Recognizing the power of both a collaborative response and private sector leadership in delivering on aquaculture’s potential, Global Salmon Initiative and FUTUREFISH, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, convened a roundtable of aquaculture industry leaders. The roundtable, hosted in Amsterdam, the Netherlands on May 25, 2022, brought together chief executive officers and senior executives from aquaculture companies, including producer, seed, feed, health and investor organizations representing a global perspective, with the aim of harnessing their expertise and ambition to accelerate industry-wide progress.
Those gathered at the roundtable reflected on what the world needs from aquaculture, the potential of collaboration, and the barriers and change levers to catalyze progress. Together, they developed a Call to Action, representing a new and overarching commitment to advance global aquaculture industry leadership. The aim of this Call to Action is to mobilize a sustainable future for purpose-driven aquaculture, meaning one that provides nourishment in equitable and climate-resilient ways. The Call to Action serves as a contribution to the UN Ocean Conference and will help ensure a greater role for aquaculture in helping to achieve the SDGs by 2030.
The Call to Action, ultimately agreed upon by executives from over 30 aquaculture companies and organizations, responds to the UN’s call for ocean and freshwater action and represents the priorities and commitments of select industry leaders. Together, they recognized:
Responding to such challenges, the group’s vision is to drive toward full delivery of the potential of aquaculture by producing more nutritious and sustainable food. Doing so will improve global food security, and achieve greater social and economic benefits. The leaders prioritized eight action areas.
Learning and sharing experiences
Supporting development of future regulation and infrastructure
Supporting technology adoption and innovation
Increasing transparent communication to all stakeholders
The aquaculture leaders who contributed to this Call to Action have committed to these action areas. In doing so, they commit to driving the sector’s sustainability forward at speed and scale. They recognize the need to encourage wider participation, particularly from underserved regions, and will continue to reach out and engage. A global leadership group of select executives will also convene to monitor progress and take necessary actions to ensure that change happens on the ground. We call on partners to join and collaborate with the aquaculture industry in achieving this vision.
