New study into the transformation to the UK’s seafood supply over the last 120 years gains interest from UK media
A new study published by SEACHANGE researchers at the University of Exeter highlights a profound transformation to the UK’s seafood supply over the last 120 years- from local resilience to global dependence. Since 1900, UK seafood imports have increased 6.4-fold reaching nearly one million tonnes annually, overtaking domestic catches in 1985. What was once a largely self-sufficient seafood system, drawing mainly from nearby waters, has evolved into a truly global network. By 2020, the number of countries supplying seafood to the UK had grown from just five to eighty-nine, spanning every continent. At the same time, the average distance that seafood travelled to reach UK plates increased by nearly a third underscoring the growing environmental footprint of UK consumers.
What drove this transformation? Improved transport and communication infrastructure enabled long-distance trade, while international agreements opened up new markets. But increased import demand was also driven by the decline of UK fisheries yields from the 1970s, following over a century of overfishing. As local supplies dwindled, imports filled the gap, particularly for the nation’s preferred “Big Five” species: cod, haddock, salmon, tuna, and prawns. Today, these consumer favourites dominate supermarket shelves, but their sourcing increasingly ties UK consumption to the health of marine ecosystems thousands of kilometres away.
This shift carries important lessons. On one hand, global trade has kept seafood available and affordable for UK consumers. On the other, it means our choices now have consequences for marine ecosystems and fishing communities around the world, where environmental degradation, climate change, and weak fisheries management can undermine marine biodiversity and food security. The authors argue that safeguarding the future of seafood supplies will require a dual approach: rebuilding the resilience of local stocks through robust management, while also improving international cooperation to prevent unsustainable depletion of marine resources globally.
For SEACHANGE, the study illustrates a central theme of our research: the deep historical roots of today’s environmental challenges. It makes clear that consumption choices in one country ripple far beyond its borders, shaping ecosystems and communities across the globe. By understanding how these patterns emerged, we can better design pathways toward sustainable seafood systems—ones that protect ocean biodiversity, reduce carbon footprints, and offer fairer outcomes for producers and consumers alike.
This study has gained national interest in the UK media, being picked up by Oceanographic Magazine, as well as lead author, Zoe Heard being interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Today program (listen again here from 1:50:58).
