Celebrating Aquatic Life Institute’s 5th Year
5th Annual
Aquatic Life Conference
September 9 & 10, 2024
“The conference is a wonderful platform to learn from industry experts and to connect with aquatic animal advocates from around the world.”
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The theme of this year's conference revolves around our 4Rs framework - Reduce, Refine, Replace, and Reject, focusing on sustainable and ethical practices and innovations in the global seafood industry.
Keynote Speaker
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Dr. Daniel Pauly
Principal Investigator of the Sea Around Us initiative, the University of British Columbia
Photo: Kim Bellavance | Tyler Prize | Courtesy of the Sea Around Us
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Speakers
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Abigail Penny
Executive Director, Animal Equality UK
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Dr. Albin Gräns
Associate professor, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
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Amelia Cookson
Campaigner (Industrial Aquaculture), Feedback
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Andrianna Natsoulas
Campaign Director, Don't Cage Our Oceans, North American Marine Alliance
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Brian Kateman
President and Founder, Reducetarian Foundation
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Camille Labchuk
Executive Director, Animal Justice
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Ita Sualia
Director, The People Fish and Forest (PFF) Indonesia and PhD Student, The University of Queensland
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Jennifer Jacquet
Professor, University of Miami
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Dr. Lynne Sneddon
Professor, University of Gothenburg
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Michelle Boonstra
Co-founder & Manager, Catch Welfare Platform
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Míriam Martínez
Fish Welfare Manager, Animal Welfare Observatory
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Nathalie Gil
President, Sea Shepherd Brasil
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Dr. Rick Barrows
Chief Scientific Officer, Future of Fish Feed, F3
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Robin Simsa
CEO, Revo Foods
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Samantha Derrick
Executive Director & Founder, Plant Futures Initiative
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Stefan-Andreas Johnigk
CEO, Aquaculture Welfare Standards Initiative (AWSI)
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Taylor Quinn
Executive Director, Tailored Food
Moderators
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Dr. Kikiope Oluwarore
Founder, One Health and Development Initiative
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William Bench
Founder/President of the Board, Aquatic Life Institute
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Sean Gifford
Managing Director, The Humane League UK
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Hira Jaleel
Teaching Fellow and Adjunct Professor, Center for Animal Law Studies
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Giulia Malerbi
Head of Global Policy, Aquatic Life Institute
Agenda
All times are in Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Monday, September 9th, 2024
Introduction and Welcome Message from Sophika Kostyniuk
8:25 AM - 8:30 AM
Keynote Speech
Moderator: Dr. Kikiope Oluwarore
Dr. Daniel Pauly, Principal Investigator of the Sea Around Us initiative, the University of British Columbia
8:30 AM - 8:55 AM
Reduce
Moderator: William Bench
This session will open the floor to diverse perspectives around reducing the number of animals in the seafood system. We will learn about biodiversity conservation and campaigns that advocate for sustainable practices in the seafood system, while addressing the socio-economic impacts of industrial fishing on artisanal fishing communities.
Amelia Cookson, Feedback
Ita Sualia, Director, The People Fish and Forest (PFF) Indonesia
Nathalie Gil, Sea Shepherd Brasil
Brian Kateman, Reducetarian Foundation
9:00 AM - 10:25 AM
Refine
Moderator: Sean Gifford
This session will explore best practices for animal welfare in capture fisheries and captive environments. We take a look at innovative technologies and other strategies to reduce animal suffering, addressing the 5 freedoms of animal welfare. We also spotlight industry leaders that are pioneering robust animal welfare standards, leading the charge in advocating for more compassionate seafood practices.
Dr. Albin Gräns, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Dr. Lynne Sneddon, University of Gothenburg
Stefan-Andreas Johnigk, Aquaculture Welfare Standards Initiative (AWSI)
Míriam Martínez, Animal Welfare Observatory
Michelle Boonstra, Catch Welfare Platform
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Tuesday, September 10th, 2024
Replace
Moderator: Hira Jaleel
This session will explore aquaculture feed alternatives and cutting-edge innovations in alternative proteins for seafood, envisioning a future where sustainable plant-based and cell-based alternatives mitigate the pressures on our current food system.
Robin Simsa, Revo Foods
Samantha Derrick, Plant Futures Initiative
Dr. Rick Barrows, Future of Fish Feed, F3
Taylor Quinn, Tailored Food
9:00 AM - 10:25 AM
Reject
Moderator: Giulia Malerbi
This session will underscore the imperative to reject the introduction of additional animals into the seafood system and its supply chain, featuring discussions on banning octopus farming and other harmful aquaculture practices, addressing biosecurity risks, and regulating species introduction for sustainable aquaculture.
Camille Labchuk, Animal Justice
Jennifer Jacquet, University of Miami
Abigail Penny, Animal Equality UK
Andrianna Natsoulas, North American Marine Alliance
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Learn more about the event
Join us for the Annual Aquatic Life Conference as we celebrate our 5th anniversary, proudly organized and hosted by Aquatic Life Institute. We look forward to providing a platform for leaders from around the world who will share their work on aquatic animal welfare. Last year, we had a remarkable turnout with over 600 registrants, and we are anticipating an even bigger event this year.
This conference will take place online, spanning two half-days to ensure inclusive participation by stakeholders worldwide. The sessions will be held in Eastern Standard Time, and we are mindful of time zone differences, so all session recordings will be made available online following the event. Our sessions this year will be more dynamic than ever, and our goal is to create a space for learning, idea exchange, fostering new connections, and laying the groundwork for future collaborations. We encourage active participation during the live sessions.
Our conference aligns with a pivotal moment in our journey towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. At this pivotal moment, our aim is not just to raise public awareness about the sentience of aquatic animals, but also to underscore the crucial need for incorporating their welfare considerations into legislative frameworks, corporate policies, and seafood certification standards. Through this, we aim to tackle issues related to climate change, sustainability, health, and biosecurity with a comprehensive approach.