Aquaculture development faces several challenges to achieve sustainability. Sharing knowledge and lessons learned among countries, regions, and partnerships is essential for building capacities, identifying solutions, and implementing them collaboratively. Regional networks, established decades ago with support from academia and universities, have been instrumental in advancing knowledge sharing and cooperation among partners.
The Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture (GSA), developed through a global consultative process over eight years, align with the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The GSA provide a roadmap for creating and executing National Plans of Action for sustainable aquaculture development and intensification. This aligns with one of the three core objectives of the FAO Blue Transformation vision: aquatic food systems as drivers of employment, economic growth, social development, and environmental sustainability, all underpinning the SDGs.
China, the world's largest aquaculture producer, in collaboration with the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA), Thailand and Vietnam, is organizing this event to foster regional cooperation, drive GSA implementation and offer a unique opportunity to collaborate, exchange valuable insights, and contribute to the global effort toward sustainable aquaculture development.