SINGAPORE, June 26 (Reuters) – More than 90% of the world’s marine food supplies are at risk from environmental changes such as rising temperatures and pollution, with top producers like China, Norway and the United States facing the biggest threat, new research showed on Monday.

“Blue food” includes more than 2,190 species of fish, shellfish, plants and algae as well as more than 540 species farmed in fresh water, helping sustain 3.2 billion people worldwide.

But not enough is being done to adapt to growing environmental risks, a study published in the Nature Sustainability journal said.

“Although we have made some progress with climate change, our adaptation strategies for blue food systems facing environmental change are still underdeveloped and need urgent attention,” said Rebecca Short, researcher at the Stockholm Resilience Centre and co-lead author.

Overproduction in the industry, which has driven the destruction of wetland habitats, has caused significant environmental damage but other “stressors” are also impacting the quantity and quality of blue foods.

They include rising sea levels and temperatures, ocean acidification, changes in rainfall, as well as non-climate factors like algal blooms and pollution from mercury, pesticides or antibiotics.

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Photo : www.reuters.com, Sukree Sukplang/