FAO Advances Sustainable Aquaculture Guidelines

Specialists from 19 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean met on June 23 and 24 to discuss the promotion and implementation of the Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture (GSA). This meeting was organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and funded by the European Union.

The event brought together 50 aquaculture and fisheries experts from countries including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay. The workshop emphasized the importance of assessing the state of aquaculture in the region and aligning national policies and governance frameworks with the GSA principles.

Participants discussed the development of action plans, targeted training programs, and governance strategies tailored to country-specific needs. In addition to FAO member country representatives, the workshop also included participation from Infopesca, the Binational Authority of Lake Titicaca, and the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor (CMAR).

The GSA were developed collaboratively by the FAO and its member states and adopted during the 36th session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries. They represent the first international instrument entirely dedicated to aquaculture, which the FAO highlights as essential to ensuring global food security for a projected population of 9.7 billion people by 2050.

According to 2023 FAO data, the Latin America and Caribbean region produces more than 15Mt of fishery and aquaculture products annually, with the aquaculture sector growing at an average annual rate of 7.7% since 2000.

“Sustainable aquaculture has major growth potential in the region. It can contribute to a greater supply of aquatic foods that support healthy, affordable, and sustainable diets for millions across Latin America and the Caribbean,” says Javier Villanueva, Senior Fisheries and Aquaculture Officer, FAO.

Xinhua Yuan, Deputy Director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, FAO, says that the GSA offers policy and governance guidance aimed at achieving better production, nutrition, environment and quality of life, while ensuring inclusivity.

The workshop introduced a set of recommendations and a call to action for the Commission on Small-Scale Fisheries, Artisanal Fisheries, and Aquaculture for Latin America and the Caribbean (COPPESAALC), the FAO, and regional governments to identify local development gaps and explore ways to align national aquaculture practices with the GSA framework.