Animal welfare issues in commercial fisheries are widespread and significant. In fact, wild-caught seafood remains the last major food-producing sector that does not take animal welfare into consideration.

Central to the oceans is a key stakeholder that no one (except for the Aquatic Life Institute) spoke about at the second UN Ocean Conference – and that’s the aquatic animals themselves.

The Aquatic Life Institute carried out a thorough evaluation of animal welfare standards for 6 of the most prominent certifications in the aquaculture industry.

The Aquatic Life Institute has been collaborating closely with Global Animal Partnership (G.A.P) for over a year on their groundbreaking welfare certification for aquaculture facilities specific to salmon, which was released today on World Oceans day.

La Aquatic Animal Alliance recientemente envió un reporte donde advierte al gobierno de las Islas Canarias en España sobre los graves riesgos ambientales que conllevaría la instalación de una granja de pulpos en el Puerto Las Palmas en la isla Gran Canaria.

The Aquatic Animal Alliance recently sent a report which warns the government of the Canary Islands in Spain about the serious environmental risks that the installation of an octopus farm in Puerto Las Palmas on the island of Gran Canaria would entail.

New report released by the Aquatic Life Institute identifies major welfare issues in capture fisheries and proposes key recommendations.

What happened on March 2nd at the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) was a truly historic moment! The Resolution on the Nexus between Animal Welfare, Environment and Sustainable Development was passed unanimously – scoring a momentous victory for animals on a global scale.

If signed into law, this bill would have a profound impact on the millions of farmed fish that will be reared in these facilities annually, on wild populations, and on the environment and coastal communities.

The 2nd Annual Aquatic Life Conference will bring together global stakeholders from November 15 - 18 to learn and share about aquatic animal protection.

This major conference that seeks to tackle the global climate change dilemma is offering attendees food that, for the most part, appears to be sustainably sourced with many items being plant-based. “COP26 wants to be a benchmark for future events by making its food and drink options more sustainable”, says William Phelps. 80% of the food offered is locally sourced from Scotland and has been produced using environmentally sustainable methods. For example, Edinburgh’s Mara Seaweed does not require fertiliser, fresh water or soil to grow.

In an interview with freediver and captain Lauren Landers, she expresses her love for the ocean and desire to teach younger generations to protect the ocean and experience its beauty.

We know that fish are sentient beings and that they are one of the most exploited animals. We know that fish play an important role in nutrient cycles in marine ecosystems and that humans are putting fish stocks at risk of disappearing completely. We have an urgent responsibility to protect fish, so how can we get people to care?

On September 17th, the Minister of Fisheries in Gabon, the Honorable Biendi Maganga-Moussavou, shut down the Gabonese shrimp fishery. The Minister joined Gabonese fisheries inspectors, national park eco-guards, Navy sailors and the Sea Shepherd crew on board the Sea Shepherd vessel Bob Barker for a three-day patrol to take action against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

For the first time, aquatic animal welfare becomes a key focal point in high level global policy paper on sustainable aquaculture development, endorsed by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization.

The Ocean Photography Awards reveal life beneath the ocean surface; both its beauty and its distress. Photographers have captured extraordinary images of aquatic life and the plights that the ocean is currently facing, many resulting from human activity. The contrast between the two offers us a chance to recognise our harmful impacts on the environment and wildlife and how we are adversely changing their lives.

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen reductions in CO2 and NO2 emissions, but a new category of pollutants has set in. With the increased, and now widely mandatory, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), these materials are becoming a serious concern for the environment and may be an emerging source of microplastics. The materials that we are now using every day to protect us from this virus are in fact harming wildlife and there is growing evidence of this across the world. 

On the third Saturday in September, volunteers around the world head to coastal areas for the International Coastal Clean Up (ICC) to help clean up the garbage that poses a major threat to the oceans and wildlife. The ICC started over 35 years ago by Ocean Conservancy, when communities came together to collect and document the litter found on their coastlines. This global event encourages humans to protect the oceans and waterways and to become aware of our impact on the planet.

New report released by the Aquatic Life Institute underscores the importance of aquatic animal welfare in achieving global sustainable development goals.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is in the process of developing new global Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture development and ALI is serving as a key stakeholder in the process.