The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) has played a leading role at the 2025 United Nations Oceans Conference (UNOC) in Nice, spotlighting responsible aquaculture as a critical solution for sustainable development, food security and ocean resilience.
Throughout the week, ASC representatives joined high-level dialogues to promote data-driven transparency and investment in the blue economy.
“Oceans unite us,” said Bertrand Charron, ASC global research and insights director. “They offer a future full of opportunity – if we act now.
“To transform food systems and protect biodiversity, we need transparency, engagement and credible, publicly-available performance data. With the right partnerships and finance, aquaculture can play a major role in food security and a sustainable, equitable ocean future.”
Charron addressed the UN Ocean Action Panel 9, representing ASC and Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, where he presented an aquaculture initiative in India as a model for multi-stakeholder collaboration.
Earlier, he joined the Blue Economy and Finance Forum, calling for stronger data frameworks to build trust among investors. “Transparency builds trust, and trust drives investment,” he said.
The call for scalable blue finance echoed across UNOC. Ray Dhirani, ASC/MSC head of capital markets outreach, noted signs of progress. “While some headline commitments were modest, we saw encouraging innovation from leading financiers, especially in emerging markets,” he said.
ASC’s science-based certification programme is increasingly viewed as vital to unlocking sustainable investment. Referenced by the World Bank and initiatives like the Ocean Investment Protocol, ASC’s data systems help de-risk investments and support ESG transparency.
As ASC’s Ola Luthman emphasised at the One Oceans Science Congress, responsible aquaculture must be better represented in ocean governance. With bold leadership, ASC aims to drive systemic change, ensuring aquaculture is not just sustainable, but essential for the ocean’s future.
