Smaller Fish Could Offer Big Gains for Nutrition and Sustainability

A new study by Cornell University suggests that increasing the diversity of fish in diets could help meet global seafood needs while enhancing nutrition and supporting sustainable fisheries. By mixing species, people can get up to 60% more nutrients than by eating the same amount of a single, nutrient-rich fish.

Lead researcher Sebastian Heilpern used nutrient data and global species distributions to model the most efficient combinations. The findings show that biodiverse fisheries can deliver more nutrients from less fish biomass, especially when dominated by smaller, fast-growing species like sardines that are resilient to climate change and overfishing.

Countries near tropical coasts, including India, Australia, and those in the Coral Triangle, show high potential due to rich biodiversity. In contrast, the U.S. diet remains limited to about 10 species.

The research highlights biodiversity’s role in both ecological health and human nutrition, and was supported by multiple U.S. science institutions.

10-06-2025