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The XII Conxemar-FAO International Congress advocates sustainability based on respect for the environment, the oceans, workers and economic profitability
- The Afundación Vigo headquarters today hosted one of the main events for seafood processing and marketing companies from all over the world, which was closed by the Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas
- The main focus was the SOFIA 2024 Report, which, among its conclusions, highlights the fact that, for the first time in history, there is more seafood from aquaculture (51%) than from capture fishing
The XII Conxemar-FAO International Congress, held today at the Afundación Vigo headquarters, brought together 24 top-level speakers from all over the world who, during the different sessions programmed, were able to delve into the theme chosen for this occasion: ‘Responsibility for the future’.
Within this framework, among the conclusions of an event that year after year becomes one of the main meetings for seafood processing and marketing companies from all over the world, is the commitment to sustainability in the industry.
This sustainability, as has been seen throughout the conference, involves promoting responsibility based on respect for the environment, starting with the oceans; for workers’ rights; and for economic sustainability, understood as the necessary profitability to promote new investments.
And a sustainability that, in turn, also involves the promotion of technological innovations, which allow both to boost activity and to promote the regeneration of marine biodiversity.
SOFIA 2024 Report
On this basis, and throughout the different sessions that took place during the conference, the experts were able to examine the SOFIA 2024 Report drawn up by the FAO in greater depth.
This study emphasises, among other issues, the significant growth of aquaculture, which overtook capture fisheries for the first time in 2022 – the year analysed by the report – reaching a production of 94 million tonnes, representing 51% of global aquatic production.
However, aquaculture has a very localised origin, with most of its production centred in a small group of countries led by China and India, which are generating more than 90% of the product.
On this basis, the experts advocated investing in training in order to be able to generate aquaculture farms in developing countries, thus promoting greater equity between all territories.
In this context, technological advances and the adoption of sustainable practices are also key to the growth of global aquaculture.
Closing ceremony
The Congress, the result of the union of Conxemar and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), was brought to a close by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, who, during his speech, highlighted some of these ideas.
Planas highlighted the fact that Spain has a very significant aquaculture production of more than 300,000 tonnes, with a sales value of around 30 million euros, which makes Spain the leading producer in the European Union.
These figures confer a ‘great potential for growth’ linked to research, development and innovation, with around 50 research centres and 90 university departments working to promote aquaculture.