Impact of aquatic product trade on land use, carbon emissions and biodiversity

Currently, the aquatic product trade plays an increasingly important role in global resources and the environment because 37% of global aquatic products are traded rather than consumed locally. Previous studies have mainly analyzed the resource and environmental costs caused by the substitution of aquatic products for livestock products. However, little is known about the impacts of aquatic product trade on the ‘resource-environment-biodiversity’ system. Here, a review was conducted using a combined method of environmental footprint and life-cycle assessment. This review focuses on (1) the changes in trade volume, trade species, and trade countries, and (2) the impact of the aquatic product trade on land use, greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), and biodiversity. The results showed that the export volume of aquatic products in 2020 increased five-fold compared with that in 1976, and the growth rate of trade followed a profile termed ‘fast and then stable’. The aquatic product trade has expanded from southern Europe to the rest of the world. The major trade species are capture products (including sardines, cod, and tuna). However, the share of aquaculture products in total aquatic trade products has increased linearly since 1976: from 5% in 1976 to 25% in 2020. The increase in the aquaculture product trade affects global land-use change, virtual GHG emissions, and biodiversity in aquatic and terrestrial systems. Therefore, to achieve the sustainability of global aquatic products in the future, it is necessary to share advanced production technologies, optimize trade structures, and adjust trade species globally. More specifically, producers should optimize aquaculture structure, technology, and the industrial chain, and consumers should reduce the consumption and trade of aquatic products with high resource and environmental costs.