ReefScan

Sharing the tragedy of marginalised communities suffering #IUU @ #OurOcean fulfils promise to bring their voices to international attention

PPPs can offer good opportunities for aquaculture in sub-Saharan Africa, from cold chains to modern farming tech and certification. But gaps in regulation and high borrowing costs still hold progress back. Read this @FAOFish paper to know more 👉 doi.org/10.4060/cc9252…

Yesterday in Brussels we launched the 1st Stakeholder Consultation on the European Commission Ocean Research and Innovation Strategy, bringing together stakeholders from science, policy, ports, industry and civil society to discuss how competitiveness and sustainability can be aligned in Europe’s ocean agenda. The programme combined an opening plenary with four focused panels: • Europe’s added value in ocean science, research and innovation • Research and innovation for ocean health • Research and innovation for a prosperous and competitive blue economy • Ocean technologies and uptake I was honoured to keynote Panel 3, showing how a truly prosperous and competitive economy depends on innovation that has use-case context, and highlighted the importance of connecting stakeholders at ground (water) level with society as a whole. This means reconnecting people with nature, and linking small-scale fishers, coastal communities and blue tourism to nation-scale adaptive management systems with anticipatory and predictive capacity for multidimensional security and sovereignty, while also driving valorisation to support the most vulnerable ecosystems, value chains (for example FISH4ACP), blue cultural food values and blue heritage. The consultation was moderated by Katrina Sichel, with speakers and keynotes including Spyros Kouvelis, Alan Haynie, Fiona Grant, Maria Grigoratou, Niall McDonough, Milen Baltov, Jan-Stefan Fritz, Cristian Mihai Adamescu, Isabel Sousa Pinto, Louis Demargne, Nicolas Pade, Marc García-Durán Huet, Cristina Simioli, Jaap Gebraad, David Bassett, Kinnie De Beule, Margherita Cappelletto, Holger Brix, Joaquín Hernández Brito, Uwe von Lukas, Antonella Calvia-Goetz, Craig Donlon, Pierre Bahurel, Fedra Francocci, Figen Ayan and many other contributors. My thanks to Commissioners Costas Kadis and Ekaterina Zaharieva; Joanna Drake; Delilah Al Khudhairy; Andreea Strachinescu; Kestutis Sadauskas; and the Mission Ocean secretariat team Jacques Delsalle, Evelyn Paredes Coral, Roberta Zobbi, Vicente Fernández, Juan Carlos Del Rio and John Hanus, as well as colleagues such as Kieran Coleman, for making this consultation a substantive and forward-looking step toward the future Ocean Research and Innovation Strategy.

What is FISH4ACP? Use the QR code to join us for a free virtual tour, a snapshot of our efforts at UNFAO Fisheries & Aquaculture, exploring economic, social & environmental impact of investing in aquatic value chains. Learn how swimming lessons are boosting women oyster harvesters' confidence in The Gambia, and how better access to finance is helping fish farmers boost tilapia production in Côte d’Ivoire.

This Wednesday afternoon at DroneX Tradeshow & Conference (ExCeL London), I’ll take the stage to deliver my keynote: Mission Ocean - “Valorising Uncrewed Innovation in a Rapidly Changing Ocean.” Use the link in the chat thread below to register. As a member of the board for EU Mission Ocean, I’ll share an overview of the Mission, how you can engage with projects, takeoff and funding and how uncrewed technologies are driving Europe’s effort to restore our ocean and waters by 2030. With over 1,000 actions already committed under the Mission Charter, this is the moment to link innovation with real impact leading us from the Ocean Pact to the Ocean Act! Don’t miss the Uncrewed Expo, showcasing the platforms and systems that are transforming how we observe, protect, secure and regenerate our blue planet.

A strong morning here in Nyborg with over 300 delegates gathered for Mission Ocean. Pascal Lamy underlined Europe’s responsibility and opportunity to lead globally on ocean action, while Alan Haynie of ICES stressed the central role of scientific advice and evidence. Andreea Strachinescu from the European Commission brought forward the themes of innovation, investment, and the blue economy, and Ciaran Kelly of the Marine Institute in Ireland reminded us that Mission Ocean is a wicked problem where progress depends on patience, partnerships, and fully inclusive approaches. Join the discussion, link in the reply below.

