For the second year, the GSSG Forum brought together international experts in Vigo to discuss seafood sustainability. Approaching the topic from an asymmetric perspective, the forum analyzed the different positions of stakeholders in the value chain to identify measures to better address the common challenges around sustainability. The forum ended with a presentation of conclusions, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, dialogue, and joint work as essential elements for securing the future of the ocean, as well as highlighting the need for scientific collaboration to respond to environmental demands and ensure a clean, resilient, and productive ocean for future generations.
The second edition of the Global Sustainable Seafood Galicia Forum took place on November 11th and 12th at Sede Afundación Vigo. Fourteen international experts took part in its six sessions, highlighting key themes.
Nada Bougouss, Fishery Officer at the Value Chain Development Team, FAO´s Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, opened the first session with the presentation of the SOFIA 2024 Report, a biannual document that highlights, in its most recent edition, the potential of sustainable aquaculture to respond to the growing demand for seafood, guaranteeing food security and employment in the sector, for which FAO forecasts a 35% growth by 2030. According to the report, global aquaculture production surpassed capture fisheries for the first time in 2022. In addition, 78.9% of the catches of the top ten fishery species come from biologically sustainable stocks.
Bougouss stressed the blue transformation proposed by FAO as a guide for a healthy ocean, based on sustainable aquaculture, effective management of the fisheries sector, and improvement of value chains, so that the social, economic, and environmental viability of marine aquatic systems are guaranteed.
North-South asymmetry was the theme of the second session, which featured Namibian Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Silvia Makgone, as a speaker for the Southern view, and Árni M. Mathiesen, Senior Advisor to the Icelandic Ocean Cluster, to offer the Northern view. Namibia is renowned for its successful fisheries and aquaculture management. Makgone advocated regional cooperation and international agreements to combat illegal fishing, stressing the importance of research and employment/social development to ensure growth.
For Árni M. Mathiesen, former Minister of Finance and Fisheries in Iceland and former Director of Fisheries at the FAO, Iceland’s main ambition is to optimize the value of catches through establishing a highly technical and regulated industry. Both speakers participated in a roundtable moderated by Øyvind Ihle, CEO of the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI), during which they agreed on the importance of collaboration, and on the role of research and science for taking on environmental challenges.
Regulation or voluntary compliance was the focus of the third session, which included the participation of the General Director of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Technological Innovation of the Consellería do Mar, Antonio Basanta, who presented the regulatory vision from the position of one of the most important fishing regions in Europe, Galicia. Basanta emphasized the need for the necessary adaptation among sector-administration, advocating for regulations that reflect operational reality and encourage shared responsibility in the management of resources.
Emily Howgate, Ocean Spotlight – Engagement Lead WBA, spoke about voluntary compliance, illustrating how companies can commit to sustainable activity voluntarily and transparently, beyond regulation.
The following panel discussion, moderated by Susan Steele, Executive Director of the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), stressed the need to balance the freedom/creativity of voluntary engagement with the responsibility of the regulatory framework, which must provide structure and clarity for all.
Dimension, economy, and science on the second day
The fourth session addressed the asymmetry between large and small players. Dave Robb, Group Sustainability Lead for Cargill’s Aqua Nutrition businesses and member of Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS), illustrated how this organization relies heavily on research, advocating for international certifications and regulations to maximize efficiency and safety in its global operations.
The president of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Guilds (Spain), José Basilio Otero, offered the perspective of small players, advocating for an eco-social approach to the future, focused on ecology, people, and the community. Otero highlighted social inclusion and local governance as key elements for long-term sustainability. The round table was moderated by Nuno Cosme, Chief Sustainability and CSR Officer of the Nueva Pescanova Group, who supported the idea of collaboration, dialogue, and dissemination to achieve a more sustainable sector, regardless of the size of the players.
The fifth session focused on sustainable/blue finance, where the president of the Spanish Observatory of Sustainable Finance, Julián Romero, explained how this can provide economic stability and environmental benefits, which are fundamental to a future with a balanced and resilient economy.
Fridrik Fridriksson, General Counsel of the Icelandic company BRIM, presented the successful issuance of BRIM’s blue bonds for improvements in energy efficiency and the decarbonization of process-wide operations. Both speakers highlighted the value of internal knowledge in companies to identify eligible projects, as well as their verification and subsequent monitoring to address sustainable financing processes The following round table was moderated by Javier Fraga, Director of Abanca Mar, who stressed the need for financial actors and industry to collaborate, so that sustainable financing contributes to relevant sector objectives.
The researcher and director of the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO), Mª Carmen García, closed the Forum, emphasizing that science is an important pillar for achieving marine sustainability, as well as the social, economic, and ecological aspects. García underlined that global collaboration is essential to face the challenge of climate change, to reduce accidental catches, and to enhance resilience to environmental impacts. Together, the forum stressed that the blue transformation requires collaboration between different sectors, public investment, and clear goals at a global level.