Farmed production of some fish - and seaweed
Since 2022, the farming of aquatic animals has been steadily overtaking fishing around the world -- but with large disparities from species to species.
Fast-growing species
The two biggest sellers on the market in 2023, carp and tilapia, mainly came from freshwater farming, while other widely-consumed fish, like herring, came just from deep sea fishing
Thierry Laugier, a researcher at Ifremer, France's national institute for ocean science and technology, told AFP that fish farmers choose species that grow quickly and with simple requirements, to be able to control the life cycle.
Sales of the most widely farmed fish in Europe, Atlantic salmon, came to 1.9 million tonnes in 2023, 99 percent of which were farmed.
"We know how to control the ageing or how to launch a reproduction cycle, through injecting hormones," Laugier said.
Asia main producer
Asia is by far the biggest producer of farmed fish, accounting for 92 percent of the 136 million tonnes -- of both animal and plant species -- produced under manmade conditions in 2023.
"For carp, it comes down to tradition, it has been farmed for thousands of years on the Asian continent," the Ifremer researcher said.
At the other end of the spectrum, sardines and herring are just fished in the oceans, mainly for profitability reasons as some fish grow very slowly.
"It takes around two years to get an adult-sized sardine," Laugier said.
He said farming of some fish has not yet been started as, "for a long time, we thought the ocean was an inexhaustible resource".
Seaweed
Little known in the West, seaweed nevertheless accounts for almost a third of world aquaculture production.
Almost exclusively from Asia, seaweed production increased by nearly 200 percent in two decades, to 38 million tonnes. It is mainly used in industry, in jellies, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, the expert said.
He said seaweed also has the major advantage of absorbing not just CO2 in the oceans, but also nitrogen and certain pollutants.
"And from an ecological point of view it is better to farm macroalgae than salmon," Laugier said.
© 2025 AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
AFP
3 days ago
- AFP
Health influencer falsely claims nicotine can cure neurological disorders
"Nicotine is not addictive. Parkinson's disease can be prevented and can be cured, and its symptoms reversed, with nicotine alone," health influencer Byran Ardis says in a video teasing an episode of the "Culture Apothecary" podcast from Alex Clark, a leading voice in the "Make America Healthy Again" movement. Ardis, whom AFP has previously fact-checked for spreading health misinformation, goes on to claim: "Nicotine is known by medical science to be a curative agent and a preventative agent for Alzheimer's. Did you know nicotine could also cure the symptoms of hypothyroidism?" He also asserts that "glioblastomas were proven in 2021 to be cured by nicotine alone." The clip has attracted tens of thousands of interactions on Instagram since May 19, 2025. Ardis's endorsement of nicotine patches continued to be shared across platforms in July, alongside other edits of the conversation, including one Clark posted on YouTube. Image Screenshot from Instagram taken July 18, 2025 But nicotine is an addictive chemical, and the only use for nicotine patches approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is to quit smoking (archived here and here). "Don't use nicotine, other than trying to help quit smoking," Edward Levin, chief of the Neurobehavioral Research Lab at Duke University Medical Center, told AFP July 14 (archived here). He said the effect of nicotine on cognition, depression, Parkinson's or Alzheimer's "has not been proved, so it's still under investigation." Parkinson's disease In the podcast, Ardis claims nicotine by itself can prevent, cure or reverse symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Scientists are exploring nicotine's potential as a Parkinson's treatment due to the chemical's dopamine-increasing properties and the fact that smokers develop Parkinson's at a lower rate, but research has yielded mixed results (archived here). "Nicotine does potentially up the release of dopamine, and dopamine is what is impaired in Parkinson's disease. So the rationale for it is there, but the proof of it is not," Levin said. "To say flat out that it does prevent or cure Parkinson's just is not true." A 2015 study by the Parkinson's Institute concluded that nicotine could hold promise in terms of protecting against nerve degeneration, alleviating symptoms and reducing side effects of other drugs used to treat the disease (archived here). However, the study stops short of recommending nicotine as a proven treatment, saying instead that it "may represent a new disease modifying approach." A 2021 literature review