EFFOP Biologist joins ICES Working Group on Food Systems and Nutrition

EFFOP biologist James Hinchcliffe has joined the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea Working Group on Food Systems and Nutrition (WGFSN), contributing to ongoing discussions on the role of aquatic foods in sustainable, nutritious, and accessible food systems.

WGFSN brings together experts across fisheries, aquaculture, nutrition, and food systems to address a longstanding challenge: fisheries and aquaculture are often managed separately, despite their close interdependency. At the same time, the nutritional role of aquatic foods and their contribution to food security have too often remained secondary considerations in policy and industry planning.

The working group aims to help better integrate fisheries and aquaculture management through a food security and nutrition lens. Its work explores how aquatic food systems can support both environmental sustainability and human health, while ensuring that policy and industry strategies are informed by nutritional outcomes as well as resource management objectives.

Topics under discussion include:

• Consideration of human food security needs when establishing fisheries quotas
• Responsible use of fisheries resources in aquafeeds
• Recognition of the nutritional quality of wild and farmed aquatic foods
• Stronger integration between fisheries and aquaculture strategies
• The broader role of aquatic foods in resilient and sustainable food systems

The group’s objectives and deliverables are being developed collaboratively through interdisciplinary expertise spanning science, policy, and industry.

Participation in WGFSN reflects EFFOP’s continued engagement in science-led discussions around sustainable marine ingredients, food systems, and responsible resource use across the blue economy.