In data-limited fisheries, using raw data without review can lead to poor decisions. This @FAOFish guide helps explore, clean & understand data for more accurate assessments and better outcomes. Check it out 👉 doi.org/10.4060/cd0366…

#SmallScaleFisheries support 110 million people globally & impact nearly 500 million with their families. The #SSFGuidelines are key to amplifying their importance. 11 years on, @FAO is helping countries turn these guidelines into action. Read more 👉 doi.org/10.4060/cd1533…

Join us live at event.sdu.dk/missionoceaneu

I’m on my way to Nyborg for the Mission Ocean EU Presidency Conference, we’ll be taking stock of where the mission stands and how it connects to Europe’s broader priorities, from the Ocean Pact to walking the Ocean Act. Join us live at in the reply link. Looking forward to productive discussions with colleagues, and diving into the conference itself. Hopefully see you there!

Extreme climate events reveal the ocean’s role as Earth’s largest climate stabiliser—yet it remains undervalued and underprotected. Naka Kondo, editorial lead of the World Ocean Initiative, argues ocean literacy is vital to safeguard our most essential natural infrastructure. econimpact.co/11H

In launching the Ocean Investment Protocol, Jessica Smith, Nature Lead, UNEP FI and Suzanne F. Johnson, senior adviser to the UN Global Compact outline a pathway for mobilising finance that links ocean health with climate stability, livelihoods and prosperity. Read more on the World Ocean Initiative. econimpact.co/11t

The World Ocean Summit Europe 🇪🇺🌊 kicks off tomorrow, Tuesday September 9th! Join @EconomistImpact and a diverse range of contributors with engaging discussions across #science, #policy, and beyond, exploring conversations and opportunities to drive #innovation and #collaboration for the future of our #ocean. I’m thrilled to moderate two incredibly talented panels in the afternoon. Listen to their expertise on: Accelerating the growth of ocean innovation through public–private🧑‍🤝‍🧑partnerships 🌊 🕐 13:15–13:55 Building cross-sector alliances 🤿🎣 for long-term ocean health 🌊 🕓 15:40–16:05 You can join us online or in person; events.economist.com/world-ocean-su… #WorldOceanSummit #MissionOcean #OceanInnovation #PublicPrivatePartnerships #tech #business #Sustainability #Biodiversity #Economist #Europe

Join me this morning where I have the privilege to be speaking @FAOFish at the Inter-Regional #Digital #Agriculture #Solutions Forum (IDASF2025) in #Bangkok, hosted by @FAO and partners. My session will focus on how data sharing and AI can strengthen adaptive #management for #fisheries and aquatic resources, supporting #resilience, #sustainability, and the empowerment of those most connected to the #ocean, especially those most vulnerable. 🔗 Join us online: fao.org/digital-villag… #IDASF2025 #DigitalAgriculture #Fisheries #AI #Sustainability #FAO #Ocean #MachineLearning

Join me this morning where I have the privilege to be speaking @FAOFish at the Inter-Regional #Digital #Agriculture #Solutions Forum (IDASF2025) in #Bangkok, hosted by @FAO and partners. My session will focus on how data sharing and AI can strengthen adaptive #management for #fisheries and aquatic resources, supporting #resilience, #sustainability, and the empowerment of those most connected to the #ocean, especially those most vulnerable. 🔗 Join us online: fao.org/digital-villag… #IDASF2025 #DigitalAgriculture #Fisheries #AI #Sustainability #FAO #Ocean #MachineLearning

Listen to @Manu_FAO break down @FAOfish’s latest report on the state of global fish stocks, highlighting both the urgent challenges & the positive results, such as the recovery of tuna stocks through effective management, or the growing role of youth. 🎣 youtube.com/watch?v=pJMqHM…

The Ocean isn't a charity, it's the basis for our future existence and we all need to invest and finance a fully managed Ocean. Watch this #TopStory Interview with Dr Manuel Barange of FAO , #UNOC2025, on @FRANCE24, in a moment of clarity on a mainstream media outlet, @FAO’s Director of #Fisheries and #Aquaculture, @FAOfish eloquently describes the realities of #ocean #management and why: 🔹 Species are shifting habitats 🔹 Productivity and seasonality are changing 🔹 Entire #fisheriesmanagement systems need to adapt, fast and be adaptive in a rapidly changing dynamic system. youtube.com/watch?v=pJMqHM… #OceanSustainability #Fisheries #ClimateChange #UNOC2025 #FAO #MarinePolicy #ClimateAdaptation #BlueEconomy #Biodiversity #OceanPact #OceanAct #MissionOcean #Ocean #Oceans

