Mission to protect Asia's molluscs from climate change launches

A new three-million-pound project to improve the sustainability of mollusc farming in Asia is now underway, with the overarching mission to strengthen food security and protect incomes against the worst impacts of climate change for communities across Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

Recognised as the world’s largest producing region for oysters, mussels, and clams, mollusc farming not only serves as the backbone of the Asian economy – producing around 20 million tonnes of molluscs every year, the equivalent to $29.8bn – but a staple food source for local communities across South East Asia.

Faced with a warming climate, however, the industry has been left vulnerable to some of the worst impacts of climate change including disease, commercial pressures and weakening food and economic security.

To help combat these pressures, an international community of researchers – led by the University of Southampton – has launched a bold new £3 million project to bolster the sustainability of mollusc farming across the region – helping farmers mitigate higher sea temperatures and changes to the distribution and timing of monsoonal systems as well as the associated changes to the salinity of coastal waters.

“A small number of species make up the vast majority of mollusc farming across Asia, and there is growing concern as to the resilience of these culture systems in the face of such an uncertain future,” said Professor Chris Hauton, a researcher from the University of Southampton.

“The reliance on so few species also makes mollusc production vulnerable to climate shocks, outbreaks of disease, and other crop failures, which will be made more likely as temperatures increase.”

At the same time, changing economic drivers, such as the farmers moving away from producing molluscs for local consumption in favour of more lucrative export markets could also threaten local food security in the region.