A protein transition is promoted as a pathway toward a sustainable food system, but its application and progress are potentially hindered by diverse, often conflicting narratives among various stakeholders. These narratives are constituted and underpinned by statements and nurture a growing polarisation by isolation of their underlying scientific evidence. The multidimensional and interdisciplinary nature of a protein transition does not go well with an isolated approach in academia. The latter leads to fragmented and incomplete scientific evidence that fails to fully grasp the complexity of the issue, while being used to form partial statements that feed societal and political debates. Through a Restatement approach, this paper aims to (i) synthesise scientific evidence from multiple academic disciplines related to a protein transition and (ii) critically reflect on the implications of the current fragmented scientific evidence landscape of a protein transition in academia and beyond. The Restatement is structured into three sections: Background, Context, and Impacts, with subsections that each cover 4-17 statements, with a total of 68 statements. We connected each statement to its supporting scientific evidence which revealed the complexity of how evidence is related and interpreted, in addition to the inconsistent use of terminology and resulting ambiguities. The main takeaway from the Restatement is that a protein transition cannot be reduced to a single message of a dietary shift but that it should be approached more holistically, while using the available evidence within the appropriate context and critical consideration of the methodologies used to obtain that evidence. This Restatement can be used by researchers and decision-makers working toward more sustainable food systems in the European Union and beyond, to understand the contexts and methods that are not within their own field of expertise. In addition, we stress that overcoming polarisation in a protein transition largely relies on critical reflections of the assumptions, interests and power dynamics shaping the protein transition debate.

I två FORMAS-finansierade forskningsprojekt i följd har RISE utvecklat en databas som beräknar över 300 livsmedels påverkan på biologisk mångfald med hjälp av rekommenderade LCA-baserade metoder. I den uppdaterade versionen finns avtryck som härstammar från klimatförändringar och vattenanvändning, till skillnad från den första där bara markanvändning ingick. Övriga uppdateringar inkluderar exempelvis uppdatering av metod för markanvändning enligt nya rekommendationer, fler livsmedeloch uppdaterade indata (exempelvis femårsgenomsnitt av skördenivåer). Vi har även utvecklat en första version av så kallade Biodiversitetskalor, som syftar till att underlätta för tolkning av data. Databasen kommer fortsatt utvecklas, där vi exempelvis ska arbeta för att inkludera fler drivkrafter (övergödning och ekotoxicitet), fylla luckor av livsmedel (t ex animaliska produkter från fler länder än existerande) och fortsatt utveckla Biodiversitetskalorna.

In two consecutive FORMAS-funded research projects, RISE has developed a database that calculates the impact of over 300 foods on biodiversity using recommended LCA-based methods. The updated version includes impacts from climate change and water use, unlike the first version, which only included land use. Other updates include, for example, updating the method for land use in accordance with new recommendations, more foods, and updated input data (e.g., five-year average harvest levels). We have also developed a first version of so-called Biodiversity Scales, which aim to facilitate the interpretation of data. The database will continue to be developed, where we will, for example, work to include more driving forces (eutrophication and ecotoxicity), fill gaps in food (e.g., animal products from more countries than existing ones), and continue to develop the Biodiversity Scales.

Marine fisheries and aquaculture are important contributors to global food security but disturb biogeochemical cycles from local to global scales. In this Review, we summarize how marine fisheries and aquaculture affect biogeochemical cycling of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, and discuss differences in the spatial scale, duration and magnitude of their biogeochemical consequences. Globally, marine capture fisheries and aquaculture remove approximately 21.0 Tg C year–1, 4.6 Tg N year–1 and 0.97 Tg P year–1 from the ocean, dominated by fish and shellfish removal. Point-of-harvest activities in marine capture fisheries result in biomass extraction, fishing gear impacts on the sea bed, fuel use and emissions, lost fishing gear and altered trophic structure. Aquaculture involves the addition and subsequent extraction of biomass, and habitat alteration during the introduction of farm structures. These disturbances affect the biogeochemistry of the water column and sediment, influencing the cycling and fate of nutrients over days to centuries and from local to global scales. For example, animals raised in aquaculture excrete 6.5 Tg N year–1 and 1.2 Tg P year–1, contributing to global-scale effects. Better incorporating these biogeochemical effects into environmental footprint assessments of products can guide more sustainable decision-making in the sector.

The increasing global demand for seafood has intensified pressure on marine resources and hence the need to adopt sustainable fishing practices and promote sustainable products. Raising consumer awareness about the variability in ecological sustainability of seafood is an important tool to facilitate prevention of marine resource overexploitation, minimise the impact of fishing on ecosystems, and ensure long-term renewal of aquatic resources. Here we propose a simple but comprehensive and generic assessment framework with three indicators that inform on the impact of fishing practices on seabed habitats, fish stock status, and bycatch risk of sensitive species for any given product, whether domestically caught or imported, based on publicly available information. A rating scale from 1 to 5 is used for clarity and effectiveness in communicating the respective risks. The indicators provide a user-friendly tool for consumers, policymakers, and industry professionals to make informed decisions about seafood sustainability. Our results show contrasted ecological risks among the main fishing methods, which is crucial for value chain actors for making informed choices that support sustainable fishing practices. Our method enables scientifically proven practices for mitigating by-catches of sensitive species to be accounted for. A clear, transparent, fair and adaptable scoring system can enhance societal awareness and steer the market towards more sustainable seafood products. 

