Overfishing the world’s oceans and rivers is a direct reflection of man’s impact in reducing biodiversity. Cases of eliminating such a large portion of adult fish that new generations are stalled are just part of the problem. Introducing invasive and non-native species can further reduce species that are the main sources of food for whales and polar bears. 

For years, organizations like the World Wildlife Fund and local grassroots efforts have been reaching out to fishing companies educating and negotiating with them to reduce their large catches so as not to strain the world’s oceans and rivers. For example, one method was to support a system of harvesting fish of a particular size, and only so many of that species in a particular body of water in a given year. The theme here is everything in moderation. 

 

A new effort by TimberFish Technologies presents a different spin on sustainable fishing practices. TimberFish proposes to switch from using grain and fishmeal to plant substances for feeding fish raised on farms. The environmental benefits of using a plant-based system means less land needed to raise grain, and the plants used in this process come from sustainable forests. 

 

Biologically speaking, replacing grain with plant material creates two benefits in the food chain: the first being that grain is not a normal, natural food source fish in rivers might consume. Instead, fish receive their food from plant matter that falls or grows in rivers.

 

Think corn-fed livestock versus grass-fed. Cows are naturally engineered to digest grass and not corn, so it makes sense that farmers would only feed them naturally if consumers want natural beef. Additionally, introducing a sustainably harvested food source means less potential intrusion of pollutants to fish that can accumulate and harm humans and other animals that consume them.

 

The co-founder is a biologist, so science has been used in determining the sustainability of the technology. Moreover, TimberFish is looking to make an impact on sustainability through several efforts, such as supporting sustainably harvested forests, renewable energy and installation of a wastewater recycling system at their manufacturing facility. Additionally, the company is working to restore habitats, claiming that the "implementation of this technology platform provides an economic driver to reestablish forests and wetlands."

 

However, the message TimberFish is sending is that it is good to eat farm-raised fish, which is a slightly different message from eating local. If regions do not have fish farms, then people are not eating locally. In terms of sustainability and being a steward to the environment, which should the consumer choose for their dinner table? Local or sustainably farm-raised? 

 

At first glance, it makes sense for fish farms to use the TimberFish technology. But, is this really solving the overfishing problem by raising fish out of their natural environment? The working assumption under raising fish via farms is that consumer demand can be diverted from river-raised fish to farm-raised fish. Is that really the case? 

 

Maybe there are no silver bullet answers and maybe consumer has to face the issue individually based on what is readily available in their area. Maybe, technology like TimberFish's offering can be part of a sustainable fish industry portfolio for those parts of the country where trucking in fish from rivers and oceans is not sustainably feasible.