The Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture (GSA) have been developed to support the implementation of the 1995 Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (Code) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (ASD 2030) and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as the United Nations Decades for Ecosystem Restoration and Family Farming.
As such, the Guidelines support the visibility, recognition and enhancement of the important role of aquaculture in contributing to global, regional and national efforts towards the eradication of hunger and poverty and to support socioeconomic development for the benefit of current and future generations, in full respect of the environment, ensuring restoration and protection of aquatic habitats, biodiversity and ecosystems.
Aquaculture is a millennia-old activity that had expanded slowly for centuries, integrating with natural, social, economic, and cultural environments. Since the 1970s, aquaculture has experienced rapid expansion and major developments as the fastest-growing food production industry, fueled by scientific progress, technological innovations, and investment, amid a consistently and sharply increasing global demand for aquatic food. Expansion and intensification of the aquaculture sector has been a major factor in the doubling of global per capita fish consumption since 1960 making increasing contributions to the provision of food and livelihoods for a growing population.
FAO projects further increase in production, consumption and trade of aquatic food products, accelerated mainly by a sustained growth in aquaculture. However, some of these developments have caused undesirable social and environmental impacts, leading to conflicts between users of land, water, and living aquatic resources, and negatively affecting the aquatic environment, its biodiversity and its valuable ecosystem services.
In particular, concerns remain regarding habitat destruction and modification; the irresponsible and unregulated use of chemicals and veterinary medicines; the impact of escapees on wild fish stocks, the use of feed ingredients that are not sustainably sourced. In 1995, Members adopted the Code as the reference framework for national, regional, and international efforts to ensure sustainable production, harvesting and utilization of living aquatic resources in harmony with the environment, considering all their relevant biological, technological, economic, social, environmental and commercial aspects. Several other international instruments and initiatives of relevance to sustainable fisheries and aquaculture have been developed and implemented concurrently to the Code (Annex 2).
They address responsible governance principles of tenure, equitable livelihoods, sustainable resources management, including feed, biological diversity, biosecurity, environmental protection, climate change and natural disasters, social responsibility and gender equality, international trade, responsible investment, innovation and science. While there is a great need for further improvements, significant progress has been made in several areas of aquaculture research, technology and practice. The FAO Strategic Framework 2022–2031 supports the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable food systems for achieving better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life, leaving no one behind.
The Four Betters represent aspirations and organizing principles for how FAO intends to contribute directly to its three guiding SDGs: SDG 1 (No poverty), SDG 2 (Zero hunger), and SDG 10 (Reduced inequalities), as well as support the broader SDG agenda, crucial for attaining FAO’s overall vision. The FAO Strategic Framework 2022–2031 is built around 20 Programme Priority Areas (PPAs) addressing the various food and agriculture sectors and representing important building blocks to support FAO work and the ASD 2030. FAO also applies four cross cutting/cross sectional accelerators: technology, innovations, data and complements (governance, human capital and institutions) in its programmatic interventions to accelerate progress and maximize efforts to realize its aspirations: the Four Betters.
Blue Transformation, a vision for FAO’s work on aquatic food system, is a targeted effort by which agencies, countries and communities use existing and emerging knowledge, tools and practices to secure and sustainably maximize the contribution of aquatic food systems to food security, nutrition and affordable healthy diets for all.
The three global objectives of Blue Transformation are: i) sustainable aquaculture intensification and expansion satisfy global demand for aquatic food and distribute benefits equitably; ii) effective management of all fisheries delivers healthy stocks and secures equitable livelihoods; iii) updated value chains ensure the social, economic and environmental viability of aquatic food systems.
In 2017, the 9th Session of the Sub-Committee on Aquaculture (COFI:AQ) of the FAO Committee on Fisheries called for the identification of successful initiatives in support of sustainable aquaculture and their documentation and compilation into the Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture, towards better implementation of the Code and achievement of the SDGs through the contributions of the aquaculture sector.
In this regard, FAO carried out a global process to consult its Members, partners and stakeholders including representatives of farmers, civil society organizations (CSOs), governments, regional organizations and academia, to develop the Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture. [A draft of the Guidelines (Draft Guidelines) was presented as an information paper to the 11th Session of the COFI:AQ. The Session recommended their review by Members with a view to their finalization. A virtual meeting of a Members’ Task Force was convened in January 2023.
The Task Force reviewed the Draft Guidelines and requested FAO to finalize the draft and submit it to the 12th Session of COFI:AQ for guidance. On [Date], the 12th Session of COFI:AQ adopted the Draft Guidelines, and on [Date], the 36th Session of COFI endorsed the Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture and urged FAO and its Members, partners and stakeholders to implement the Guidelines.]
The Guidelines recognize that countries have diverse challenges, needs and capacities with respect to aquaculture development, including in relation to aquatic resources, infrastructure, investment, institutions, levels of education and technical capacities. At the same time, there are major common challenges and opportunities at national, regional and global levels. At the request of FAO Members, the Guidelines aim to provide a clear direction for the development of sustainable aquaculture and identify the concrete actions that need to be implemented for aquaculture to best contribute to food security, poverty alleviation, preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity and the broader goals of the ASD 2030 and its SDGs…
The Draft Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture is available at: https://www.icsf.net/resources/draft-guidelines-for-sustainable-aquaculture-twelfth-session-sub-committee-on-aquaculture-hermosillo-mexico-16-19-may-2023/