The Global Sustainable Seafood Galicia Forum (GSSG) will hold its second edition on November 11 and 12, 2024, at Sede Afundación Vigo, with the theme An Asymmetric Vision of Sustainability. Fourteen experts from various countries will share their insights and experiences on marine sustainability in Vigo.
The GSSG forum aspires to establish Galicia – a leading region in fishing, aquaculture and the processing of fishery products – and Spain as an international reference in the sustainability dialogue, bringing the debate closer to the scene where fishing, aquaculture, and seafood processing activities take place.
The Forum is an initiative of the Nueva Pescanova Foundation, with the support of the Consellería do Mar of Xunta de Galicia, Nueva Pescanova and Abanca.
First edition
The first edition of GSSG forum took place in April 2023 in Vigo, with nearly 300 attendees (online and in person). Twenty-one experts from the seafood sector gathered to share their knowledge and insights, and discuss three key areas: the sustainability and traceability of seafood, the sector’s role in achieving the UN 2030 Agenda, and sustainable finance.
Through a series of 15 sessions, the speakers offered a global overview of the commitments, demands, challenges and opportunities that mark the current state of seafood sustainability in its three aspects: environmental, social and economic.
Representatives of associations, institutions, stakeholders in the seafood value chain, researchers, and leading companies in the fishing sector discussed the current situation and the future of the sector.
The meeting included contributions by members of FAO, UNCTAD, the United Nations Global Compact and the Universities of Santiago and Stockholm. There were speakers from the business world, such as Nueva Pescanova, Abanca, Aqua-Spark, Seafoodmatter, IBM or Puerto de Celeiro, as well as sustainability experts from associations and other entities, such as GDST, GSSI, CEPESCA, OPAGAC or Acuario de Monterrey.
Conclusions
The importance of dialogue, transparency, and sector-wide collaboration, in an equitable, inclusive and resilient manner, is a prominent conclusion of the first GSSG Forum, which highlighted the relevance of research. The path towards sustainability requires ambition to contribute to the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) set out in the UN 2030 Agenda.
During the first edition of the Forum, the FAO presented the SOFIA 2022 Report on the state of world fisheries and aquaculture. The report highlighted the significant positive progress made in fisheries management, noting that 82% of landed species are now from sustainable sources.
The meeting also highlighted the blue transformation, which seeks to guarantee the supply of seafood in balance with environmental sustainability, where people and the planet are at its core.
The speakers agreed that the sector needs to incorporate sustainability aspects into its business strategy, offering sustainable and traceable products to achieve a healthy and productive ocean by 2030.