Blockchain Traceability in Trading Biomasses Obtained with an Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture

Abstract

This study explores the application and critical issues related to the implementation of blockchain technology (BT) to the aquaculture sector, in order to understand the possibilities of improving the relationship with the supply chain and the end consumer, with a view to a sustainability for the marine environment and circular economy. Starting from considerations of commercial and political challenges related to credibility and fairness for all parties involved—from producers, to retailers, to end consumers—the procedure adopted was applied to the case of an Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture project, developed in the sea of Taranto (Italy). Furthermore, it considered two different end markets: the food market for farmed fish and the ornamental fish market for marine aquariums. The results of the study confirm that although the implementation of BT by industries and producers of marine species has the potential to lead to successful sustainability solutions, such adoption is feasible over time only if all actors in the supply chain, from aquaculture companies, to retailers, to consumers, are actively and consciously involved and can access common benefits.

1. Introduction

The fish market meets about 17% of the world’s animal protein needs for about 45 percent of the population and, in 2019, the world seafood market amounted to more than USD250 billion [1]. Of this, as much as 53% was provided by aquaculture: the cultivation of fish and/or aquatic organisms in a circumscribed and enclosed water facility [2].

A steady growth in demand has also characterized the global market for marine aquariums and related fish species for years. According to the FAO report [1], worldwide, nearly 2 million people own marine aquariums, with an estimated turnover of about USD300 million annually, which has its source of supply throughout the tropics [3,4,5]. According to Grandview Research [3], the global reef aquarium industry will reach USD11 billion by 2028, at a growth rate of about 11%. Similarly, the global ornamental fish market will grow by 8.0%, reaching USD8.6 billion by 2028 [4].

The food market for farmed fish and the ornamental fish market for marine aquariums have significant implications in terms of sustainability and the exploitation of marine resources. For example, aquaculture can lead to habitat loss and increased pollution levels from waste inputs or other substances (e.g., antibiotics); meanwhile, traded ornamental marine species can lead to overexploitation of target species with detrimental effects on coral reef ecosystems, already under pressure from climate change and overfishing [5]. More restrictive legislation on the import of ornamental species to reduce the impact of collection could be a stimulus to the breeding of local ornamental species in combination with intensive fish farms for food, encouraging the implementation of innovative systems for the recovery of production waste. Indeed, the food aquaculture and home aquarium markets—although seemingly distant—could be profitably interconnected in a circular and more sustainable way, by reusing the organic waste produced by intensive aquaculture farming to feed other species. For example, polychaetes cultured in Europe, which are in high demand by aquarium owners, could replace species of tropical origin.

Consumers are increasingly environmentally aware when making product choices and now often demand sustainability. Linking the two sectors can, via integration, transparency and traceability generate a comprehensive supply-chain response which can influence the purchase intentions of buyers. Increasing consumer confidence and willingness to buy requires a supply chain focused on sustainability, leveraging competitive factors such as traceability and authentication of information [6]. Even for the marine fishing industry, the supply chain is not only a key complex system for feeding the market, but also a strategy for increasing consumer awareness and confidence about the origin and sustainability of purchased products. However, current traceability systems are not very effective in creating trust mechanisms [7], and so there is an urgent need for the safe and effective management of information regarding purchased products. The way to solve consumer reliability and quality problems is, therefore, to improve the transparency, safety, durability, and integrity of the supply chain [8].

According to some authors, this solution presents at least three perspectives to be balanced, since fishing and aquarium products’ traceability has become a pressing issue: (1) for farms and commercial intermediaries, as new technologies are costly and still immature [9]; (2) for governments, in order to balance global and national management of sustainability with that of the sector’s economy [10]; (3) for consumers, in order to ensure transparency about the origin of the marine products purchased and their quality compared to expectations [11]. Blockchain Technology (BT)—an innovative application of distributed data storage, based on peer-to-peer transmission, consensus mechanism, cryptographic algorithm, and other information technologies [12]—can build trust mechanisms to solve traceability and security problems [8]. Accordingly, BT can be useful in a circular supply chain framework as it combines trust, traceability, and transparency [13] and has been usefully introduced in many sectors, including the pharmaceutical industry supply chain [14]—in order to improve traceability and to mitigate drug counterfeiting problems—and telemedicine [15]. It incorporates six components: consensus algorithm, network model, CAP theorem (partition consistency, availability, and tolerance), smart contracts, interplanetary file system, and security analysis, useful for numerous applications relevant to sustainable development [16]. BT enables applications in areas as broad as the food and agricultural sector [17], in which traceability, provenance, immutability, and verifiability are the main components where this technology can be applied. Traceability allows any information to be tracked, whilst the unique fingerprint for each product at different stages enables provenance to be maintained. Immutability refers to unalterable characteristics that provide an audit trail and reduce the susceptibility of data manipulation or falsification [7]. Assigning BT digital identifiers to marine products, therefore, makes them traceable (e.g., by lot numbers and expiration dates), also reducing the waste of resources and enabling consumers to calculate the ecological and social footprint of products.

Although BT is a promising solution to address marine exploitations issues, current literature on BT appears fragmented [8] and existing applications in this market are in their early development. Most of the research studies have chosen to focus on large companies’ needs and there is a limited understanding of specific features and functionality. Moreover, it should be mentioned that to date there are only a few studies focusing on, in general, the issue of consumers’ perception of their related benefits—loyalty programs, trust and transparency, privacy protection, and digital marketing security. For SMEs operating in the fishing farm sector and aquarium business, as supply networks become more complex, fragmented, and globalized, managing the supply chain theme is increasingly challenging. In fact, living species’ production and trade, in fishes, seaweed, sponges, and polychaetas, involve many players who must ensure sustainability and high quality also providing complete and certified information on their provenance, security, and traceability. Information scarcity is at the origin of an asymmetry between firms and final consumers, which can be overcome by improving the implementation of BT. These considerations are particularly appropriate when BT is applied to unbranded marine products, which need to ensure and support customer relationships—e.g., assuring compliance with products’ descriptions, strengthening consumer confidence with a certified geographical origin and preventing fraud, and counterfeiting.

The purpose of this study is to answer two key questions using an analysis of an innovative Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) system in the marine aquarium sector [18]. Indeed, an innovative traceability process can be seen as helping to combat environmental degradation by changing consumption habits and mitigating resource waste. It can also help push companies to produce both sustainable products, with a better environmental impact, and more efficient processes, to reuse or recycle. In the present study, the application of blockchain technology was implemented to improve customer perception in the fishing and aquarium end-market, both upstream, from the reuse of fish farm waste for food use, and downstream, to improve the function of the final retail trades, in a positive collaboration between industries and the supply chain. The following research questions will be considered:

• RQ1: What actors, factors, and strategies are needed to implement a sustainability-friendly BT in the marine fishing and aquarium industries?
• RQ2: How can these actors, factors, and strategies be combined into a framework that can improve end-consumer perception and confidence in support of sustainability?

This paper is organized as follows. In Section 2, a literature review framing the state of the art of BT applications in the marine conservative sector and new technologies for aquaculture are discussed. In Section 3—Materials and Methods—a case study as well as a possible framework are presented. Section 4 describes the main results of applying BT to the specific case. Finally, conclusions are discussed in Section 5.

2. Literature Review

2.1. Implementation of BT in Marine Conservation Sector

The implementation of BT in the Marine Conservation Sector has been underway for some time, but its main applications still seem to be confined to labor protection and the food fishing sector [19].

In relation to the aquarium sector, more advanced and environmentally sensitive countries have begun to monitor the supply chain by tracking trade in coral fauna for conservation purposes [20]. Although the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) meets this goal, many species used by the aquarium industry subject to climate change are insufficiently protected from overexploitation [21] and, to the writers’ knowledge, there is no published example of BT applications, confirming a gap that has yet to be completely filled. In contrast, the aquaculture sector appears to be more regulated and more prone to some applications of BT. In order to improve the traceability and transparency of the products, more stringent laws have been enacted in more advanced countries to safeguard supply chains and raise awareness among food companies [22]. However, most of them are focused on safeguarding the workers employed. For example, Britain’s Modern Slavery Act (2015) and California’s Transparency in Supply Chains Act (2010) set out to prevent the exploitation of workers throughout the supply chain, starting with raw material suppliers. The International Labor Organization (2007) establishes explicit guidance on working conditions. For the past few years, the implementation of BT solutions for the purpose of marine conservation safeguards have been increasing significantly. It is estimated that about one-third of seafood products in the United States are potentially hazardous to health [23] and do not really match the labeling on the package. It is no wonder, then, that according to the Marine Stewardship Council (2016) more than 50 percent of seafood consumers have serious doubts about the origin of the marine products they purchase. However, these implementations seem to be more numerous for the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems by nonprofit fundraising operations, rather than for the transparent management of supply chains of specific for-profit industries [19]. For example, the Generation Blue project (Singapore) and issuer RadPay (U.S.) have developed a payment system through the BT Ethereum “smart contract” system specifically to develop marine conservation and mangrove forest restoration projects in Myanmar. The use of BT-based systems is particularly prevalent to fund the restoration of marine ecosystems—such as the Singapore-based Generation Blue project, which uses BT Ethereum “smart contracts” to support marine conservation projects—or to preserve breeding grounds for certain endangered species [24]. On the other hand, in the more for-profit sector of fisheries, the IBM Food Trust has formed some partnerships to facilitate the application of BT. For example, in the U.S., where the National Fisheries Institute has applied BT in order to financially and commercially protect fishery operators and improve efficiency, safety, and consumer trust. Supermarkets Carrefour and Walmart have also used the foundation’s know-how to develop a BT that allows customers to access all information on the origin of certain types of fish [25]. WWF-Australia in collaboration with BCG Digital Ventures has also designed a system based on BT, both for commercial purposes, but more importantly to safeguard the ecosystem by tracking fishery products throughout the supply chain, to improve consumer versus business orientation and to avoid illegal or overfishing techniques [19].

2.2. The New Technologies for Aquaculture

Aquaculture now contributes significantly to providing high-quality protein [26] and is a rapidly growing sector. For the past decade or so, production from aquaculture has far surpassed that of traditional fisheries. This development has meant that in terms of production systems, business structures and marketing, aquaculture represents one of the most advanced agricultural sectors [1]. Among them, the introduction and use of live feeds, including microalgae, rams, rotifers, and other copepods has helped improve performance and close the cultivation cycle of some marine species [27]. In addition, new improved feeds based on the nutritional requirements of each fish species have improved rearing performance and reduced the associated costs [28].

According to FAO [1], the aquaculture sector will experience a strong process of technological and sustainable development in the coming years. An interesting solution, also with a view to circularity, in order to make wild harvesting less convenient for aquarium species is the integration in fish farming of the breeding of fanworms (e.g., sabellid polychaetes), which feed on biological residues, to be used as ornamental species [29]. Furthermore, new emerging technologies, but also new market-oriented processes, have entered with an improvement in both production and profitability with a view to transparency and customer service [30]. Such emerging technologies include not only more efficient production processes [31], but also new marketing strategies including augmented reality, integration with the Internet of Things (IOT) and BT. The aquaculture industry continuously generates a huge amount of data, but as with other sectors, it is hardly shared among operators and systematized. The application of BT can, on the one hand, enhance these data for organizational purposes and, on the other hand, increase retailer and customer satisfaction by enabling full traceability of farmed products. By networking global actors it can reduce food fraud and waste, transaction times, and improve relationships with institutional actors [2]. Investment in blockchain tomorrow will be essential in the near future for all players at the fair, from farmers and processors to distributors and consumers, but it requires a radical shift in mindset and a major investment in the development of smart software and technologies that only large, internationally organized facilities can afford.

3. Material and Methods

In the present study, a procedure borrowed from a management model proposed by [32] was adopted. This model—which is useful for analyzing the implementation of BT through a hierarchical criteria system to optimize supply chain traceability—was applied to a newly developed Integrated MultiTrophic Aquaculture (IMTA) located in the sea of the city of Taranto, Southern Italy [33].

3.1. Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture (IMTA): A Case Study in Taranto (Italy)

An IMTA consists of an innovative approach for farmers, useful for reducing the harmful environmental effects of aquaculture, where the term multitrophic refers to the incorporation at the same site of species having different trophic positions and/or nutritional levels [34]. IMTA can be conceptualized with respect to a range of co-culture and husbandry practices, going as far as more refined forms of specialization such as the incorporation of invertebrates or the planting of mangroves.

IMTA can lead to many benefits, one among them being bioremediation and risk reduction through a diversified product portfolio and a lower risk of accidental destruction typical of monoculture. More specifically, thanks to this modern practice, the wastes of one species are reused as fertilizer or food for a different species. The species are combined, in certain proportions, for balanced ecosystem management according to the specificities of livestock farming, with the aim of environmental sustainability through bio-mitigation and profitability through product diversification and subsequent risk reduction. Such integrated systems are a sustainable support to the sector along coastal areas, corresponding to the inevitable increase in global demand through more efficient productions. According to Buck et al. [35] an integrated aquaculture effort to be successful must necessarily consider all stakeholders, either directly or indirectly interested in the supply chain-involved industry, academia, retailers, consumers, and local and national institutions.

A recent case study of IMTA was carried out through the REMEDIA Life project, and implemented in the Ionian Sea, specifically in the Gulf of Taranto (Italy). This basin has optimal values for aquaculture: an average annual temperature of about 18 °C; a salinity of about 38‰ uniform throughout the year. The host plant, with an area of 0.06 km², is located in a semi-enclosed basin about 600 m from the coast. The Mariculture Facility, a partner in the project, has 15 cages (Ø 22 m), which operate at a depth ranging from 7 to 12 m and which obtain about 100 tons/year of sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758) or sea bream Sparus aurata (Linnaeus, 1758). In the IMTA system, sabellid polychaetes are reared as bio-remediators in vertical collectors placed around the fish cages. On the collectors used, 80 percent of the worms belong to the species Sabella spallanzanii (Gmelin, 1791), which is naturally present and abundant in fouling communities in the study area (Figure 1) [36].

This worm was selected because of its filtering efficiency, which has already been widely proven [37] and to research the development of macrofouling precisely on artificial panels placed around the cage area [38]. S. spallanzanii can filter large volumes of water, with a very high clearance rate [39]. It has, in addition, a wide trophic plasticity, as it feeds on both phytoplankton and organic matter.

Adult worms of this species were placed on 196 collectors, made of coconut fiber ropes, 2 cm wide and 10 m long, as spawners to facilitate self-establishment [40]. Other sabellids abundant in the area are Branchiomma luctuosum (Grube, 1870) and Branchiomma boholense (Grube, 1878), strongly related to the genus Sabellastarte present in the tropics. Both species of Branchiomma were introduced taxa from the tropical area, while the former species is now a naturalized form in the Mediterranean Sea (see Figure 2).

The species described are also known as “fan worms” and, in addition to their usefulness in aquaculture, are in demand and perfectly suitable for use in aquariums. In the Taranto facility, at the end of the first production cycle in late 2019, the density was about 100 specimens per linear meter, with an estimated total production of 147,000 worms. In addition, after about a year at sea—an estimated optimal residence time—the worms reached 10 cm in length and 2.5 g wet weight. By implementing this procedure, even large worms can be collected several times throughout the year.

3.2. A Possible Framework Applied to IMTA

Over the past decade, environmental sustainability has been increasingly combined with the concept of circularity, and the so-called Circular Supply Chain Management (CSCM) has been the focus of academic and business debate [38,39,41,42]. According to Batista et al., ([43], p. 446), the term CSCM refers to “coordinated forward and backward supply chains through targeted integration of the business ecosystem to create value from useful products/services, by-products, and waste streams through extended life cycles that improve the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of organizations.” It represents an advance within traditional supply chain management theories—a new paradigm useful for facilitating eco-friendly production and consumption through circular economy ideas [44]. For example, using a multi-level supply chain structure helps improve resource utilization, overcome technical limitations and understand consumption patterns [45]. Implementing a CSCM strategy improves resilience and sustainability but brings new challenges in relation to the increasing complexity of the product, coordination in the supply chain and consumer perception [46].

In this regard, Blockchain Technology (BT) can build trust mechanisms to solve traceability and security problems [8]. Furthermore, due to the rapid development of information technology over the past decade, the development of platforms—network business structures engaged in the collection and analysis of heterogeneous information for users—has been observed. The purpose of their activities is to increase the efficiency of interaction between all stakeholders (companies, retailers, consumers, state and public organizations), combining the potential of stimulating mutually beneficial innovative development, creating centers of expertise, shaping the economy of the future, continuous technological renewal and increasing global competitiveness. Hastig and Sodhi [32] also analyzed the implementation of BT in two separate industries developing a hierarchical criteria system to optimize supply chain traceability, isolating six critical success factors (see

Table 1. BT Critical Success Factor [29] enriched by a seventh component.

CSF	Sub-Themes
Capabilities	Technical capability, organizational readiness, other capabilities for bringing about change
Collaboration	Goal alignment with partners, partnership trust, stakeholder acceptance
Technological readiness	Technology maturity, data security, technology feasibility
Supply chain practices	Information capture, operations model
Leadership	Internally within the firm, externally as leadership with stakeholders and others in supply chain
Governance of traceability effort	Working within the legal framework, enforcing information stewardship
Inter-Chain Synergy	Harmonization of supply/sales channels, enforcing communication of the benefits of the circular economy

): (1) Capabilities; (2) Collaboration; (3) Technological readiness; (4) Supply chain practices; (5) Leadership; (6) Governance of traceability effort. According to these authors, the isolated critical success factors can provide a useful paradigm for implementing BT in a circular perspective in any industry. In the writers’ opinion, in the case of an industry that bases its chances of success on two or more supply chains, a seventh factor must be taken into account, namely the Inter-Chain Synergy between different supply/sales chains. In the case of Taranto, the IMTA operates from a circular economy perspective, through the reuse of livestock farm effluents. This business model, as mentioned earlier, includes the production of polychaetes, together with the main activity related to the sale of farmed fish, that, alongside the function of filtering effluent, have their own market as ornamental organisms in the aquarium sector.

4. Results

4.1. Capabilities

The term capability refers to the competence, resources, and know-how needed to perform an activity [47] and includes three subthemes: (1) technical capability; (2) organizational readiness; (3) other change-producing capabilities [32]. The first includes IT skills: those needed to manage Big Data and implement software. The second includes the ability to assess the application context, the possible acquisition of skills and knowledge, and organizational and training skills. The third includes any dynamic and operational skills, cash-flow, investment strength, and access to credit. The difficulty in understanding the technology is a serious barrier to blockchain adoption and the possibility of supply chain traceability [48].

The adoption of BT, in order to optimize an IMTA system such as the one in Taranto, requires possession of know-how and mastery of new data analysis technologies. Big Data Analytics (BDA) tools can consistently support the connection between the players in the various stages of the supply chain by connecting producers with the trade channel, traceability, reduction in food waste, increase in productivity, transparency, and reliability.

4.2. Collaboration

Collaboration is essential to the relationship between partners throughout the supply chain and includes three subthemes: (1) alignment of goals with partners; (2) partner trust; (3) stakeholder buy-in. Collaboration is critical to overcoming skepticism or inertia from supply chain partners that pose a real threat to the adoption of the traceability guaranteed by BT, as well as reducing any unfair business practices [32]. Upstream enterprises in the chain need to decide on the input data for identifying traded goods in order to develop standards for production and product management. In addition, all actors who are part of the supply chain must agree on how and when to register products at each aggregation node [49].

Species bred in the Taranto IMTA system can only be profitably distributed in the aquarium industry through sustainability-driven supply chain restructuring. The basis of such an approach is, above all, collaboration and cooperation with new supply chain partners, which include different suppliers [50] and new logistics service providers [51], as logistics connects the suppliers with the companies involved and also the customers with these crucial companies. In addition, the customers should be aware and informed about these new sustainability-oriented products [52].

4.3. Technological Readiness

The sub-themes of this third critical success factor are (1) technology maturity; (2) data security; (3) feasibility of the technology. One of the critical aspects of BT is the speed of transaction recording, which is inversely proportional to the increase in the number of nodes. This is also accompanied by the evaluation of the feasibility of blockchain implementation in some industries, including aquaculture. In fact, this is one of the reasons why many companies are hesitant to adopt BT [53]. In addition, it is questionable how far BT can be used by SMEs and remote enterprises, such as small aquarium retailers or small fishmongers, who have limited technological access or expertise [54].

The difficulty of implementing BT in the Taranto IMTA supply chain suffers from the fact that the sector is still characterized by a type of approach that can be defined as “business as usual”, which is a serious obstacle to the implementation of sustainability-driven innovations. This deficit in technological adoption depends substantially on two points: the absence of a true traceability system for marine species, whether they have food or ornamental use; and the use of undefined and pulverized supply and retail distribution channels.

4.4. Supply Chain Practices

The supply chain practices cover two sub-topics: (1) information acquisition; (2) the operational model. Indeed, data collection and storage are essential requirements for a traceability system along the supply chain [55]. However, these practices are not standard, as they may differ from one actor to another in the supply chain depending on the different types of information to be exchanged. For Mattila et al. [56], the solution lies in the standardization of processes and the development of best practices, taking into account that companies belonging to contiguous sectors are unable to achieve network synergies in case they implement different BT [57]. In fact, the adoption of multiple traceability systems in the same industry sector with different supply chains may make suppliers reluctant to adopt the new technology.

The difficulty of applying BT in the Taranto IMTA supply chain is also affected by the often-difficult acquisition of information and the absence of an operational model. The lack of reliable data and figures on the various food and ornamental marine species traded is a serious impediment in defining the operational chain. It does not allow identification of the number and origin of marine species and the most imported specimens [58], with the result that traceability and identity of the different actors in the supply chains often appears impossible [59]. In addition, the dual retail chain (the food chain and the direct-to-aquarium market) appears undefined, given the wide variety of retailers [4].

4.5. Leadership

Leadership along the supply chain and externally is an essential factor in the adoption and success of a BT. It is essential within the supply chain because, through motivating participants, it makes BT adoption usable and beneficial; externally, because, by communicating its adoption, it makes the supply chain transparent and attractive to consumers and new partners [49]. In general, it has been noted that companies, especially in agri-food, tend to commit resources when there is already an acceptance of BT in their industry and established supply-chain leadership [60]. This is the case with the leadership of large retailers, such as Carrefour and Walmart, who, by adopting and imposing BT, have engaged smaller players in the supply chain. Taking the leadership role is therefore essential to the success of the initiative and to engaging the smaller and peripheral actors in BT adoption [61].

