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Substitution of inland fisheries with aquaculture and chicken undermines human nutrition in the Peruvian Amazon

March 19, 2021

With declining capture fisheries production, maintaining nutrient supplies largely hinges on substituting wild fish with economically comparable farmed animals. Although such transitions are increasingly commonplace across global inland and coastal communities, their nutritional consequences are unknown. Here, using human demographic and health information, and fish nutrient composition data from the Peruvian Amazon, we show that substituting wild inland fisheries with chicken and aquaculture has the potential to exacerbate iron deficiencies and limit essential fatty acid supplies in a region already experiencing high prevalence of anaemia and malnutrition. Substituting wild fish with chicken, however, can increase zinc and protein supplies. Chicken and aquaculture production also increase greenhouse gas emissions, agricultural land use and eutrophication. Thus, policies that enable access to wild fisheries and their sustainable management while improving the quality, diversity and environmental impacts of farmed species will be instrumental in ensuring healthy and sustainable food systems.

Publication Year 2021
Title Substitution of inland fisheries with aquaculture and chicken undermines human nutrition in the Peruvian Amazon
DOI 10.1038/s43016-021-00242-8
Authors Sebastian A. Heilpern, Kathryn Fiorella, Carlos Cañas, Alexander S. Flecker, Luis Moya, Shahid Naeem, Suresh Sethi, Maria Uriarte, Ruth DeFries
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Nature Food
Index ID 70229083
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Coop Res Unit Leetown