Many seafood, especially bivalves like mussels, oysters and clams, are natural filter feedersThis means they feed by pumping water and trapping particles such as algae, bacteria, and suspended organic matter. In this process:
- They reduce turbidity (the water becomes clearer)
- They limit algal blooms excessive
- They can help improve the balance of the aquatic ecosystem.
Recent analyses, such as this study American 2025, on a large scale (for example in the 2025 study on populations of Crassostrea virginica) show that these organisms are not only resilient to environmental changes, but contribute to the stability of coastal ecosystems.
In parallel, studies on restoration projects highlight that oyster reefs:
- improve water quality through filtration
- reduce coastal erosion and protect the coasts
- increase marine biodiversity
Various works related to institutions such as
- filter-feeding mollusc farming can be low environmental impact
- in some cases it even contributes to reduce nutrients and particulate matter in water
- It is considered a key practice for a sustainable “blue economy”.
In particular, a recent study published in the journal Ecology and the Environment has established the following proportions, in terms of environmental impact, for the production of seafood:
- For every 50 grams of protein from farmed seafood, only 0.4 kilograms of carbon dioxide are generated, a value similar to that of growing legumes.
- For the same protein content, beef produces 17,7 kilos of carbon dioxide, cheese 5,4 kilos, poultry 2,9 and eggs 2,1.
Read also:
Want to see a selection of our news?
- Sign up to our newsletter clicking here;
- We are also up Google News , activate the star to add us to your favorite sources;
- Follow us on Facebook, Instagram e Pinterest.