as a result of extractive and polluting capitalist ventures, humanity is now engaged in a fight for our ocean’s survival along with the livelihoods of those who depend on it for sustenance, income, and cultural meaning. with industrial overfishing and marine environmental destruction threatening fish and crustacean health, we desperately need to overhaul our maritime relationships and seafood systems. a wealth of environmentally preservative marine stewardship traditions by indigenous communities provide examples of how to do things right. indigenous scholar kii’iljuus barbara wilson of the cumshewa eagle clan notes, “it’s time to…learn about all the things my ancestors did to ensure that there was enough fish and octopus — looking after and respecting the environment.” our planet is in dire need of sustainable food sources that both support our deteriorating natural ecosystems and nourish increasing human populations, requirements met by multiple indigenous seafood systems.

indigenous seafood stewardship past and present

there is an extensive history of first nations people across the world practicing mariculture, or the cultivation of marine life for food in enclosed areas of open waters. indigenous communities along the northwest coast of north america have long harvested herring eggs from kelp, cedar, and spruce fronds they strategically placed in shallow ocean waters. these introduced organic materials enhance spawning grounds, therefore improving the likelihood that herring will return. in new zealand, the māori people have engaged in mara mataitai –– various approaches to mariculture –– to ensure collective food security since 925. for instance, māori communities used bull kelp to fertilize beds of toheroa, a large bivalve mollusk, to enhance its productivity. māori mariculture is informed by utu, a concept dictating reciprocity with the species and ecosystems from which humans derive our resources. if this principle is replicated by ocean stewards worldwide, we can bolster and protect the ocean habitats on which we greatly rely.

one of the most productive indigenous mariculture innovations that could radically transform our seafood systems if adopted at a larger scale is the clam garden. various populations have been constructing clam gardens for at least 4,000 years by building a rock wall at the low tide line that traps sediment, thereby reducing the slope of the beach and increasing clam habitat area. clam gardens specifically support enhanced production by creating a larger area of optimal intertidal height qualified with prime growth conditions. in british columbia, butter clams within gardens had 1.96 times the biomass and 2.44 times the density as their counterparts in unmodified beaches. to create more productive food systems, the seafood industry must take indigenous practices of food cultivation seriously and learn from the skills willing to be shared. there is no use in waiting for western science to confirm what first nations people have known about the success of their seafood systems for centuries.

these examples of indigenous mariculture innovations provide a small survey of the indigenous stewardship methods that bolster seafood supplies while fostering a restorative relationship with our seas, all without utilizing industrial resources or exploiting the environment. in bitter irony, “indigenous people are now the ‘outliers’ on their own ancestral lands,” despite their superior, sustainable stewardship. first nations people engaged with mariculture practices deserve reparations and support from industrial actors and government programming alike. governments can start by reversing restrictive policies such as canada’s fisheries act that asserts federal authority over all fisheries in canada, undermining the rights of indigenous communities to exercise their expertise over the waters they’ve long depended on.

climate-forward collaborations

in a present-day model program, researchers, tribal nations, students, and various indigenous stewards are currently coming together through the cross-pacific regional collaborative hub funded by noaa’s sea grant program in washington state. this project is initiating research, outreach, and education in collaboration with indigenous communities across hawaii, alaska, and washington to advance indigenous aquaculture practices in the pacific region. the group hosts summits, advances existing restoration sites, and plans for future investments in indigenous aquaculture. returns to indigenous ocean stewardship, accompanied by reparatory and collaborative action, can build more gentle yet robust seafood systems while rebuilding the industry’s broken connection to the sea.

this story was featured in our series, slipping through our fingers: the future of water.

many western people think of seafood as one category: fish. as jessica gephart, an environmental scientist and professor at american university said in an interview, “we talk about it (seafood) as one group in the same way we might talk about chicken or beef, but really it represents 2000 species that are captured or cultivated around the world.” 

seafood is more than fish

the term seafood refers to a diverse array of organisms from fish to cephalopods (octopus, squid, cuttlefish, etc.) to algae (phytoplankton, seaweed), among others.

we often limit our seafood choices to only fish, leaving the rest of the sea in a tank. 

how can we expand the conversation around seafood — and why should we?

ole mouritsen, physicist and professor of gastrophysics and culinary food innovation at the university of copenhagen, answers, “it’s a matter of elevating people’s knowledge of what seafood is.” 

