10 Ways to Make Fish Farming More Sustainable

By Beth Rush

The ocean’s bounty is vast, but it’s not infinite. Fish farming, while essential to feeding the world, often carries environmental costs — but it doesn’t have to. Sustainable solutions are reshaping aquaculture thanks to cutting-edge technology, ecological understanding, and human innovation. Here’s how to make fish farming more sustainable as the planet moves toward a greener future.

1) Adopt Eco-Friendly Feed Alternatives

Conventional fish feed relies heavily on fishmeal and fish oil derived from wild-caught fish. The high demand is depleting ocean resources.

By adopting alternatives like plant-based feeds or agricultural byproducts such as soybeans and algae, fish farms can reduce the demand for wild fish. Algae-based feeds, for instance, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, offering a nutrient profile similar to traditional fish oil.

Insect-based proteins are another promising option. They require less land, water and energy to produce, making them an efficient and eco-friendly choice. By diversifying feed sources, fish farms can help preserve marine ecosystems and reduce overall environmental decline.

2) Reduce Antibiotic Use

Overreliance on antibiotics in fish farming has significant downsides, including the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and contamination of aquatic ecosystems. To reduce antibiotic use, focus on proactive measures that enhance fish health naturally.

Start by maintaining optimal water quality, reducing fish overcrowding, and providing a stress-free environment. Natural health boosters like probiotics and immunostimulants can strengthen fish’s immune systems, making them less susceptible to diseases and reducing the need to purchase and administer antibiotics.

3) Switch to Renewable Energy Sources

Aquaculture operations often require significant energy for water circulation, filtration and aeration. Transitioning to renewable energy sources like solar, wind or hydro can dramatically lower carbon emissions.

In addition, adopting energy-efficient equipment can further optimize resource use. For instance, high-efficiency aerators and pumps can maintain water quality while consuming less power. Fish farms can achieve greater sustainability and lower operational costs by combining renewable energy with energy-saving technology.

4) Use Recirculating Aquaculture Systems

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) are an innovative solution for sustainable fish farming. These systems continuously filter and recycle water, decreasing water usage while preventing pollution from entering nearby ecosystems.

RAS technology is particularly effective for high-value species like salmon and sturgeon. Imperia Caviar, for example, uses advanced RAS systems to raise sturgeons sustainably. This method ensures product quality and minimizes environmental impact, demonstrating that innovation can align profitability with sustainability.

5) Incorporate Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture

The global reliance on aquaculture is growing rapidly. By 2030, it’s estimated that 50% of the seafood consumed worldwide will come from fish farms. To meet this demand sustainably, planning for this increasing demand is crucial. One strategy is integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA).

IMTA involves farming multiple species together in a complementary way. Fish, shellfish, and seaweed can coexist in a system where each species benefits the others. For example, seaweed and shellfish act as natural biofilters, absorbing nutrients and waste produced by fish.

This practice reduces environmental degradation and creates diversified revenue streams. Farmers can harvest fish, seaweed, and shellfish, catering to different markets while improving sustainability. IMTA demonstrates how mimicking natural ecosystems can enhance both productivity and environmental health.

6) Raise Native or Noninvasive Species

Raising native or noninvasive species is essential for protecting local ecosystems. Native fish are naturally adapted to the environment, requiring fewer resources and diminishing the risk of disease outbreaks.

In contrast, farming non-native species pose ecological risks. If they escape, non-native species can disrupt local ecosystems by outcompeting native species or introducing new pathogens. Choosing species that align with the local environment ensures a more harmonious relationship between your farm and nature.

7) Improve Waste Management Practices

Fish farming generates significant amounts of organic waste. If left untreated, this can pollute water. Implementing effective waste management systems, such as sedimentation basins or biofilters, prevents harmful runoff into local ecosystems.

Another sustainable solution is repurposing waste. Fish waste can be transformed into organic fertilizers for agriculture or converted into bioenergy. These practices reduce waste while creating additional economic opportunities, turning a challenge into an asset.

8) Monitor and Maintain Water Quality

Water quality is a cornerstone of sustainable aquaculture. Poor water quality can harm fish health and disrupt surrounding ecosystems. Monitoring pH, oxygen levels, temperature, and nutrient content will help you maintain a healthy aquatic environment.

