Carbon Footprint and Economic Value of Marine Aquaculture: Mitigation and Business Implications
Keywords:
Carbon footprint, Marine aquaculture, Emission mitigation, Certification, Blue economyAbstract
Marine aquaculture (mariculture) has expanded rapidly as a key contributor to blue food production and coastal economic development. However, increasing production intensity may generate substantial carbon footprints along the production chain. At the same time, the sector offers significant opportunities for carbon mitigation through biogenic carbon sequestration, production efficiency, and the adoption of sustainability certification schemes with economic value. This article aims to systematically review carbon footprints in marine aquaculture, assess available mitigation potentials, and examine their implications for economic value and sustainable business strategies. A thematic literature review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Literature searches were performed in Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, resulting in 75 articles that met the inclusion criteria and were qualitatively analyzed. The review indicates that major sources of carbon emissions in marine aquaculture are feed production, operational energy use, and transportation, whereas the most significant mitigation potentials are associated with seaweed farming, integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), and energy-efficiency innovations. Furthermore, environmental certification and carbon footprint disclosure have been shown to enhance product competitiveness, access to premium markets, and economic value, despite challenges related to implementation costs, methodological standardization, and the capacity of small-scale producers. In conclusion, integrating carbon footprint management, mitigation strategies, and sustainability certification is essential to strengthening the business resilience of marine aquaculture while supporting the transition toward a low-carbon blue economy
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