mouritsen’s exploration of cephalopods and algae began as an interest in japanese cuisine. his curiosity led him to years of research surrounding these organisms and their role in food systems. he has worked alongside scientists and chefs to explore the nutritional compounds and flavor found in these species. in his recent paper, a role for macroalgae and cephalopods in sustainable eating, mouritsen claims we should look further to octopus, squid, seaweed and other aquatic organisms for a lessened environmental impact and greater health benefits. his research calls for a change to “consume marine food in a more diverse and insightful manner, including eating from lower trophic levels and limiting bycatch and waste” (mouritsen & styrbæk, 2018, p. 2). by consuming these compounds at the source, we are able to maximize the nutritional value of these foods. typically 90% of nutrients are lost as they move up the food chain through consumption. marine seaweed is on the lower end of the food chain, and dense in micronutrients. cephalopods are generally on a higher trophic level, while still retaining much of their nutrient density. when we eat the organisms towards these lower trophic levels (compared to large fish, cows, pigs, etc.), we consume the richest nutrient components, with fewer calories. 

role of cephalopods & algae in a nutrient-rich diet

raw, boiled, fermented, alive, fluorescent, it’s all edible, mostly.

beyond their delectable flavor, these two types of organisms provide omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. the human body cannot synthesize these nutrients on our own, so we must seek them out in our food. micronutrients including iodine, iron, copper, zinc, and selenium are also found in many species of cephalopods and algae. all of these nutrients are essential for our health and brain function (mouritsen & schmidt, 2020).

beyond nutritional value, one of the huge strengths of seafood is the diversity, explained gephart. not only are there over 2000 species of seafood organisms, but they are “found in all climatic belts on the planet and they can be harvested in the wild or farmed in aquaculture” (mouritsen & schmidt, 2020, p. 2). 

umami

mouritsen highlights in an interview that when it comes to diet “taste comes first — after that you can talk about nutrition, health, calories, and sustainability.” the central component of mouritsen’s research related to seafood is the umami flavor found in cephalopods and algae. umami, is considered “the essence of deliciousness” (mouritsen, 2016, p.8). found in a variety of cephalopods and algae, “umami may be a part of the solution to provide healthier, less caloric and more satisfying meals” (mouritsen, 2016, p.8) — while adding the same delicious savory flavor we’re used to. the umami-rich seafood plays the role of an alternative to salt or sugar. replacing additives with seaweed and other umami-rich foods can “reduce the fat content by up to 30%… and reduce salt intake up to 50 % without reducing while retaining palatability” (mouritsen, 2016, p.8). this work has also involved experimentation with the use of umami as seasoning for vegetables in an effort to make a plant-based diet more palatable for omnivores.the craft of preparation

the reason most americans find cephalopods and seaweed unappetizing is the texture. cephalopods get their texture from collagen, which makes up their muscular structure. in his research, mouritsen speaks to the value of proper preparation, describing for example how improperly prepared squid can transform from a subtle, tender dish to a rubbery, greasy mess. japanese cuisine offers models of how to handle these meats. we may look to their example, mouritsen believes, to see “as with other types of meat this can be handled by culinary insight, craftsmanship, and scientific knowledge”(2020, p. 3). for these more uncommon types of seafood, it will take culinary insight and public communication for them to find their way onto western grocery store shelves.

looking to the future

feeding the growing human population will require culinary innovation. mouritsen notes that in order to meet our needs, “we would have to use all the resources of mother earth,” including cephalopods and algae — even if it takes some getting used to. seafood represents an under-utilized, sustainable alternative to more expensive, carbon-producing food products. mainstreaming seafood — in all its variety — will make the world easier to feed. 

when it comes to food you can’t really force it. it takes a long time. it probably took a long time for americans to learn how to eat pizza.” -ole mouritsen

works cited

mouritsen, o. g. (2016). deliciousness of food and a proper balance in fatty acid composition as means to improve human health and regulate food intake. flavour, 5(1). doi:10.1186/s13411-016-0048-2

mouritsen, o. g., & schmidt, c. v. (2020). a role for macroalgae and cephalopods in sustainable eating. frontiers in psychology, 11, [1402]. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01402 

mouritsen, o. g., & styrbæk, k. (2018). cephalopod gastronomy – a promise for the future. frontiers in communications, 3, [38]. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2018.00038