Oral Presentation Australian Society of Fish Biology and Oceania Chondrichthyan Society Conference 2016

Bridging the Land-Sea divide for future food security. (#156)

Richard S. Cottrell 1 , Aysha Fleming 1 2 , Elizabeth A. Fulton 1 2 , Kirsty L. Nash 1 , Reg Watson 1 , Julia L. Blanchard 1
  1. Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania
  2. CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere , Hobart, Tasmania

Meeting food demands for the 10 billion people expected by 2050 presents a paradox. Globally, consumers are becoming more urbanised and wealthier, increasing per capita demands on natural resources. Meanwhile, over 1 in 7 people still have insufficient access to safe and nutritious food to allow them a healthy and active life. Thus, the food security challenge is two-fold; sustainably meeting consumption demands from a burgeoning population; and feeding the world’s under-nourished communities. Advances in terrestrial and aquatic production efficiencies have been proposed to solve the issue but largely in isolation. We argue that production systems on land and sea are fundamentally linked through economic markets and the Earth’s biosphere and therefore cannot be considered independently. This presentation reviews published interactions between terrestrial and aquatic elements of the food system and suggests a more integrated approach to addressing the food security challenge. Further the role of sectoral connectivity in social and environmental sustainability is discussed.