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.”

REGISTRATION CLOSED

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REGISTRATION CLOSED

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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

  • 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


Speakers

  • Abigail Penny

    Executive Director, Animal Equality UK

  • Dr. Albin Gräns

    Associate professor, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

  • Amelia Cookson

    Campaigner (Industrial Aquaculture), Feedback

  • Andrianna Natsoulas

    Campaign Director, Don't Cage Our Oceans, North American Marine Alliance

  • Brian Kateman

    President and Founder, Reducetarian Foundation

  • Camille Labchuk

    Executive Director, Animal Justice

  • Ita Sualia

    Director, The People Fish and Forest (PFF) Indonesia and PhD Student, The University of Queensland

  • Jennifer Jacquet

    Professor, University of Miami

  • Dr. Lynne Sneddon

    Professor, University of Gothenburg

  • Michelle Boonstra

    Co-founder & Manager, Catch Welfare Platform

  • Míriam Martínez

    Fish Welfare Manager, Animal Welfare Observatory

  • Nathalie Gil

    President, Sea Shepherd Brasil

  • Dr. Rick Barrows

    Chief Scientific Officer, Future of Fish Feed, F3

  • Robin Simsa

    CEO, Revo Foods

  • Samantha Derrick

    Executive Director & Founder, Plant Futures Initiative

  • Stefan-Andreas Johnigk

    CEO, Aquaculture Welfare Standards Initiative (AWSI)

  • Taylor Quinn

    Executive Director, Tailored Food


Moderators

  • Dr. Kikiope Oluwarore

    Founder, One Health and Development Initiative

  • William Bench

    Founder/President of the Board, Aquatic Life Institute

  • Sean Gifford

    Managing Director, The Humane League UK

  • Hira Jaleel

    Teaching Fellow and Adjunct Professor, Center for Animal Law Studies

  • 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.