On November 12, the second edition of the Global Sustainable Seafood Galicia Forum concluded at Sede Afundación Vigo, following two days of expert discussions on marine sustainability. Once the conclusions were shared, José María Benavent, President of the Nueva Pescanova Foundation, and Antonio Basanta, General Director of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Technological Innovation at the Consellería do Mar, formally concluded the event.
The second GSSG Forum was held on the 11th and 12th of November under the theme An asymmetric vision of sustainability. For two days, Galicia became the epicentre of global dialogue, bringing the sustainable debate closer to the realities of fishing, aquaculture and seafood processing activities.
During the closing ceremony, the president of the Nueva Pescanova Foundation, José María Benavent, highlighted how “the contrast of perspectives allows us to move forward, and this forum has particularly focused on the idea of contrast”, in reference to the idea of asymmetry.
After briefly reviewing the different approaches to sustainability discussed at the meeting, José María Benavent urged large and small companies to “work together to defend a socially and economically relevant sector that has never stopped pursuing environmental sustainability.” He also emphasized the crucial role of blue financing in driving the shared goal of sustainability within the sector. Reflecting on the forum, he concluded: “From Vigo, we have achieved the objective of making Galicia attract and lead the global dialogue on seafood sustainability.”
The president of the Nueva Pescanova Foundation (left) and the Sea Councilor (right) inaugurating the II GSSG Forum.
Likewise, the Director General of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Technological Innovation, Antonio Basanta, defined the GSSG forum as a true step forward in terms of sustainability, and expressed his “conviction that it will be consolidated as a valuable instrument with which to win in the future”, based on a sector “that has matured and embraced its responsibility”.
Unavoidable meeting point
The forum was inaugurated on Monday the 11th of November with the presence of the regional minister for the Sea, Alfonso Villares, who described it as “the perfect meeting point for the entire Galician maritime-industry chain to meet with the common goal of preserving marine resources by generating economic and social value”.
Villares stressed that the forum has once again brought important voices to Galicia, “a region with much to say and contribute, given its global leadership in the maritime-fishing sector.” Carola González Kessler, Deputy Director General of Aquaculture and Fisheries Marketing of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, also took part in the opening ceremony.
The second day of the meeting focused on key topics such as the sustainability vision of both large and small players, access to blue financing, and the future of the oceans. On the previous day, discussions centred around the FAO SOFIA 2024 Report, the North-South divide, and sustainability regulations.
A total of fourteen international experts were present at the second edition, representing institutions, associations, research entities, and leading companies in the sector.
The experts offered different insights and perspectives on the challenges, priorities, and current state of the fishing and aquaculture sectors in their pursuit of sustainability, marking a significant milestone in the international calendar of global dialogue.