Small fish could help solve food security and malnutrition issues

By Pol Allingham via SWNS

Sardines, herrings and anchovies could tackle food security and malnutrition issues worldwide, according to a new study.

In sub-Saharan Africa, 55 million children had their growth stunted from inadequate diets in 2020, and three billion people in Southern Asia and sub-Sarahan Africa cannot afford a healthy and nutritious diet.

But Lancaster University researchers said just 20 percent of the small fish caught in the region could feed all children living near the sea or by a lake with a daily portion of nutritious seafood.

The small fish are the cheapest of the nutritious fish found in many low and middle-income countries.

Fishermen often catch sardines, herrings and anchovies in vast quantities in the waters surrounding areas facing malnutrition.

The find could alleviate essential micronutrient deficiency, linked with maternal mortality and student growth - two conditions increasingly prevalent around the world.

Malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa is increasing - 10 million children suffered wasting in 2020, where severe weight loss is caused by the body often irreversibly changing the way it absorbs proteins, carbohydrates and fat.

Study lead Dr. James Robinson, of Lancaster University, said: “Our findings show that nutrients critical to tackling malnutrition are within the reach of vulnerable people living nearby coastal and freshwater ecosystems across the globe.

“These small locally-caught fish are packed with nutrients key for sustaining healthy diets, are already caught in sufficient numbers, and are affordable.

“Small pelagic fisheries must be fished sustainably, and catches must reach vulnerable local populations.”

The researchers collaborated with fishery scientists to collect data on the number of fish caught and the economic and nutrient data of the fish.

Data spanned more than two-thirds of the fisheries’ catch across the globe.

The Illuminating Hidden Harvests projects now hold data on nearly 2,350 species of fish and identified the most nutritious and affordable fish in 39 low and middle-income countries.

The team aim uses their findings to inform fisheries policies and public health in regions where such data is scarce.

The small species - known as pelagic fish from the area of the sea and lakes where they’re found - are highly nutritious, caught abundantly, and the most affordable fish, particularly in low-income countries.

They are rich in iron, zinc, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids and selenium, and up to twice as affordable as other fish groups.

Herrings, sardines and anchovies were discovered to be the cheapest fish in 28 of the 39 countries.

The least affordable were cod and flounders, cold-water demersal species.

The affordability of each fish was deduced by comparing their price with the cost of the cheapest local staples, such as rice or root chips.

In doing so, researchers were able to compare fish prices across nations with different levels of income and food systems.

Co-author Dr. Kendra Byrd of the University of Greenwich Natural Resources Institute said: “Fish is a key animal food in the Global South, providing a local and cheap source of micronutrients such as iron and zinc.

“Governments and other institutions have lacked sufficient data on which fish species would deliver the biggest benefits for public health, until now.

“Prioritising small pelagic fish for consumption by local vulnerable people, such as children, mothers or the elderly, can help to address common nutrient deficiencies such as calcium, iron and zinc, delivering huge public health benefits.”

However, writing in the journal Nature Food the team stressed that there the supply of these small fish could be threatened by overfishing and competing global demand, for industries including animal feed and fish oils.

Dr. Godfred Asiedu, of Ghana Fisheries Recovery Activity and who was another co-author on the research, said: “The need for locally accessible, cheap, and nutritious food sources has never been greater.

“Our study helps to shine a light on the ‘hidden’ environmental, social, economic and governance contributions of small-scale fisheries, focusing attention on the importance of policy making for sustainable and equitable management of small-scale fisheries.“