Aquaculture is shifting toward less sustainable species, study says

While aquaculture has grown rapidly to meet global seafood demand, it is increasingly relying on species that are less beneficial for food security, climate mitigation, and biodiversity, said a new study from researchers at the University of British Columbia. The study, published in Fish and Fisheries, analyzed global aquaculture production from 1950 to 2023 and found that, since the 1980s, the industry has shifted toward a smaller number of intensively farmed species—particularly finfish—that tend to have lower overall sustainability potential.