2023 Impact Report
Over the past year, Aquatic Life Institute has reached significant milestones and expanded organizational capacity. We are thrilled to unveil the many ways that we have influenced positive changes in the seafood supply chain, and strengthened our impact through expanding our organization and representation.
Objectives and Key Results Progress Review
4R Approach to Seafood System Reform
In 2023, we developed a framework based on the well-known “3Rs” (replacement, reduction, and refinement) guideline for animals in research.
Aquatic Life Institute utilizes 4 fundamental approaches to enact formative change within the global seafood system. Through our primary streams of activity across the supply chain, advocacy pursuits are identified and executed according to one or more of the following principles:
Reduce the number of animals in, or remove animals from, the seafood system and its supply chain.
Refine the conditions in which animals are currently kept or captured in the seafood system and its supply chain.
Replace animal products with sustainable plant-based or cell-based alternatives to the extent possible in the seafood system and its supply chain.
Reject the introduction of additional animals into the seafood system and its supply chain.
Coalitions
Coalitions are a key pillar to achieving global impact, and coordinating with animal protection and conservation organizations around the world ensures that we pursue the same objective, improving the lives of aquatic animals raised for food.
Global seafood certifiers can act as a key lever in transforming seafood supply production. Our unique focus on engaging global certification programs can help differentiate progressive producers from those lagging behind, and influence the activities of thousands of farms, producers, seafood brands and major buyers at any given point in time.
Certifier Campaign
Our policy work involves engaging the E.U., FAO, and other international organisations, participating in forums and conferences, to influence changes in policies on an international scale.
Global Policy Pursuits
We began this initiative in 2023 to collaborate with global retailers to guarantee that only high welfare seafood products land on store shelves.
Corporate Campaign
We are very proud of our supply chains and the leading standards they uphold. We are constantly striving to improve the welfare of all the fish and shellfish we source, not just the farmed ones! There is much to do, and we value our partnerships and collaborations with innovation partners like Aquatic Life Institute to tackle the status quo and address some of the real challenges faced by fishermen and farmers around the world. There is nothing more important to us than animal welfare, so we intend to leave no 'shell' unturned!
- Linda Wood, Aquaculture and Fisheries Manager, Marks and Spencer
Operations
Events
Events hosted
Presentation to the International Development Bank on aquatic animal welfare in aquaculture
Presentation to the Aquatic Animal Alliance on the 2023 Aquaculture Certification Schemes Benchmark
Event participation
EU Parliament event on sustainable aquaculture development
EA Global in Oakland
Advocacy Institute on creating change for aquatic animals
Barcelona Seafood Expo
EAG London
AAC in person meetings
Extinction or Regeneration
EU Ocean Week in Brussels
Eurogroup for Animals AGM and Annual Conference
World Benchmarking Alliance Allies Assembly
LEAD for Farmed Animals
AVA Summit
Summer Shoal
Lecture on NYU’s animals, food, and sustainability course
Reducetarian Summit
Green Rev presentation on octopus farming
Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions annual meeting
Lewis and Clark Animal Law Program course on octopus farming
Reducetarian fellowship event on impacts of factory farming
COP28 event: Doing Blue Foods Right
COP28 event: Bringing elephants into the room - why UNFCCC needs to put animals on the table
In the media
