food safety, or cultural preferences that affect whether people actually eat these products. Additionally, the analysis assumes all nutrients are equally available to people, which isn’t always true in real life.

The Bottom Line

Policy makers in countries that produce fish should consider keeping more of their fish products for local use, especially in areas where people are malnourished. International trade rules might need to change to prioritize feeding hungry populations over pure profit. Consumers in wealthy countries could support fair-trade fish products that help developing nations. These recommendations are based on solid evidence but would require significant changes to global trade systems. (Confidence: Moderate to High)

This research matters most to government leaders, international organizations fighting hunger, and people working on food security. It’s also important for anyone concerned about global inequality and fair trade. Fish farmers and fishing companies should pay attention because it affects their business. Consumers who care about where their food comes from and whether it’s ethical should also consider these findings. This doesn’t directly change what individual people should eat, but it does suggest we need to rethink how we distribute fish globally.

Changes to global trade systems take years or even decades to implement. If policies were changed today, improvements in food security for developing nations could start within 2-5 years as more fish products are retained locally. However, solving world hunger requires many changes beyond just fish distribution, so realistic expectations should account for this being one piece of a larger solution.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your fish and seafood consumption weekly, noting the country of origin when available. Monitor whether you’re choosing sustainably sourced, fair-trade fish products that support developing nations
  • Research the origin of fish products you buy and choose options from sustainable sources that benefit producer countries. Consider supporting fair-trade certified seafood when available, and reduce overall fish consumption to decrease pressure on global fish supplies
  • Monthly review of your seafood purchases to identify patterns and shift toward more ethical choices. Track how often you choose locally-sourced or fair-trade options, and set a goal to increase this percentage over time

This research provides important insights into global fish trade and nutrition, but it does not constitute medical or dietary advice. Individual nutritional needs vary based on age, health status, and other factors. Before making significant changes to your diet or fish consumption, consult with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian. This study focuses on global policy and trade systems rather than personal dietary recommendations. The findings suggest systemic changes are needed but do not indicate that any individual should change their eating habits without professional guidance.