Life Cycle Assessment of Minced Bream : A case study performed in collaboration with Axfoundation

Abstract: The need for more sustainable protein sources is growing globally due to the significant climate impact from the food system and the estimated population growth. Although vegetarian protein sources have been proven to be sustainable alternatives, there may exist additional resources that currently are not utilized but potentially could contribute as sustainable protein sources. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is an internationally standardized tool used to assess the potential environmental impacts of a product or service throughout its entire life cycle. The results from a recently conducted LCA for Swedish carp species showed that the average potential climate impact was 0.77 kg CO2-eq per kg of edible product, which is significantly lower than more commonly consumed protein sources. The bream is a carp fish that previously was consumed in Sweden, but now is caught only as a by-catch that is released back.  This study aims to assess the potential environmental impacts of minced bream produced in Stockholm and utilizing bream caught as by-catch to wild capture fishery in Mälaren. The study also investigates how the potential environmental impacts may change in alternative systems and how the potential climate impact compares to the potential climate impact of other protein sources consumed in Sweden. The results of the study confirm many of the conclusions made in reviewed literature, such as the wild capture fishery and transports being identified hotspots. The results also show a low potential environmental impact of the minced bream in the current system but significant increases in the potential environmental impacts if the minced bream was produced in the alternative systems. In comparison to other protein sources, the minced bream shows great potential, both now and in the future when the carbon budget may be limited to 0.5 kg CO2-eq per meal if we are to limit global warming to 1.5°Cabove pre-industrial levels.  Further studies are encouraged to collect more data and provide a better understanding of the environmental impacts of fish products. However, the results could function as an important benchmark that also highlights the potential of currently underutilized species of fish.