Investing in advanced monitoring systems, such as automated sensors, can streamline this process. These systems provide real-time data, allowing you to address issues promptly and maintain optimal conditions for your fish.

9) Seek Green Certifications

Certifications from organizations like the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) or Global Good Agriculture Practices (GlobalG.A.P.) indicate that your farm meets rigorous environmental and ethical standards. Certification from these third-party programs cultivates trust with consumers and differentiates your products in a competitive market.

Certified farms often gain access to premium markets, where customers are willing to pay more for sustainably farmed seafood. This provides a financial incentive to adopt sustainable practices while supporting broader environmental goals.

10) Educate and Engage Stakeholders

Share your sustainability initiatives with stakeholders, from local communities to consumers. Use social media, blogs, or workshops to educate them about eco-friendly aquaculture and how they can contribute to the cause. Sharing success stories motivates others to adopt similar practices, amplifying the impact of your efforts.

Explore How to Make Fish Farming More Sustainable

Sustainable fish farming is essential for meeting the world’s growing demand for seafood without harming the planet. By exploring and adopting these innovative practices, you can contribute to a healthier and more resilient food system in the long term.

About the author: Beth Rush is the green wellness editor at Body+Mind, where she covers topics like the power of climate consciousness at all stages of education. You can find Beth on Twitter @bodymindmag. Subscribe to Body+Mind for more posts by Beth!

How Your Digital and Email Hoarding is Accelerating Environmental Harm

Apart from your route, the internet, the information you pass through it, and the data you store in it don’t feel the same as tangible boxes in a storage unit. However, these minuscule bytes accumulate and leave their mark in unexpected ways. It takes tons of energy and resources to keep connectivity alive and this information intact. Much of it concerns emails, streaming, and tons of other daily digital habits that you might take for granted.

Taking Up Digital Space and its Impact on the Planet

Your digital storage habits contribute to the climate crisis in several ways. People have to store information somewhere, typically on hardware powered by servers and other advanced tech, like solid-state drives and cooling systems. Manufacturing these assets demands habitat destruction through rare earth minerals and heavy metal mining. It also uses tons of water over the course of the technology’s life to prevent overheating. 

This primarily occurs in massive data centers, which tech giants like Google, Meta, Apple, and Microsoft own. While they claim to report their impact authentically, experts suggest these buildings’ effects could be 662% worse than the companies say. These facilities also use tons of land, furthering species displacement and natural resource depletion. 

The inflation is due to many factors, such as the adoption of commercialized artificial intelligence (AI), the booming streaming service industry, and poor digital hygiene. The data deluge, or overgeneration and mismanagement of digital resources, bogs down systems and leverages fossil fuels to stay operational all day, every day. 

Because planned obsolescence is so common in the electronics industry, many of these items head to landfills long before they should. They leech chemicals into the soil and deepen poverty in areas where the e-waste is dumped.

Why Is Email Hoarding a Concern for Sustainability?

Hoarding is terrible for the planet because it encourages consumerism and the accumulation of material items with an end-of-life. These products eventually go to landfills, creating greenhouse gases and harming biodiversity, among other negative impacts. Around 19 million Americans hoard objects, and an intervention is necessary to ensure minimal environmental damage. Action should also rewire habits to prevent hoarding behaviors in the future. These mentalities translate into digital spaces, too.

What role does technology play in environmental degradation? When comparing the carbon footprint of mail to snail mail, you might be surprised to see digital documents are worse, partly because of their electricity usage. 

A year of standard mail averages around 136 kilograms of emissions. One email without an attachment causes four grams of carbon dioxide emissions. Adding an attachment bumps this up to 19 grams, and 50 grams with multiple or large documents and images. Multiply this by all the emails sent daily, including spam, and the impact is significant. 

The average office worker unnecessarily contributes to this digital storage problem by overusing the reply-all feature. It is one of many email behaviors that complicate data management by increasing information redundancy and backup requirements.

How Can People Reduce Their Digital Carbon Footprint?

Just as people can live a minimalist lifestyle, so can they adopt digital minimalism. Simply apply the same principles to digital spaces, including intentionality, mindfulness, and simplicity. In practice, this means unsubscribing from excessive newsletters, using attachment formats that require less space, and limiting social media use. Employees could also inquire about companies transitioning to green hosting services and energy-efficient hardware to minimize impacts more.

