Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 4 — Narrative / commentaryPeer-reviewed

Emerging COVID-19 impacts, responses, and lessons for building resilience in the seafood system

David C. Love; Edward H. Allison; Frank Asche; Ben Belton; Richard S. Cottrell; Halley E. Froehlich; Jessica A. Gephart; Christina C. Hicks; David C. Little; Elizabeth M. Nussbaumer; Patricia Pinto da Silva; Florence Poulain; Ángel Rubio; Joshua S. Stoll; Michael F. Tlusty; Andrew Thorne‐Lyman; Max Troell; Wenbo Zhang

Global Food Security · 2021

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Summary

This multi-authored analysis examines how the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the global seafood sector during early 2020, using a food system resilience 'action cycle' framework to assess impacts and responses. The study finds heterogeneous resilience across supply chains and actors, reveals vulnerabilities in employment and nutrition security—particularly in low-income countries—and proposes strategic research needs for building sector resilience. The work synthesises early coping strategies and historical lessons applicable to future food system shocks.

Regional applicability

The findings on supply chain vulnerabilities and adaptive responses have relevance to UK seafood sector planning and food security policy, though the study emphasises impacts in low-income countries where seafood dependency is nutritionally and economically critical. UK policy may benefit from the resilience framework and research recommendations, though domestic application would require localisation to UK supply chain structures and market conditions.

Key measures

Food system resilience indicators; supply chain disruption patterns; employment and nutrition security impacts; adaptive responses across seafood sector actors; vulnerability assessments of dependent groups

Outcomes reported

The study documented COVID-19-related disruptions, impacts, and responses across the seafood sector from January to May 2020, identifying differential resilience across supply chains, market segments, companies, and small-scale actors. The analysis highlighted vulnerability of specific groups dependent on seafood and examined early coping and adaptive responses informed by lessons from past shocks.

Theme
Climate & resilience
Subject
Food security & global nutrition
Study type
Narrative Review
Study design
Narrative review
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
Global
System type
Food supply chain
DOI
10.1016/j.gfs.2021.100494
Catalogue ID
NRmo9rin9c-0w9

Topic tags

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