Fifty specialists from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago and Uruguay recently participated in a Regional Workshop on the Promotion of the Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture (GSA).
The workshop, held in Panama, funded by the European Union and organised by FAO, highlighted the need for countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to assess the current state of aquaculture and align their policies and governance frameworks with the principles of the Guidelines, through concrete strategies, action plans, and training tailored to national needs.
It also included the participation of the Centre for Marketing Information and Advisory Services for Fishery Products in Latin America and the Caribbean (Infopesca), the Lake Titicaca Authority, and the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor (CMAR).
The GSA was developed by FAO and its members and adopted during the 36th session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries. They are the first international instrument entirely dedicated to this sector, which is vital in helping to feed a growing global population expected to reach 9.7 billion people by 2050.
According to FAO data, more than 15 million tonnes of fishery and aquaculture products are produced annually in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the sector has grown steadily at 7.7% annually since 2000.
“In this context, sustainable aquaculture has enormous growth potential in the region. It can also have a positive impact by increasing the availability of aquatic foods that contribute to healthy, affordable, and sustainable diets for millions of people in Latin America and the Caribbean,” FAO Senior Fisheries and Aquaculture Officer Javier Villanueva said.
FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division Deputy Director Xinhua Yuan added that the GSA provides policy and governance guidance to advance towards better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life – “leaving no one behind”.
At the event, participants underscored the importance of regional cooperation, knowledge exchange, and inclusive dialogue to accelerate the implementation of the GSA. With this, they recognized that shared challenges require coordinated and context-sensitive solutions, noted FAO Aquaculture Officer José Aguilar-Manjarrez.
The workshop concluded with a summary of recommendations and a call to action for the Commission on Small-Scale, Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture for Latin America and the Caribbean (COPPESAALC), FAO, and the countries to take a closer look at aquaculture development in their local contexts, identify current gaps, and explore ways to align their national aquaculture development plans and practices with the guidelines.
