THE WATER FOOTPRINT OF FISH: WHAT IT MEANS AND HOW TO USE IT TO MARKET FISH CONSUMPTION

Agriculture consumes 92% of the global fresh water resources currently consumed by mankind. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) states "water scarcity is fast becoming one of the most serious resource issues we face today."

A brief overview of water footprint is provided, covering the reason for including "blue" water (water from rivers, lakes, and aquifers), "green" water (moisture in soil and plants from precipitation), and "grey" water (water required to dilute pollutants).

Case studies for food products are shown to illustrate the methodology. First is caffeinated soda, using numbers published by Arjen Hoekstra. Second is beef, using recent publications by the waterfootprint network. Third, the water footprint for a range of animal products is shown, highlighting the new findings for fish.

Next, a consumer-oriented presentation of water footprint is shown, highlighting the importance of personal decisions with respect to food, highlighting the importance of eating sustainable fish as part of an ecologically-conscious diet.

A preliminary assessment for a decoupled aquaponics system is examined, showing how the water footprint for an aquaculture system can be further reduced by integrating plants to absorb nutrient "pollution" and offset fresh water consumption.

Finally, a proposed allocation of water footprint is presented for calculating water footprint for crops grown using aquaponic methods.