Global Experts Call for Urgent Action at the 5th Annual Aquatic Life Conference

The 5th Annual Aquatic Life Conference was a resounding success, bringing together 860 registrants and 18 globally diverse speakers to discuss the future of the seafood industry through the lens of Aquatic Life Institute’s 4Rs framework: Reduce, Refine, Replace, and Reject. This year’s event was filled with thought-provoking insights, groundbreaking innovations, and urgent calls for action aimed at building a more sustainable and ethical global seafood system.

Dr. Daniel Pauly’s Keynote

The conference opened with a powerful keynote address from renowned marine biologist, Dr. Daniel Pauly. One of his central messages aligned deeply with Aquatic Life Institute’s mission: aquatic animals should be counted as individuals, not as tonnes. This critical shift in perspective, from viewing aquatic animals as mere commodities to recognizing them as sentient individuals capable of suffering, underpins much of the movement toward more ethical and sustainable practices in the seafood industry. 

Take a look at Dr. Pauly’s session at this year’s event.

Panel Sessions: Exploring the 4Rs Framework

The heart of the conference lay in the four panel sessions, each dedicated to one of the 4Rs: Reduce, Refine, Replace, and Reject. These sessions featured experts with backgrounds in aquatic animal welfare, environmental conservation, and innovative food technologies, each sharing their unique perspectives on reshaping the future of seafood.

Reduce

The Reduce session underscored the pressing need to scale down the seafood industry to protect both aquatic life and our planet. Speakers highlighted the environmental and societal impacts of the industry, from overfishing and habitat destruction to the devastation of communities dependent on marine ecosystems. Through specific case studies and global perspectives, the panel stressed the urgency of reducing both individual seafood consumption and the scale of industrial fishing and aquaculture. The message was clear: the path to sustainability begins with reducing the number of animals in the seafood system.

Campaigner at Feedback, Amelia Cookson, illustrates the vast scale of the seafood industry with a powerful example from the salmon farming and feed industries. “The salmon farming and feed industries, which are dominated by large multinational companies, are driving demand for millions of tonnes of wild-caught fish from the Global South every year. This farmed fish is sold at a premium in the Global North, creating a new type of food colonialism. Feedback calculates that the Norwegian salmon farming industry alone is driving the extraction of around 2 million tonnes of fish from the wild to feed its farmed salmon each year.”

Nathalie Gil, President of Sea Shepherd Brasil, says, “The ocean has many vital roles to affirm life on earth, but one thing it has no role for is to feed humanity. The protein intake and the calories intake it provides humanity (2% and 6% respectively), is insignificant versus the destruction that the fishing industry causes. The vast majority of humans don't depend on fish to survive, but the oceanic ecosystem depends heavily on this biodiversity to keep thriving. To make sure we keep counting on the ocean to fight the largest challenges we will face with climate change in the future, we must leave the ocean alone. Because if the ocean dies, we die.”

[View the Reduce session recording]

Refine

The Refine session focused on enhancing the welfare of aquatic animals through better standards, both in captive environments and in the wild. Speakers discussed tangible changes, like incorporating enrichment features in aquaculture tanks, that can drastically improve the well-being of fish. These adjustments not only reduce animal suffering but also increase productivity and product quality, benefiting aquaculture businesses, retailers, and consumers alike. The session highlighted the win-win potential of refining current systems to create a better future for aquatic animals and the industry.

Míriam Martínez, Fish Welfare Manager at Animal Welfare Observatory, is optimistic about growing alignment across science, technology, consumers, and NGOs on improving fish welfare and reducing suffering on farms. She emphasizes that the industry must adapt its practices in light of new knowledge and be transparent about these changes.

[View the Refine session recording]

Replace

In the Replace session, attendees were introduced to the possibility of a plant-based future. Innovators in this field, such as Revo Foods CEO Robin Simsa, showcased cutting-edge products like vegan salmon and octopus, offering sustainable and compassionate alternatives to traditional seafood. 

Taylor Quinn, Executive Director at Tailored Food, emphasizes that “alternative proteins are not new. There are dozens of examples of culturally-relevant, nutritious, affordable alternative protein product forms that have been processed, purchased, and consumed in the Global South for generations. These products are full of learnings that can be applied to the modern alternative protein movement.” 

This session was a hopeful glimpse into a future where sustainable food alternatives can play a central role in addressing global environmental and ethical concerns.

[View the Replace session recording]

Reject

The final session, Reject, took an abolitionist approach, addressing some of the most egregious practices in the seafood industry. Camille Labchuk, Executive Director at Animal Justice, shared a study on caviar farming and the exploitation of a sturgeon named Gracie, who has spent over 30 years in captivity, her eggs harvested repeatedly to grow other sturgeons. Other speakers addressed the critical need to ban octopus farming and reform fish farms, which pose significant risks to animals, the environment and public health.

Andrianna Natsoulas, Campaign Director of Don't Cage Our Oceans at the North American Marine Alliance, emphasized that there is a wealth of information highlighting the issues with offshore fish farming - essentially floating concentrated animal feeding operations. She argued that promoting offshore fish farms as a solution to overfishing and food insecurity is nothing more than a bluewashing tactic pushed by entities focused on profit. In reality, industrial fish farming worsens overfishing and food insecurity while threatening the livelihoods and independence of communities in the Global South, where the fish feed is sourced.

[View the Reject session recording]

Looking Forward: A Call to Action

As the conference concluded, it was clear that the conversations sparked by the 4Rs framework—Reduce, Refine, Replace, and Reject—are more than just theoretical discussions; they represent actionable paths toward transforming the seafood industry. Whether through individual consumer choices, industry reform, or innovative plant-based alternatives, the global community must take collective action to protect aquatic life and the planet.

The views expressed by conference speakers do not necessarily reflect those of Aquatic Life Institute. As hosts of the annual Aquatic Life Conference, we aim to provide a platform for diverse perspectives from organizations and experts with varying focuses and standpoints, fostering an environment where we can share ideas and learn from one another to do the best for animals, humans, and the planet.

For those who couldn’t attend the live sessions, we encourage you to view the recordings to gain deeper insights into the critical issues discussed. Each session offers valuable knowledge and practical solutions that can help us all contribute to a more sustainable and ethical future.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all of our speakers, moderators, and engaged attendees for making this year’s Aquatic Life Conference a success. Together, we can work toward a future where aquatic animals are treated with the respect they deserve, and where the seafood industry reflects the values of sustainability and compassion.

Explore the session recordings and join the movement for a more ethical seafood system!