This story was updated at 3:15 EDT.
Responding to a global surge in farm-raised fisheries, the United Nations has endorsed a sweeping set of best practices for the aquaculture industry as concerns about pollution and habitat degradation for non-farmed species rises.
The more than 150 action items approved last week — which were informed by NOAA Fisheries experts — cover 10 broad focus areas ranging from ecosystem protection to fish farm management to data collection, reporting and analysis.
The goal is to “reduce the environmental and carbon footprints of aquaculture by applying sustainable practices throughout production, processing, transportation, storage, and feed manufacturing, including decreasing the use of veterinary medicines,” the best practices document states.
