Seafood industry: how finance can make a difference

The seafood industry feeds 3 billion people, but it is putting pressure on marine ecosystems that are already under strain. This guide provides you with the key insights you need to invest wisely in this sector.

An industry with a significant impact on marine biodiversity

Fisheries and aquaculture are placing increasing pressure on the oceans. By 2025, more than a third of the world’s fish stocks will be overexploited, according to the FAO, a situation exacerbated by demand that is growing twice as fast as the global population. Added to this are pollution from abandoned nets, the destruction of the seabed by trawling, the deforestation of mangroves and the spread of invasive species. These impacts affect resources that are essential to global food security and expose the sector to growing financial risks.

These are major challenges, but concrete measures exist to channel capital towards more sustainable practices. It is precisely to help those in the financial sector address these issues that the WeeFin Expertise team has produced this guide.

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What you’ll find in this guide

This practical guide outlines the approaches investors can adopt to reduce the negative impact of their portfolios on marine ecosystems, whilst capitalising on opportunities arising from the sector’s transition:

• Sector-specific ESG scoring: specific indicators (ISS, MSCI, Sustainalytics) to assess fishing and aquaculture practices within the ESG score
• Sector exclusions: destructive practices to be excluded as a priority, such as bottom trawling, explosive fishing or operations in protected areas
• Shareholder engagement: engaging in dialogue with companies to guide them towards recognised certifications (MSC, ASC) and the phasing out of the most destructive methods
• Monitoring controversies: identifying warning signs to reduce financial and reputational risks linked to unsustainable practices
• Public data sources: an overview of available sources (FAIRR, TNFD, FAO, IUCN) to enrich analyses
• Thematic funds: examples of funds dedicated to the sustainable blue economy (SWEN Blue Ocean) and the associated impact methodologies