Swedish seafood consumption 2023

Knowledge of how much seafood is consumed in Sweden is important for understanding the current situation and being able to follow developments over time, especially in relation to national goals and dietary recommendations for increasing production and consumption. This report presents a calculation of Swedish seafood consumption, where trade data (import-export) and production from Swedish fisheries and aquaculture have been compiled to estimate the total volumes of seafood consumed nationally. This approach provides a picture of the theoretical self-sufficiency rate and an overview of species and production systems that are important. The report is the fourth from RISE on Swedish seafood consumption and is based on data for 2023.

The results show that there were 108,661 tonnes of seafood in edible form available for Swedish consumption in 2023, which corresponds to 1.6 portions per person per week. In 2019, consumption was 1.9 portions/week, which means that we have come further away from reaching the Swedish National Food Agency’s recommended intake of 2-3 portions/week. Swedish consumption was dominated (77%) by ten species/species groups, in line with previous years. The species that continue to be most important for consumption were (in descending order) salmon, herring, shrimp and cod. 73% of the total volume was imported and 27% from Swedish production, which shows a marginal decrease in import share compared to 2019, when it was 74%. However, in terms of total volume, both imports and Swedish production have decreased. Swedish production consisted mainly of commercial fishing at sea (66%), followed by aquaculture (15%), recreational fishing (14%) and commercial fishing in freshwater (2%). However, statistics for aquaculture are uncertain due to insufficient information in public production data.

Interpreting and using parts of the public statistics has proven challenging in various ways in all calculations of Swedish seafood consumption, especially available data on herring and sprat, but also for Swedish aquaculture. This fourth compilation revealed further ambiguities and changes in public data compilations that complicate the overall picture of production, trade flows and consumption. This underline the importance of a review and quality assurance of public statistics, in order for more robust results and compilations to be achieved in the long term.

The fact that Sweden’s seafood consumption is decreasing is in line with other surveys based on other data, such as the Norwegian Seafood Council’s consumer survey, where price of seafood is pointed out as a decisive factor. However, the same survey shows that 7 out of 10 Swedes want to increase their consumption of seafood, which is a potential that should be taken advantage of to align with dietary recommendations. However, it requires concerted efforts on several levels within the food system, not least increased domestic seafood production in line with the vision for the Swedish food strategy until 2020.

The status of Eastern Baltic cod (EBC) Gadus morhua has remained poor despite low fishing mortality for over a decade, including a fishing ban since 2019. Although the decline in productivity can be explained by lower individual growth and survival rates, other aspects of life-history changes such as maturation patterns for EBC has so far not been sufficiently explored. According to current stock assessments, the median size at maturity (L50) has halved from 40 to around 20 cm in total length since the 1990s, while the overall size distribution has become increasingly truncated. It has previously been suggested that changes in L50 can be attributed to both fishing-induced evolution and phenotypic plasticity induced by growth rates. However, since L50 is currently occurring around 20 cm, the maturation process must have been initiated at much smaller sizes, that is, long before the fish could be caught in the dominant trawl fishery at around 35 cm. In this study, we aimed to further investigate what drivers may have led to reduced productivity in EBC by determining variations in size at sexual maturity in longer time series than has been done before (1930s to 1980s) and include prey productivity and quality. We found that L50 declined already in the 1930s and thereafter remained stable at around 40 cm up to the 1990s. On a centurial perspective, L50 has been positively correlated to growth potential (L95), length diversity, total stock biomass, total catch and yield per recruit, while Fulton’s condition factor was not related to L50. Our results suggest that the links between life-history parameters and external drivers are complex, but the present unprecedented early onset of maturity and hence decline in L50 since the 1990s signals a decline in growth potential, which also has hampered the productivity of EBC. 

Ecological risk assessments are important as scientific support for the implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management. Marine invertebrates are important to ecosystem structure and function and may be sensitive to fishing pressure. Some are also of increasing commercial value – but have hitherto not been paid much attention to in ecological risk assessments. Here, catches of invertebrates in Swedish west-coast fisheries with demersal trawls and creels are examined from an ecological risk assessment perspective. It is found that few non-commercial invertebrate species have been regularly recorded in onboard observer programs. Furthermore, for being a comparatively well-studied area, it is striking to find that out of the 93 species included, 56% could be classified as data deficient in terms of known attributes needed to perform basic ecological risk assessments. This implies that there is little or no available information on the basic life history traits important for estimating productivity. Additionally, onboard observer data for invertebrates are inadequate beyond targeted commercial species for robust statistical analysis on volumes generated over time and between fisheries. However, over 18% of the studied species are categorized as red-listed on the Swedish IUCN Red List. Combined with the few records available in observer data programs, the study illustrates the need to pay more attention to marine invertebrates in fisheries monitoring programs and research, especially bycaught and non-commercial invertebrate species.

