The Rich Nutrient Bounty of the Local Catch

nutrition, fish

Fish has always been a food source that is rich in many nutrients. In a paper recently published by Dr. Andrew Throne-Lyman, he points out that the nutrient composition of fish is enough to improve nutrition in malnourished communities living near fisheries. 

Dr. Lyman’s  investigation included an analysis of  7 essential nutrients found in more than 350 species. A model was created to identify the global distribution of these nutrients in fisheries, compared to areas where people suffer from inadequate nutrient intake. The data showed that fisheries contain enough nutrients to meet the nutritional needs of malnourished people living within 100 km of the ocean. 

For example, Daniel Pauly, from the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Canada, writes that enough fish is caught off the coast of Namibia to support 75% of the population at risk for calcium deficiency. 

The key takeaway is that nutrient-rich fish is as accessible to coastal populations as the local beach. The data suggests that fish consumption should play a more important role to improve nutrition.