Abstract

Do you like to eat fish? Our ocean provides the growing human population with valuable food. Seafood – like fish and shellfish – is an important business for some companies. A healthy ocean is essential if we are to keep eating seafood – and if companies are to keep making money from marine ecosystems. However, our ocean is in danger. Overfishing and unsustainable fish farming (known as aquaculture) pose threats to the long-term health of the ocean and the creatures in it. We wanted to explore how scientists and big companies could work together to benefit ocean life and the seafood trade. We shared our scientific knowledge with powerful companies and they then acted to protect the ocean. This approach allowed us to challenge the threats facing our ocean on an international level. We think that our science-business partnership could be a useful example of how to protect the environment where businesses operate.