Attention Young Career Seekers:  The Seafood Industry offers attractive long term job prospects

Choosing a career path today can be a daunting endeavor given the high unemployment, the offshoring of jobs, and the advancement of technology that can cause both the birth and death of businesses in an increasingly rapid fashion.  Young career seekers, however, should consider the seafood industry as it offers the prospects of job security, emotional rewards, and exciting technological developments.

One constant is that we will always have to eat and this fact makes food industry employment a relatively stable long term  career path.  Seafood consumption is growing rapidly on a global basis and it is primarily aquaculture that is meeting this increasing demand.  

By the year 2050 our world population is estimated to reach 9 billion and this will create an unprecedented demand for all types of foods.  To meet this demand the United Nations estimates that annual food production will need to nearly double.

With 9 billion of us coming in 2050, there are both current and long term opportunities awaiting young career seekers in the seafood industry.  These opportunities encompass jobs in wild caught and farmed seafood production, processing, quality control, storage, distribution, marketing, retailing/wholesaling, financing/banking, accounting, government, law, lobbying, sustainability, scientific research, importing, exporting, and many other ancillary services.

Seafood is currently the leading animal protein of choice for advancing human health and its farmed production is growing faster than any other food production system in the world. An influx of new young talent into the seafood industry is crucial for the industry to move forward as it strives to responsibly sustain the future health of humans and the Earth’s productive aquatic resources. 

Please add your comments and perspectives concerning the present and future career opportunities for young job seekers in the seafood industry.

Sincerely, Dave

Urban Aquaculture in 2050

 Intensive Urban Aquaculture Systems Enhancing Food Security in 2050

“Aquaculture, not the Internet, represents the most promising investment opportunity

 of the 21^st Century.”

Peter Drucker, Economist and Nobel Laureate

What role will the late Peter Drucker’s vision of aquaculture play in the middle of this Century when our world population will be 9 billion and 70% of us will be living in cities?

Prediction:  By 2050, cities will be producing aquatic animals, plants, and algae for food by integrating intensive aquaculture production systems into their water/waste management infrastructures.

The FAO’s  The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2012 report recently stated that aquaculture currently supplies nearly half of our seafood and that the increased demand in 2050 will be primarily satisfied by this, the world’s fastest growing food production system.

The important role of aquaculture in improving food security was recently exemplified by NOAA’s goal to enhance our nation’s food security through aquaculture and The United Nation’s goal of improving the food security for rural poor around the world by using aquaculture production technologies.

Most aquaculture production takes place along ocean coastlines and inland fresh water systems that can be located far from large cities.  As the world population moves to becoming 70% urbanized by 2050, food security becomes very critical for what will be at that time over 6 billion city dwellers!

With over 6 billion of us concentrated in cities by 2050, humanity could face a precarious food supply/production infrastructure.  However, technological advancements in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), genetics and waste water utilization should make it possible to use the massive water management infrastructures of cities to implement intensive urban aquaculture systems.

Vast water management infrastructures are already in place in the major cities of the world and with the proper long term policies, planning, and scientific advancements, the integration of intensive aquaculture systems can advance food security for the future urbanized world of 2050.

Peter Drucker’s investment advice for the 21^st Century may very well be true, but aquaculture’s main contribution to our increasingly urbanized citizens may turn out to be food security rather than financial security.

Please share your thoughts concerning the possible importance of “Urban Aquaculture” in helping to assure food security for our future Mid-century urbanites.  Sincerely, Dave

Eat More Farmed Clams, Oysters, Mussels, and Scallops to Improve the Environment and Human Health!

Premise: Farmed Bivalve Mollusks such as mussels, scallops, clams, and oysters can serve as:

·         Indicator species for determining aquatic ecosystem health and as water quality

            enhancers by way of filter feeding

·         Low trophic level species that can produce food with reduced

           carbon footprint and with essentially no human provided feed inputs

·         Nutritional powerhouses that can contribute greatly to human health

Conclusion (based on the above premise): The worldwide farming and consumption of

                             Bivalve Mollusks should be increased in order to:

·         Monitor and enhance the health and preservation of coastal ecosystems

·         Assist in reducing CO₂  and reducing the consumption of higher trophic farmed

            aquatic species that may be net users of resources and generate larger carbon footprints

·         Advance human health by way of their high protein/low fat,  and broad array of vitamins,

            minerals, trace elements and omega 3s

Please leave any comments concerning this topic.....for example:  ocean acidification affecting oyster spat production, eco-friendly status of bivalve farming, constraints on further expansion, the wonderful nutritional profile of bivalves....Many Thanks, Dave