Vitamin Sea: Researchers collaborate globally to secure access to blue food

In early August 2025, the Vitamin Sea team met with partners in Honiara, Solomon Islands, and Penang, Malaysia, to align data sharing, co-design analyses, and plan the next steps for mapping potential climate change effects in three geographical locations; Solomon Islands, Timor Leste and Tanzania. Sessions focused on harmonizing datasets on fisheries, environments, and nutrition to identify management questions that nutrient-availability maps can answer for local communities and policy. 

Co-designing nutrient maps 

The Vitamin Sea team consists of members from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), WorldFish and the Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI) working together on fisheries, climate and nutrition. The team are producing maps of nutrient rich aquatic foods, both at present and in a future affected by climate change (until 2050).

– Co-developing the analytics with WorldFish on the ground is how we make sure our nutrient maps inform real decisions—where, when, and for whom climate risks bite hardest, says Charlotte Berkström, a researcher at the Department of Aquatic Resources at SLU, who is leading the project.

Discussions in Honiara were centred around locally collected data (small-scale fisheries’ landings, species identification and size composition) and how to evaluate modelled hotspots for essential nutrients. Visits were also made to field sites where the fisheries data was collected and to WorldFish’s field office in Malaita in order to meet with regional experts on the ground. In Penang, discussions focused on cross-country comparability, work allocation and time frames of the project and training needs for reproducible workflows.

– Bringing fisheries, nutrition, and climate into one map helps governments target support—from protecting key fishing grounds to tailoring nutrition programs, says Aratrika Ray, postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Aquatic Resources at SLU.

– The ocean isn’t short of fish stories; it’s short of joined-up data on a regional level. Stitching fish catches, climate change and nutrition into one picture is what makes these maps usable, says Maria Eggertsen, a researcher at the Department of Aquatic Resources at SLU, and one of the initiators of the project.

Why it matters: nutrition, livelihoods, and resilience in coastal communities

Fish and shellfish provide essential vitamins, minerals, and trace elements. Climate change can shift where species live and when they are available—affecting household nutrition, livelihoods, and local markets, especially in small island nations and coastal areas where alternatives are limited. While research on climate change at the global scale is extensive, regional predictions remain limited—even though such information is crucial for management and for preparing for potential future changes.

The study areas are places where a large share of dietary protein comes from aquatic foods.

– Seeing where nutrient access may decline, increase or stay the same helps us target protection and support, says Charlotte. 

– When climate detours those rides, families feel it first at the dinner table. A map becomes a meeting place—where health, fisheries, and climate teams can act together, Maria adds. 

What’s next: pilot map layers, training and scenario runs

Partners will now finalise shared databases, start model runs for baseline and future scenarios, and pilot map layers. The aim is to deliver simple, decision-ready products that can be used in a range of different management situations, from landing sites to national governmental institutions. 

Funding and partners

Vitamin Sea is funded by the Swedish Research Council led by SLU with partners, including WorldFish and Tanzanian Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), and operates across Tanzania, the Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste.