Why the Future of Seafood Depends on Both Wild Fisheries and Aquaculture

Seafood is like the orchestra of our food system. Some instruments are ancient, passed down for generations — like wild fisheries. Others are newer, built with innovation — like aquaculture. Alone, each has its own beauty. But together? That’s when the harmony happens. And harmony is exactly what the future of food demands.

Wild Fisheries: Ancestral Notes in the Symphony

When I visit fishing communities, I don’t just see seafood being harvested — I see tradition, identity, and culture woven into every net. Generations of families have learned how to fish responsibly, protecting the very waters that feed them.

In the United States, laws like the Magnuson-Stevens Act have rebuilt more than 40 fish stocks since 2000, proving that good governance can heal oceans and sustain communities. In Europe, the Common Fisheries Policy has made similar progress, slowly pulling stocks back from collapse and setting science-based quotas that matter not just for fish, but for the people whose livelihoods depend on them.

Wild fisheries are like your grandmother’s recipe book — worn, dog-eared, with notes in the margins. They are an inheritance of wisdom, a living memory of how humans have worked with the ocean for centuries. Protecting them is not just about keeping fish on the menu — it’s about honoring heritage, ensuring fair livelihoods, and caring for ecosystems that sustain us all.

Aquaculture: Composing the Future

Now picture aquaculture as jazz — experimental, evolving, a little daring. More than half of the seafood we eat today is farmed, and that share will only grow. When done responsibly, aquaculture relieves pressure on wild stocks, creates jobs, and can even improve ecosystems.

Mussels and oysters, for example, are nature’s water filters — cleaning coastal waters while feeding communities. Seaweed farms act like carbon sponges, drawing down emissions while producing nutritious food. In the Netherlands, integrated aquaculture systems are being tested to recycle nutrients and restore ecological balance, while in the U.S. and Asia, smallholder shrimp farmers are experimenting with mangrove-integrated systems that protect coastlines as they raise seafood.

These examples remind us that aquaculture isn’t one thing — it’s a spectrum of practices. Some are harmful, yes. But many small-scale aquaculture farmers are pioneering low-impact methods that meet or exceed the standards of certified operations, even if they lack the official seal.

Beyond Labels and Lists

Certifications and consumer guides are valuable — they give consumers confidence and hold producers accountable. But they are not the whole story. For many small-scale fishers and aquaculture farmers, certification is out of reach financially, even when their practices are excellent.

It’s like having a farmer with the most flavorful, responsibly grown tomatoes you’ve ever tasted, but no USDA or EU organic label. Would you really dismiss those tomatoes just because they weren’t “certified”?

Seafood is no different. If we only trust color-coded lists, we risk excluding the very producers who are quietly doing things right. Some of the most responsible fishers and farmers — whether in Southeast Asia, the Mediterranean, or right here in the Netherlands — may never appear on a “green list,” but their products deserve our support.

That’s why I believe the best path forward is knowing your source — asking questions, visiting producers, and building trust. Sustainability is not a logo on a package. It’s the integrity of the people behind the product.

A Shared Future

Here’s the truth: it’s not wild or farmed. It’s wild and farmed. Like an orchestra, both are needed to create the full sound. Like a meal, both are needed to nourish our future.

And whether you’re a chef, a policymaker, or simply someone deciding what to cook on a Tuesday night, your choices ripple outward. They touch coastal communities, ecosystems, and future generations.

When you choose responsibly — whether it’s a wild-caught herring from the North Sea, farmed mussels from Zeeland, or shrimp from a farmer restoring mangroves in Asia — you are voting for a better food system.

Sustainable seafood isn’t some abstract issue debated in conference halls. It’s the story of the food on your plate, the people behind it, and the ecosystems that make it possible. And just like music, when everyone plays their part — in balance — the result is extraordinary.