As part of the recent Monaco Ocean Week, the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) convened a roundtable in the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco to examine the transformative role which sustainable investments and blue finance can play in protecting the oceans.
With the theme “The contribution of responsible aquaculture and the role of blue finance in protecting the oceans,” the roundtable discussed the challenges and opportunities associated with investment in marine development, along with its role in supporting the aquaculture industry.
Moderated by ASC’s global director for research and insights Bertrand Charron, panellists brought their perspectives regarding responsible seafood production and the criteria taken into consideration to both secure impact and returns on investments. The panel featured renowned experts from SWEN Capital Partners’ Blue Ocean venture capital fund, aquaponic shrimp farm Agriloops, and processing company Labeyrie Fine Foods.
The roundtable discussions highlighted several key points within the theme criteria, including the role of innovation and technology in the aquaculture industry’s development, as well as the growth of blue finance over the past five years, which now represents €1 billion. The group also emphasised importance of measuring sustainability in a consistent way, and of having clear and reliable indicators to create confidence among financiers and encourage impact investments.