Understand fisheries sustainability! 📢77% global fish landings by weight sustainable 📢88% tuna stocks fished sustainably 📢57% shark stocks sustainably exploited webtv.un.org/en/asset/k12/k… @FAOfish

Come to the Green Zone today and join me and some amazing colleagues for 🌊 #UNOC3 - Strengthening Blue Economies through Smarter Finance 🐟 Where? 🌐 Whale Pavilion, Green Zone When? Today🌅 Thursday, 12 June | 10:30 CEST LHS as you enter at the restaurant end of the Whale 🐳 🌊 Read the full agenda at lnkd.in/d5u6yiMy Join us in person or online for some insight into the transformational FAO #FISH4ACP project at the UN Ocean Conference on 12 June in Nice, #France. A timely and focused session on how small-scale #fisheries and #aquaculture producers can overcome systemic barriers to financial inclusion, empowering sustainable #Ocean futures. We’ll explore practical solutions, from self-help finance groups in São Tomé and Príncipe, to renewable #energy integration combined with #resilient infrastructure upgrades for de-risking investment in sustainable #tuna in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, demonstrating how inclusive finance and blue #economy strategies can empower the most vulnerable. 🌐 If you can't attend, you can also register now for the Livestream at lnkd.in/dGpB6J6A @FAO @FAOfish #UNOC2025 #FISH4ACP #AquaticFoods #BlueEconomy #Fisheries #Finance #FinancialInclusion #SmallScaleFisheries #SDG14 #UNOC #UNOC3 #EuropeanUnion #MissionOcean #BlueTransformation #LeaveNooneBehind #WorldOceansDay #WorldOceanDay #WorldEnvironmentDay #SIDS

🌊 I’m honoured to join the The @Economist Impact World Ocean Summit panel: “From Data to Action: Transforming Ocean Health, Nature & Prosperity” 🕐 13:05–14:05 CEST | 📍Aston La Scala Hotel 🎙 Sponsored by HUB Ocean lnkd.in/eUUz5A8Z This session will bring together leaders from across the ocean economy—shipping, #aquaculture, #renewables, #finance, and #science—to discuss how we can better use the data we already have to accelerate impact. I’ll speak about my work building data-driven diagnostics for #sustainable #ocean #ecosystems and stakeholders. Tools that are already helping countries and corporations align policy, investment, and sustainability goals. As a Board Member of the EU Mission: Mission Ocean Restore Our Ocean and Waters, I’m particularly keen to highlight how our efforts drive data sharing, collaboration, valorisation and how shared #marine intelligence can power real-world #restoration, resilient blue value chains, and mission-aligned #finance. #MissionOcean #ReefScan #EconomistImpact #OceanData #BlueEconomy #ESG #MarineInnovation #NatureTech #HighSeasTreaty #DataForImpact #OceanHealth #OceanRestoration #UNOC2025 #UNOC3 @Economist_WOI

Commendations to the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (@GFCM @mbernal_GFCM) who are presenting an impressive and coordinated approach to reducing bycatch across the #Mediterranean and #BlackSea at #UNOC2025. I envision that there are many opportunities from these efforts to broker lessons learned and share experiences among RFMO's. GFCM's efforts outlined; 🌊Deployment of innovative tools such as #eDNA, strengthened observer programmes, and active mitigation trials 🦈Development of a regional bycatch database and field-tested #species identification guides 🫂Strong collaboration under the MedBycatch project and the Working Group on #VulnerableSpecies (WGVUL) 📊Clear visualizations showing fleet segment data and priority intervention areas for #elasmobranchs and sea #turtles The presentation also emphasized the importance of multilevel coordination, drawing from global to regional frameworks. Their reference to transboundary governance reaffirms the GFCM’s role in shaping coherent, region-wide strategies. The presence of the #MediterraneanMarineInitiative at the session further underlined the significance of partnerships in delivering results. #Conservation, #science, and #policy communities are clearly aligning around shared goals. #UNOC2025 #GFCM #Bycatch @FAOfish #MedBycatch #SOMFI2025 #SeaTurtles #Elasmobranchs #BlueTransformation #MarinePolicy #SustainableFisheries #MarineScience #RFMO #MediterraneanMarineInitiative #BalenaEvent #UNTradeHouse #OceanThatFeedsUs #MissionOcean