In the aquaculture sector, the adoption of BT in order to optimize an IMTA system such as the one in Taranto requires a change in vision consistent with sustainability. It should be oriented toward collaboration within the management of information, and decision-making flows throughout the entire supply and sales chain of catch or biomass for use in the aquarium sector. For these reasons, the role of visionary leadership through the skills of managers is essential to drive a change process as a substantial element of success of the project. Specifically, through activities of direction and design of a circular economy, sourcing and material selection, purchasing and procurement, distribution and marketing, logistics, and customer orientation.

4.6. Governance of Traceability Effort

Governance encompasses two sub-themes: (1) working within the legal framework; (2) enforcing information management. In fact, regulatory uncertainty is perceived by most companies as the primary barrier to BT adoption [60]. This finding is especially true for international supply chains, for which BT adoption would have to adhere to very different laws, which may result in differing regulations, with restrictions related to governance, data ownership, and business rules [62].

As to the IMTA implemented in Taranto, consumer protection from counterfeiting and adulteration of agri-food products is a subject of wide-ranging European and national legislation which is sometimes fragmented. Marine safety is a regulatory sector in significant expansion which finds its main source in Community law. Set out below are some of the regulatory interventions, as follows:

(a)

Council Directive 2002/99/EC, 16.12.2002 laying down animal health rules for the production, processing, distribution, and introduction of products of animal origin intended for human consumption;

(b)

The regulations of the European Parliament and of the Council, 29.04.2004, n. 852/2004/CE regarding the hygiene of food products; n. 853/2004/EC establishing specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin; n. 854/2004/EC concerning the organization of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption; and n. 882/2004 relating to official controls aimed at verifying compliance with the legislation on feed and food and with the rules on the health and welfare of animals (so-called “hygiene package”).

In addition to the right to health and physical integrity, other fundamental and constitutionally guaranteed rights and interests are highlighted, first of all, the right to transparency and information, essentially guaranteed by the legislation on food labeling and traceability [63]. It is, therefore, necessary to carry out a careful recognition and analysis of the regulations, which are not always coherent and coordinated with each other.

4.7. Inter-Chain Synergy

The number of environmentally conscious consumers continues to grow and represents a significant opportunity for industries to manufacture green products alongside traditional products in their business portfolio. The literature on green products in a supply chain deals with strategies to increase competitiveness and gain additional market share while protecting the environment [64,65]. In addition to legislation and regulations, these authors has pointed to the existence of two other essential factors for greening: the expected cost reduction effect and increased profitability highlighting the strategic importance of governing different and simultaneous sales channels used by the same company [66]. The literature has generally emphasized the importance of coordination among members of the same supply chain in order to eliminate inefficiencies by sharing information, knowledge, and risks so that each member benefits [67,68]. For example, Biswas et al. [69] explored the coordination of different sustainable supply chains, while Zissis et al. [70] quantified the impact on the environment. The importance of dual-channel coordination mechanisms adopted by a single firm has often been underestimated and research in the area of coordinating dual sales channels in the green economy is still at an early stage and still needs further investigation [63].

In the aquaculture sector, the adoption of BT in two different sales chains in order to optimize an IMTA system such as Taranto required a substantial change in vision consistent with sustainability and the synergy between different and parallel market approach chains. Awareness of a synergy between the two sales channels, i.e., the one related to fish farming and the second related to ornamental aquariums, can be a harbinger of great developments. The use of a coordinated BT system between the chains related to the two outlet markets can be exploited to accentuate the green image of the enterprise and to certify the environmental compatibility of aquaculture, which is severely castigated as a high-polluting activity.

