Food Security in UK Seafood

Global food systems operate against the backdrop of a number of longer term developments such as climate change, ecological constraints, globalisation and human population changes (growth and tastes). Strategic challenges arise from these developments, including the ability to secure food, and with a growing population the importance of food security is increasing.

Recognising that food security is a concern for a range of stakeholders, in 2014/15 Seafish carried out a research exercise and consulted 30 stakeholders to explore the following questions: 

  • What do we (Seafish and industry) mean by food security in seafood? 
  • What are the important longer-term developments, and how can we understand them ongoing? 
  • What action can industry take, and what is the role of Seafish?

Findings from this initial exploratory exercise included: 

  • The term food security in seafood is open to a wide range of interpretations depending on the stakeholder location in the industry landscape. However, there are common aspects to these interpretations and in a general sense food security is an issue of concern. 
  • Food security presents a contrasting set of challenges, opportunities, threats and pathways to those in the domestic part of the industry on the one hand, to those in the international part of the industry on the other, and within particular subsystems. 
  • There are important longer-term developments relating to food security, and these similarly differ between domestic and international stakeholders. The industry landscape beyond 10 years could also be markedly different.
  • Although food security is considered an issue, industry action is already underway: future priorities should focus on continuing/enhancing this.

A report detailing the findings in full was published in 2016 – a copy of this publication is available to download from the Further info section at the right of this page. 

Further info

The full report and the annexes are available to download from the links below:

Food Security in UK Seafood

Food Security in UK Seafood ANNEXES

Contacts

Dr Angus Garrett
Head of Horizon Scanning and Long Term Issues 
t: 0131 524 8697
e: a_garrett@seafish.co.uk

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