Mundus maris

The ocean provides seafood in amazing variety and quantity. The average per capita consumption is estimated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) at approximately 16 kg per year. This may well be an underestimation as significant quantities of seafood produced by artisanal fisheries for commerce and self-consumption never makes it into the official statistics, not to mention the serious problem of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fisheries.

The seafood we eat and how we eat it is influenced by culinary traditions and by the culture we live in or are exposed to. Some cultures have richer traditions and more recipes than others, but global trade and travel ensure that ideas and recipes travel as well. The recent fashion of Japanese suchi is a case in point.

This section explores different aspects of seafood, food security, health and sustainability issues and how to navigate the sometimes bewildering diversity.