Fish in the City - Possibilities for locally based (sea)food systems

Our current food system has major impacts on ecological and social sustainability worldwide. Therefore, there is increasing research interest in assessing the sustainability of locally based food systems—that is, food systems in which food is produced and consumed within a limited area. Understanding how to achieve the transformation toward a more local food system is crucial information for stakeholders and decision-makers, as they need to identify the key factors and processes that enable the transformation of urban food systems.

The project was based on a comparative analysis of two case studies of local fish production and consumption, as well as the value chain between production and consumption (in Maine/New York, USA, and along the Uppland coast/Stockholm in Sweden). Research on (local) fish is severely underdeveloped, despite being a crucial part of both the food system and the urban diet. The case study provided a unique opportunity for a comparative study following a so-called Most Similar System Design (MSSD).

The study made it possible to generalize knowledge about the social conditions that facilitate or hinder locally based food systems. The comparative analysis was grounded in two separate case study investigations, including mapping of existing local fish systems in the two regions and a process tracing approach to describe the local fish value chain and its changes over time.

The case studies also included a follow the thing analysis, which involved tracking locally caught fish through transport, distribution, mediation, and consumption. This in-depth and context-sensitive study of fish revealed the processes and market relationships that shape it.

Analyzing a food system involves examining its social actors, social relations, social conditions, processes of change, and stability. While food systems comprise a variety of social actors, this project explicitly focused on intermediaries and so-called curators. In studies on local food, there is often talk about the need to remove intermediaries and rebuild a direct relationship between producers and consumers. However, recent research has highlighted the crucial role that intermediaries play in local production and consumption networks.

This project investigated whether and how intermediaries/curators can contribute to the development of local and sustainable food systems. Identifying potential local intermediaries and their effects can generate new and innovative ideas that may help achieve a balance between a growing urban demand for food and the socially and economically sustainable use of natural resources.