published in Molecular Medicine Reports said nicotine may slow the progression of the disease by improving memory impairment and dyskinesia (archived here). Conversely, a trial supported by the Michael J. Fox Foundation showed nicotine patches did not slow the progression (archived here). "Despite some initially promising findings from animal models and correlational studies in humans, this has not translated well to clinical trials," Maggie Sweitzer, an associate professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University, told AFP in a July 15 email (archived here). "I am not aware of any solid evidence to support nicotine as a treatment in Parkinson's disease." Alzheimer's disease Ardis's second claim is that nicotine is "known by medical science" to be a curative and preventative agent for Alzheimer's disease. Researchers in the United States are currently investigating the effects of nicotine on mild cognitive impairment, a precursor to Alzheimer's, as part of the "Memory Improvement Through Nicotine Dosing" (MIND) study (archived here). But nicotine has not been incorporated into human treatment beyond clinical trials. A 2012 trial focused on 67 subjects concluded that nicotine led to cognitive improvement in attention, memory and processing, but it said further study would be necessary to determine if the findings were clinically important (archived here). A much larger follow-up is currently in progress, with results expected later in 2025 (archived here). Levin, a researcher on the MIND study, said despite promising findings, nicotine patches have not yet been FDA approved to protect against cognitive decline. "I can't recommend it," Levin said. "It's not FDA approved for that purpose. It's under investigation." Levin said that if nicotine patches were implemented as a treatment for Alzheimer's or other cognitive diseases, they would likely be used alongside other drugs, rather than alone. He also pushed back on Ardis's claim that it is safe to place nicotine patches on children, saying the drug is toxic from early fetal development through adolescence and can adversely impact the nervous system (archived here). Glioblastoma Ardis then claims nicotine alone was proven in 2021 to cure glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. AFP did not find a reference with such clear proof. Instead, a 2021 paper in Pharmacological Research showed nicotine can promote the proliferation of glioblastoma cells, with nicotinic receptors potentially contributing to the tumor's aggressive behavior (archived here). The paper also discovered that drugs that block nicotinic receptors can decrease glioblastoma cell growth. An earlier literature review said smoking and other uses of tobacco and nicotine during treatment can detrimentally affect a patient's prognosis (archived here). Keyword searches did reveal a 2022 in vivo study which found that nicotine, in conjunction with lithium carbonate, can suppress and kill glioblastoma cells, although the study also warns of health risks resulting from nicotine's cytotoxicity (archived here). But such findings have not been replicated outside of in vivo cell studies, and Sweitzer said it would be difficult to study the isolated effect of nicotine on glioblastoma in a clinical setting. "It would be unethical for researchers to assign patients with glioblastomas to a treatment condition where they received 'nicotine alone' in the absence of usual standard of care, because this would deprive the patients of treatment that they would receive if they were not in the study," Sweitzer said. "In general, people should be highly skeptical about claims that something has been 'proven' in health and medicine." Lead Stories and Medical Dialogues previously debunked claims by Ardis that nicotine can cure brain tumors in as little as 72 hours. Hypothyroidism Finally, Ardis poses that nicotine could cure symptoms of hypothyroidism, a thyroid gland condition that can lead to high cholesterol and heart problems. The 2021 Molecular Medicine Reports literature review said nicotine may "activate thyroid receptor signaling pathways" to improve hypothyroidism-induced memory impairment (archived here). But Sweitzer said Ardis's claim misleads. "There are interactions between nicotine and thyroid hormones that have been clearly demonstrated in animal models," Sweitzer said (archived here and here). "But I am not aware of any evidence that would suggest nicotine can be used as a treatment in itself." Rexford Ahima, director of the division of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at Johns Hopkins University, agreed (archived here). "Nicotine does not cure hypothyroidism," Ahima told AFP in a July 15 email. "Nicotine use, especially through smoking, is linked to worsening of autoimmune hyperthyroidism." AFP has debunked other health misinformation here.