Seafood has an important role to play to achieve a sustainable food system that provides healthy food to a growing world population. Future seafood production will be increasingly reliant on aquaculture where feed innovation is essential to reduce environmental impacts and minimize feed and food competition. This study aimed to investigate whether a novel single cell protein feed ingredient based on Paecilomyces variotii grown on a side stream from the forest industry could improve environmental sustainability of farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) by replacing the soy protein concentrate used today. A Life Cycle Assessment including commonly addressed impacts but also the rarely assessed biodiversity impacts was performed. Furthermore, feeding trials were included for potential effects on fish growth, i.e., an assessment of the environmental impacts for the functional unit ‘kg feed required to produce 1 kg live-weight rainbow trout’. Results showed that the best experimental diet containing P. variotii performed 16–73 % better than the control diet containing soy protein concentrate in all impact categories except for energy demand (21 % higher impact). The largest environmental benefits from replacing soy protein with P. variotii in rainbow trout diets was a 73 % reduction of impact on biodiversity and halved greenhouse gas emissions. The findings have high relevance for the aquaculture industry as the production scale and feed composition was comparable to commercial operations and because the effect on fish growth from inclusion of the novel ingredient in a complete diet was evaluated. The results on biodiversity loss from land use change and exploitation through fishing suggest that fishery can dominate impacts and exclusion thereof can greatly underestimate biodiversity impact. Finally, a novel feed ingredient grown on side streams from the forest industry has potential to add to food security through decreasing the dependence on increasingly scarce agricultural land resources. 

Baltic Sea herring fisheries have in recent years attracted considerable media interest in Sweden. The main concerns are deteriorating stock status and lack of herring catches suitable for human consumption. One recurring theme is that the demand of feed raw materials by the Norwegian salmon aquaculture industry is driving the development of increasing volumes destined for fishmeal and oil production. However, it is unclear to which extent Baltic Sea herring is used by the Norwegian salmon industry. This report has the specific objectives to map where Baltic Sea herring ends up, including identification of potential obstacles for full traceability – with the overall aim to identify how different actors may contribute to safeguarding long-term sustainable use of marine resources. Based on data provided by the Danish fishmeal and oil processing industry, it is found that Baltic Sea herring is primarily used for the aquaculture sector, especially the fish oil. However, although some feed and salmonid producers were helpful in providing the requested information, responses varied and only piecemeal information could be obtained on the next step in the value chain, i.e. to which specific species and countries. Although annual sustainability reports are published, efficient, fit-for-purpose extracts on the destination of raw material from a certain stock may be effort-demanding to extract and official data detailing this is at large lacking. The same situation also applies for certified aquaculture. Further, the definitions of ‘sustainable fisheries’ applied in current certification systems are inadequate to fully safeguard use of sustainable marine raw material for certified, farmed seafood. Several actors are however working with improvements, such as a new feed standard for Aquaculture Stewardship Council and updates on internal reporting systems by feed producers. In conclusion, to improve transparency and build consumer trust – and ultimately foster sustainable use – it calls for i) more efficient data management strategies and detailed reporting by feed producers to be able to meet questions raised; and ii) sharper rules for feed ingredients allowed by current aquaculture certification standards and a more distinct difference to non-certified seafood related to sustainability and transparency of marine resource use.

Purpose: The decline in biodiversity caused by human activities is a major global challenge. An important driver of biodiversity loss, especially in the oceans, is seafood production. However, methods for quantifying biodiversity impacts in life cycle assessment (LCA) are currently heavily focused on terrestrial systems. This study aims to identify and evaluate methods addressing aquatic biodiversity loss relevant for LCAs of seafood and to provide recommendations to research and LCA practitioners. Methods: The methodology comprised four key phases. First, environmental impacts from seafood production were identified and linked to biodiversity impacts. Second, it was assessed which impacts were addressed in existing seafood LCAs. Next, available biodiversity impact assessment methods were identified through a literature review. Finally, the identified assessment methods were evaluated and matched against the identified environmental impacts from seafood production to evaluate the efficacy of current LCA practices. Results and discussion: A total of 39 environmental impacts linked to seafood production were identified. Of these impacts, 90% were categorized as causing biodiversity loss and included effects on genetic, species, and ecosystem level. Only 20% out of the impacts associated to aquatic biodiversity loss had been included in previous seafood LCAs, indicating a narrow scope in practice, as methods were available for half of the impacts. The available methods were, however, mainly focused on impact on species level and on the drivers pollution and climate change rather than the main drivers of marine biodiversity loss: exploitation and sea-use change. Conclusions: Although many of the impacts from seafood production were related to biodiversity pressures, LCAs which are widely used to describe the environmental performance of seafood, disregard most biodiversity impacts from seafood production. The most severe limitations were the lack of methods for the pressures of exploitation and sea-use change and for effects on ecosystem and genetic biodiversity. This study provides recommendations to practitioners on how to best account for biodiversity impacts from seafood depending on the studied system, geographic area, and dataset. Future research should progress methods for impact pathways within the drivers exploitation and sea-use change, and effects on ecosystem biodiversity and genetic biodiversity.