Sustainability Governance in Aquaculture Systems
Summary
Sustainability governance in aquaculture systems encompasses the array of public, private and hybrid mechanisms designed to ensure responsible production, environmental protection and social equity within aquatic food chains. It integrates regulatory frameworks, certification schemes and participatory approaches across local, national and international scales. Polycentric governance structures—where multiple overlapping authorities share responsibility—enable adaptation to diverse ecological contexts and stakeholder demands. Certification standards and assurance models have proliferated, offering market-based incentives for compliance and continuous improvement in areas such as water quality, feed sourcing and community welfare. Advances in digital traceability, remote monitoring and risk assessment tools have enhanced transparency and accountability, while collaborative platforms bring together producers, governments, non-governmental organisations and consumers in co-management initiatives. Adaptive management and ecosystem-based approaches further align production goals with biodiversity conservation, resilience to climate stressors and equitable benefit sharing. Despite progress, challenges persist in harmonising standards, supporting smallholder inclusion, and aligning economic incentives with long-term sustainability objectives. Ongoing research seeks to refine multi-stakeholder governance models, address power imbalances and ensure that sustainability commitments translate into measurable environmental and social outcomes worldwide.
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Sustainability Governance in Aquaculture Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in sustainability governance in aquaculture systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Polycentric governance: A system in which multiple overlapping decision-making centres operate at different scales, enhancing adaptability through shared authority and flexible coordination.
Certification standard: A set of predefined criteria established by independent bodies to assess and label aquaculture products according to environmental, social and ethical performance.
Assurance model: The framework for verifying compliance with standards, ranging from external third-party audits to self-verifying, internally managed schemes.
Ecosystem-based management: An integrated approach that considers the entire ecosystem, including human and ecological interactions, to maintain ecological integrity while supporting sustainable resource use.
References
- Virtually the Reality: Negotiating the Distance between Standards and Local Realities When Certifying Sustainable Aquaculture. Sustainability (2019).
- From checking boxes to actual improvement: A new take on sustainability certification. Aquaculture (2022).
- Assuring aquaculture sustainability beyond the farm. Marine Policy (2021).
- Environmental certifications in Brazilian aquaculture. Aquaculture International (2024).
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