Net-pen aquaculture is facing ever-growing climate headwinds. 2023 was the hottest year on record, and warming waters have become a direct catalyst for the proliferation of parasites, algae blooms, and diminished oxygen levels. Each presents significant stand-alone challenges for farmers, let alone when coupled together.

"Imagine walking out of a grocery store with four bags of groceries, dropping one in the parking lot, and not bothering to pick it up. That's essentially what we're doing," says one food scientist at the National Resources Defense Council.