Giving Compass' Take:

• Food Tank discusses how water used to process seafood could be made more sustainable during a time when our population is rising and protein sources are becoming less accessible. 

• How might funders support more research in this area? Could it be a solution to widespread hunger?

• Here's another example on what other environmental innovations in the seafood industry.

Research from the Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden shows that seafood processing water is a valuable source of protein and can play a vital role in fulfilling the world’s growing demand for nutrient-dense food. Seafood processing water is the water fish and seafood are caught, held, and processed in. Many seafood manufacturers currently treat it as waste and dispose of it, which can be costly. An article in the International Journal of Environment and Waste Management reported it can cost fisheries in India between $500 and $1,500 per day to treat or dispose of seafood processing water.

This research comes at a time when the global demand for protein is at a record high. A growing population that is expected to reach nearly 10 billion people by 2050, combined with rising income levels in developing countries — making meat more affordable — suggests this demand will continue to increase. According to the U.S. National Institute of Health’s National Library of Medicine, “Overall meat consumption increased by almost 60 percent between 1990 and 2009. This trend is expected to continue, driven in particular by income growth in countries such as Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.” Current global consumption of protein is 202 million tons for 7.3 billion inhabitants per year. Consumption scenarios project protein consumption by 2050 to range between 264 billion and 361 billion tons, a 31 percent minimum increase.

Read the full article on the world's protein supply by Stacey Wilcox at Food Tank.