The new research comes from scientists at Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF), and it is an eye-opener. With global concerns over food waste, in general, and, in particular, the recent focus on the sustainability of the world’s seafood resources, it is disturbing to learn that in America, 47 percent of our seafood is thrown into landfills.
The total supply of seafood, both domestic and imported each year in the U.S. is close to 4.7 billion pounds. Consumers throw away 1.3 billion pounds, and fisheries throw away another 573 million pounds because they are considered “bycatch,” or the wrong species. Another 330 million pounds is lost in processing due to inefficiencies in production.
The report comes out at a time when Americans are being urged to eat more seafood, even though the global seafood supply is strained by overfishing, pollution, habitat destruction and climate change. In a statement, study leader David Love, a Johns Hopkins University researcher said, “If we’re told to eat significantly more seafood but the supply is severely threatened, it is critical and urgent to reduce waste of seafood.”
The researchers say a reduction in waste of seafood has the potential to support increased consumption without stressing our aquatic resources. Roni Neff, PhD, director of the Food System Sustainability & Public Health Program at CLF suggests that bycatch could be eaten, even though it would be preferable to put them back alive into the ocean.
With so much seafood lost to waste and inefficient production practices, Neff said that while it is challenging to get the seafood eaten or frozen before it decays, “focusing on prevention strategies involving governments, businesses and consumers can reduce seafood loss and create a more efficient and sustainable seafood system.”
Announcement to cut waste 50 percent
This report on seafood waste comes at an appropriate time. Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) called for a 50 percent reduction in food waste by 2030, as well as the establishment of a partnership with charities and the private sector to cut waste, according to Time.
“Let’s feed people, not landfills,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy in a press release. “Today’s announcement presents a major environmental, social and public health opportunity for the U.S.” This statement also applies to our waste of seafood in this country.
Some food for thought
In the typical American family of four, over 4 million calories of food, with a value of $1,500 is wasted each year. Think about that, what that money could represent to a working famiy today. Think also about the 50 million Americans who are living in food insecure households, or the number of children and the elderly who go to bed many nights without supper.
Looking at the broader picture, a story in Digital Journal in May, 2015, reported that globally, 1.3 billion tons of food or approximately 30 percent of global food production is either lost or wasted. We can look at it this way: One in three loaves of bread or one in three acres of grain is either lost or thrown out. That 30 percent could easily feed the estimated 800 million hungry people in the world today.
The study, “Wasted seafood in the United States: Quantifying loss from production to consumption and moving toward solutions” was published in the journal Global Environmental Change, volume 35. coming out in November 2015.
