Aquaculture production has had a meteoric rise in production, and many statistics of volume point to this success. Certification and rankings have been integral, especially early on, to help ensure that products reaching markets are produced with little environmental impact. But after a quarter century, have certification and ranking programs delivered on the promise of ensuring aquaculture products are produced with lower environmental impacts? Furthermore, to what degree should certification and ranking programs engage with a broader suite of impacts including but not limited to societal and animal welfare issues.
And with all their success of certification programs, why is such a low percent of product covered by these schemes? Additionally, companies are being sued listing sustainability claims on packaging that may not align with the ideals of those that are suing them. What is a path forward? What other programs exist that can ensure that aquaculture continues its path of continual improvement? This talk will introduce a session on how we can ensure the future of aquaculture is less impactful than it is now. Talks will highlight new programs as well as a reimaging of ideas that have been around for a while. It is only through an honest assessment of where we are, and what levers do we have to improve aquaculture that we can address the current challenges and will help us focus energy on solutions for the next quarter century. Through continual improvement, we can all help create a best future to ensure aquaculture maximizes its ability to provide food security and nutritionally superior products that maximize the equity and environmental justice for communities and societies across the world.