AFP
3 days ago
- AFP
Fireflies will still light up summers, despite a decline in diversity
"We are the last generation to see fireflies," says text over a July 14, 2025 post on TikTok, which gathered more than 30 million views and includes images -- some of which appear to be computer-generated -- of the little lantern bug. Image Screenshot of a TikTok post taken July 17, 2025 Similar posts expressing concern about extinction gained traction across platforms in July 2025, coinciding with the height of the insect's season in North America, where they are mainly observed between the months of May and September. While climate stressors on certain firefly varieties exist, others have adapted well to urban habitat changes, making it unlikely that they will disappear by the end of the century, scientists say. "In short, no, we will not be the last generation to see fireflies," Clyde Sorenson, a professor in the department of entomology and plant pathology at North Carolina State University, told AFP July 16, 2025 (archived here). There are over 2,000 species of fireflies, found on every continent except Antarctica (archived here). Crepuscular fireflies, such as the Common Eastern firefly, continue to proliferate in big eastern US cities, as they adapt to ambient light and may thus be more resilient to light pollution (archived here). These are what we call habitat generalists, Sorenson explained. By nature, they are highly adaptable species (archived here). Varying adaptability What is at risk over the next generation, however, is firefly diversity, scientists say. Many species that are habitat specialists -- rather than generalists -- live in ecosystems that have been significant human caused changes. They can face threats to their ecosystems due to human development, pesticide use, light pollution, climate change and natural disasters. "Species which use coastal marshes or mangroves could be displaced as sea level rise eliminates their habitats," Sorenson said. This is the case for the rare Bethany Beach firefly, endemic to Delaware wetlands (archived here and here). The Bethany Beach firefly is the first of its type to be proposed for listing as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act, a federal law enacted in 1973 to protect species of fish, wildlife, and plants, as well as their habitats, from extinction. Rising sea levels, in addition to more frequent and severe storms, threaten to degrade and eventually destroy their habitats, with the majority of the Bethany Beach firefly population likely to be lost to high-tide flooding by 2100, according to climate models (archived here and here). "The greatest threats to the Bethany Beach firefly are the compounding impacts from climate change on habitat availability," the US Fish and Wildlife Service said in a September 30, 2024 statement (archived here.) Three main threats other species of fireflies have also been petitioned to be listed on the Endangered Species Act: the Florida intertidal firefly, the southwest spring firefly, the mysterious lantern firefly, and the loopy five firefly. Some are currently under review for acceptance, but none is currently listed as of July 2025. Candace Fallon, a senior endangered species conservation biologist at the nonprofit Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, told AFP that at least 18 species of fireflies in the United States are at risk of extinction (archived here and here). "Up to a third of firefly species may be at risk once we compile enough information to conduct a thorough assessment of data deficient species," she said Sarah Lower, a biologist at Bucknell University, told AFP that it is essential to consider "the greater likelihood of losing" local firefly populations due to human developments and changes in ecosystems (archived here). "If the field next door becomes a paved parking lot with streetlights on all night long," and if that area "represents the last remaining population of a particular species, then that species could go extinct," she explained July 16. Lynn Faust, an advisory consultant on firefly studies with US state and national parks, agreed (archived here). "Fireflies have many, many challenges in today's world. Habitat destruction from development is one of the biggest," Faust, who has studied fireflies for 35 years, said July 17. She added, however: "My personal experience is the fireflies are doing very well as long as the three things I mentioned above are not happening to their habitat." Individuals can contribute to firefly conservation by maintaining native vegetation on their properties, limiting the use of insecticides and reducing night-time lighting as much as possible (archived here). AFP has previously written about other claims misconstruing the impact of changes in climate and human pollution on species and ecosystems.
France 24
12-07-2025
- France 24
Peruvian citadel that is nearly 4,000 years old opens doors to tourists
The archaeological site, known as Penico, was a meeting point for trade between the first human communities on the Pacific coast and those from the Andes and Amazon regions, researchers have said. Located in the Supe valley, some 110 miles (180 kilometers) north of the Peruvian capital Lima and around 12 miles from the Pacific ocean, Penico was a hilly landscape before exploration work began in 2017. Archaeologists believe it could hold insights into why the Caral civilization -- which flourished between 3,000 and 1,800 BC -- faded. At the opening ceremony, artists from the region played pututus -- the traditional shell trumpets -- during an ancestral ritual offering to the Pachamama, Mother Earth, consisting of agricultural products, coca leaves and local drinks. Penico was an "organized urban center devoted to agriculture and trade between the coast, the mountains and the forest," archaeologist Ruth Shady, who leads research on the site, told AFP. The site itself dates back to between 1,800 and 1,500 BC, she added. It was built on a geological terrace 2000 feet (600 meters) above sea level, parallel to a river to avoid flooding. Research carried out by the Peruvian Ministry of Culture has identified 18 constructions, including buildings and residential complexes. Researchers believe that it was built at the same time as the first civilizations in the Middle East and Asia. Shady said researchers are hoping the site can shed light on the crisis they think helped hasten the end of the Caral civilization. This crisis, she said, was linked to climatic changes that led to droughts and affected agricultural activities in the region. "We want to understand how the Caral civilization formed and developed over time, and how it came to be in crisis as a result of climate change," she added. © 2025 AFP