Regularly audit your digital footprint, cull what you don’t need, and share your experiences with others about how it improves your life and the planet.

Mindsets are usually what hold people back from dealing with digital clutter. There is resistance to deleting emails because people wonder if they will need to reference the information later. The anxiety driven by just-in-case questioning encourages accumulation and justifies climate ignorance. Here are several ways to overcome these thoughts:

> Use archiving features that reduce stress on active, native servers.

> Move to cloud storage because it has a lower impact than hardware.

> Discuss important email content with relevant people to determine its relevance.

> Take handwritten notes about potentially critical email information like order numbers or reminders in a safe space.

Another way to lower individual carbon footprint in digital spaces is to be more conscious about your relationship with streaming services. Consuming one hour of video content via a streaming service produces 55 grams of carbon dioxide emissions. The number gets higher as video quality increases. Consider breaking out old DVDs if you want a comfort show as background noise.

Many other activities netizens do every day contribute to the information accumulation and consumption problem. These include scrolling social media networks, perusing online storefronts, gaming in massive multiplayer environments, and mining cryptocurrency. You don’t have to stop all online activities that require data transmission. All people need is heightened awareness of its adverse effects.

The Invisible Impact of Digital Footprints

While cloud storage and hard drive storage don’t seem like top priorities compared to single-use plastics or slowly dying species, it is important to boost awareness. Activities like social media use and watching streaming services like Netflix leave a mark, as do hoarding emails. Everyone must choose at least one action today to change their relationship with digital storage and data consumption to alleviate environmental burdens on the planet.

5 Ways Farmers Can Reduce Post-Harvest Food Loss

Farmers know that their crops are at the mercy of nature in the fields, which is why real frustration comes after the harvest. When the harvest begins with a healthy crop, human error often causes food waste afterward. It’s a challenge that farmers everywhere face, but it doesn’t have to be this way.

Farmers can reduce post-harvest food loss by implementing a few strategic practices. These practices improve sustainability and yield better returns on their hard work. Ready to find out how? Let’s dig in.

Use Proper Harvesting Techniques

Effective harvesting techniques are the first step in reducing food loss. Harvesting crops at the right time helps maintain their quality and shelf life. 

Once harvested, crops must be protected from excessive sunlight and moisture, as these elements can quickly lead to spoilage. Implementing drying techniques for grains and other produce can prevent moisture-related damage, extend shelf life, and reduce waste.

Invest in Quality Storage Facilities

Quality storage facilities are essential for maintaining produce integrity. For instance, investing in cold storage solutions can dramatically cut down on post-harvest losses by preserving the freshness of fruits and vegetables. Proper storage can also prevent pest infestations, keeping produce market-ready for longer periods. 

Implement Efficient Transportation Practices

How farmers set produce up for transport can make a huge difference in minimizing damage and loss. For instance, partition separators in produce packaging can improve box strength, protecting delicate fruits and vegetables during transit. 

Likewise, partnering with drivers who prioritize efficient routing and scheduling can help minimize travel time, reducing the likelihood of spoilage during transit.

Enhance Market Access and Diversify Sales

Opening up more avenues for selling produce is another effective way farmers can reduce waste. By enhancing market access, farmers can distribute their products more broadly and avoid bottlenecks that result in unsold goods. 

Diversifying sales channels—like exploring local, regional, and even digital markets—helps produce and reach consumers eager for fresh, local options. Broadening the market also helps farmers feed more people and reduces the environmental impact of food waste.

Leverage Technology for Monitoring and Management

Technology offers farmers valuable tools for monitoring and managing produce from harvest to market. Implementing systems tracking conditions such as temperature and humidity can alert farmers to potential issues before they result in loss. 

Additionally, tech solutions can provide data-driven insights into optimal harvest times, storage conditions, and transportation routes, helping farmers make decisions that reduce waste and boost sustainability.

By adopting these methods, farmers can reduce post-harvest food loss, enhance their bottom lines, and contribute to a more sustainable agricultural future. These practices benefit the environment and reward farmers’ efforts.