Aquaculture industry advances sustainability and indigenous inclusion

The global aquaculture sector is undergoing structural and strategic shifts focused on sustainability, indigenous inclusion, and carbon reduction.

In Canada, the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) has appointed Ian Roberts as Chair. The board has also elected Larry Johnson of Nuu-chah-nulth Seafood and Cyrus Singh of K'awat'si Development Corporation to represent indigenous perspectives. Johnson emphasized that aquaculture offers a path to self-determination and economic opportunity for First Nations coastal communities.

On an international level, the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) have assumed the interim secretariat role for the Aquaculture Action Alliance. The coalition aims to expand its efforts by 2026, specifically targeting the reduction of the sector’s carbon footprint through supply chain collaboration.

Additionally, the ASC presented a model for aquaculture improvement in Ghana at the FAO Committee on Fisheries. This initiative involves co-developing a national Code of Good Practices with the Ghana Fisheries Commission and the Chamber of Aquaculture to translate global sustainability guidelines into local, measurable actions.