Wales launches study to map carbon footprint of its seafood industry

Welsh government to map its seafood industry’s carbon footprint and support its transition to net-zero

The Welsh government has launched a new effort to chart the carbon footprint of the nation’s seafood industry, asking fishing vessel owners and aquaculture operators to share emissions data.

The project aims to help both sectors track their climate impact and move closer to Wales’s 2050 net-zero target – a goal that, until now, has lacked baseline data for fisheries and aquaculture.

“We know that Welsh fishers are already taking steps to fish efficiently and responsibly,” said Samira Anand, Welsh industry engagement manager. “This project is about capturing that progress and providing the baseline to help support the sector’s transition to net-zero.”

Seafish, the public body that supports the UK seafood industry, is leading the work under commission from the Welsh Government’s Fisheries Division. The study will measure emissions from commercial fishing up to the point of landing and from aquaculture production up to the first point of sale.

The research focuses on key wild-capture species such as European sea bass, cockles, brown crabs, European lobsters, king and queen scallops, common whelks, skates and rays, as well as aquaculture species including mussels and oysters.

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Seafish is asking skippers, vessel owners and aquaculture operators to share data that will help shape the study. Information on gear lifespan, fuel use and carbon-saving measures already in place will ensure the findings reflect the real operating conditions of the Welsh fleet.

“The more input we get from industry, the stronger and more useful the results will be, so I would really encourage industry members to engage with this project,” Anand said.

The project supports the climate change objectives outlined in the Fisheries Act 2020, which guides how the UK and devolved governments manage fisheries, aquaculture and marine conservation. Establishing a carbon footprint for Welsh fisheries will provide data to inform efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of fishing and aquaculture.