5. Discussion and Conclusions

The entire industry supply chain of aquaculture fish production is growing steadily and is now an irreplaceable source of protein for a rapidly growing world population. However, the development of the industry has drawbacks mainly related to the sustainability of the farms. Improved knowledge and innovation have fostered the development of IMTA facilities having an innovative approach useful for reducing the harmful environmental effects of aquaculture, through “incorporation at the same site of species with different trophic positions and/or nutritional levels” [34]. The IMTA in Taranto, Italy, aims to integrate two outlet markets with a view to environmental but also economic and social sustainability: on the one hand, the catch market and on the other hand, the aquarium market, with benefits related to bioremediation and conservation of coral reefs.

In the present work, the application of the model proposed by Hastig and Sodhi [32] for the purpose of supply chain analysis allowed us to isolate some critical issues related to six critical success factors—capacity, collaboration, technological readiness, supply chain practices, leadership, and governance of the tracking effort—which are useful for the implementation of BT. In a circular perspective such as the Taranto case, we added to the critical factors already included in the model, an additional element that has been named Inter-Channel Synergy. This factor makes it possible to better clarify how a BT can be a competitive advantage for a business that uses a dual distribution channel. In fact, in the case of Taranto, in order to optimize the circularity of production, the second sales channel related to the ornamental aquarium market is a complement and a guarantee for the main aquaculture market. Thus, a synergistic dialogue between the two sales channels, through BT certification, can be a competitive advantage in the eyes of more sustainability-conscious and environmentally responsible consumers. Through this model, it is possible to state—answering the two research questions previously formulated—that in order to achieve successful implementation of BT by marine species industries and producers and the set goals of sustainability and profitability, such adoption is feasible over time only if all actors in the supply chain, from aquaculture companies to retailers to consumers, are actively and consciously involved and can access common benefits. IMTA integrated with the circular recovery of useful waste for the purpose of rearing ornamental species for aquariums could be an attractive strategic choice for farmers. At least four elements supporting such integration emerge from the analysis conducted: (1) increased profitability due to savings on some management costs; (2) reduced costs related to effluent taxes; (3) reduced risk due to diversification and entry into new markets; (4) increased acceptance at both the public and government policy levels due to bioremediation.

The present work has both theoretical, managerial, and policy implications. From the theoretical point of view, an additional aspect of the project’s originality, capable of advancing the academic literature, is the understanding of how the results of the synergy between digital technologies and sustainability instances can provide valuable insights into value creation pathways throughout the food supply chain, both on the side of utility for food SMEs and on of studying consumer perceptions. Specifically, investigating the consumer’s perspective and interest in quality, starting with the sustainability needs of SMEs allows companies and especially SMEs to also optimize their competitiveness and performance on the global market through the design, implementation, and communication of specific sustainable sourcing components. The research can contribute to the enhancement of the theme of sustainability of supply chains/markets and to the valorization of the originality expressed by the territory and traditional production sectors, including the deep expression of the socio-cultural fabric, which is the real incentive for young people to stay in their places of origin. End consumers live by perceptions and trust and look to companies, asking for reliability and consistency, so sustainable sourcing is a key objective, which can also be guaranteed by meaningful digital communication.

From the managerial point of view, the implementation of BT is costly and could be prohibitively expensive for small family fish farmers, who, not being able to count on substantial financial resources, could suffer competition from large players in the sector. Actually, there is an important gap between the possibility of applying new technologies versus the aquaculture sector’s ability to embrace them at all levels of the supply chain.

In fact, BT requires deep supply chain integration and the establishment of a uniform standard of organization and know-how, so it would be impossible for a single aquaculture company or retailer to act individually. Therefore, farmers, processors, software developers, and marketers must act systemically to effectively integrate technologies for profit and sustainability.

From a policy perspective, local or national institutions, in order to encourage supply chain collaboration and foster SMEs, should legislate and provide research funds for multidisciplinary projects. In addition, aquaculture extension stations, as well as researchers, banks, and investors should support pilot studies or start-up actions to popularize and foster the application of BT. Such technologies, by also creating new opportunities for businesses, would be able to generate new jobs, especially for the younger generation.