Can finance contribute to seafood sustainability? This is an increasingly relevant question given the projected growth of seafood markets and the magnitude of social and environmental challenges associated with seafood production. As more capital enters the seafood industry, it becomes crucial that investments steer the sector toward improved sustainability, as opposed to fueling unsustainable working conditions and overexploitation of resources. Using a mixed-methods approach that combined content analysis, qualitative examples and shareholder network analysis, we mapped where different financial mechanisms are most salient along a seafood firm’s development trajectory and identified three leverage points that could redirect capital toward more sustainable practices: loan covenants, stock exchange listing rules, and shareholder activism. We argue that seafood sustainability requirements need to be integrated into traditional financial services and propose key future avenues for academic, policy, and practice communities. While our study focuses on the role of finance in seafood, the insights developed are of high relevance and applicable to other sectors as well.
