As two coastal countries connected by the Atlantic Ocean and five centuries of shared history, Brazil and Portugal have long appreciated the value of “blue” or aquatic foods, including our shared love of bacalhau, or salt cod. Portugal ranks third in the world and first in the EU for per capita fish and seafood consumption, while in Brazil, aquatic foods support more than three million livelihoods, with consumption of whole, raw fish reaching as much as 800 grams per day in the Amazon, which is hosting the UN climate talks for the first time in its gateway city of Belém. But as our global food system comes under increasing pressure, from climate change to shifting diets, we also share the recognition that blue foods play a crucial role in building more resilient, adaptive, and nutritionally balanced food systems. Fishing vessels like this provide much of the world’s ‘blue’ foods but are only a portion of the overall picture. Image by Nicolas Job / Ocean Image Bank. The blue food sector, which encompasses the wild harvest and farming of fish, shellfish, seaweed, and other aquatic plants and animals, is well-known for providing rich sources of protein and essential micronutrients, such as vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids that are crucial for combating malnutrition, which affects more than two billion people worldwide. However, this sector is often overlooked as a climate strategy despite its potential to help meet demand for animal-source food with a smaller environmental footprint. Many blue foods…This article was originally published on Mongabay

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