AAORIA in Action: Sustainable Blue Economy and Food from the Ocean – Sustainable Food from the Oceans and Inland Waters for Food Security and Nutrition

In 2026, the annual forum for the All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance (AAORIA) takes place in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. As part of this forum, AAORIA and the UN Global Action Network on Aquatic Foods for Food Security and Nutrition will co-host the joint session “AAORIA in Action: Sustainable Blue Economy and Food from the Ocean” live on April 15^th from 16:45–17:30 BZT (12:45–13:30 CEST).

This session highlights the role of sustainable aquatic foods in food security and nutrition in support of sustainable development. It will present future pathways for sustainable ocean-based food systems and integrate perspectives from science, policy and society across aquaculture and fisheries, food security and nutrition.

The session will showcase current knowledge, identify key challenges, and explore pathways forward for sustainable management and increased societal acceptance of ocean-based food systems as an important key for sustainability, food security, income and livelihoods.

The session concludes with a moderated panel discussion on how science, governance and international cooperation can jointly support sustainable ocean-based food systems, from local communities to global governance.

Key themes and speakers:

Trends in aquatic food consumption, including consumption patterns, sustainability, and market perspectives.
Juliana Antunes Galvão, University of São Paulo – USP, Brazil
Status and insights from AAORIA’s work on societal acceptance of sustainable aquaculture.
Karin Kroon Boxaspen, Institute of Marine Research – IMR, Norway
Circularity, cumulative impacts and decision-making tools in the blue economy.
Will McClintock, University of California, Santa Barbara/ SeaSketch, USA
Multi-trophic aquaculture and ecosystem connectivity.
Luis Henrique Poersch, Federal University of Rio Grande – FURG, Brazil
Next generation surveillance techniques for fisheries.
Ana Carolina Sala Sousa Santos, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture – MPA, Brazil

Chair: Karin Kroon Boxaspen, Institute of Marine Research – IMR, Norway