Brazil needs more seafood consumption. Could aquaculture help close the food security gap?

Researchers say Brazil could address nutrient deficiencies by eating more seafood, but aquaculture and sustainable fisheries will be needed to meet demand

Brazil could increase seafood consumption to address widespread micronutrient deficiencies, but meeting additional demand will require greater aquaculture production and sustainable fisheries management, according to a recent study from the University of Miami.

The research, published in Nature Food, examined seafood consumption and production in Brazil to assess whether the country’s seafood resources could play a larger role in improving nutrition and food security.

Researchers analyzed food consumption survey data from 30,700 people, along with fisheries statistics and information on the nutritional content of different seafood species.

They found that average seafood consumption in Brazil is less than half the recommended level, while deficiencies in nutrients found in seafood, including vitamin A, magnesium and calcium, are widespread.

“What’s very surprising is that in Brazil, people don’t consume a lot of seafood despite the country’s extensive coastline,” said Juan Pablo Quimbayo, an assistant professor in the University of Miami’s Department of Biology. “But increasing seafood consumption cannot simply mean catching more fish. Many fisheries are already under pressure, so improving nutrition has to go hand in hand with sustainable fisheries management.”

The researchers found that increasing seafood’s share of total protein intake from 6 percent to 25 percent could help reduce nutritional deficiencies in Brazil. The study also found that seafood demand already exceeds supply in several Brazilian states.

Rather than relying on additional wild catch to meet increased demand, the researchers identified aquaculture as one way to expand seafood supplies without adding pressure to wild fish populations. They also argued that decisions about which species to farm or harvest should consider nutritional value alongside the amount that can be produced.

“One of the important findings is that this is not simply a question of getting enough protein,” Quimbayo said. “Brazilians already meet protein recommendations on average, yet their diets still fall short for several essential micronutrients. What people eat, and the nutritional quality of those foods, matters as much as how much protein they consume.”

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The researchers said the nutritional diversity of seafood could allow consumers to obtain different combinations of nutrients from different species rather than relying heavily on a single source.

“Seafood is highly diverse, both taxonomically and nutritionally, which means that different species can provide different combinations of nutrients,” said Luiza Waechter, a postdoctoral researcher involved in the study. “That means we can have a more flexible diet. We can change our diet to have different nutrients, and then we don’t need to focus on just one specific source or specific species.”

The study comes as Brazil faces broader food-security challenges. According to figures cited in the press release, an estimated 10.6 million people in the country are undernourished and 33 million face food insecurity.

The researchers acknowledged that increasing seafood consumption could be difficult in regions where consumers have a cultural preference for chicken, beef and pork.

They also argued that maintaining a diverse seafood supply depends on protecting the ecosystems that support fisheries, including coral reefs, mangroves and other coastal habitats.

“It is easy to think about fisheries only in terms of their immediate value – you catch a fish and generate food or income,” Quimbayo said. “But we also need to ask what will be available for the next generation. If we protect the ecosystems that sustain fisheries, including coral reefs, mangroves, and other coastal habitats, we can help ensure that future generations continue to have access to both food and biodiversity.”

Read the full study.

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