Aquaculture is high on the global food system agenda,” proclaims the editorial of the sixty-first edition of FAO’s Aquaculture Newsletter..
Issued twice a year as an online and printed newsletter, FAN presents articles and views from the aquaculture programme from the perspectives of both headquarters and the field programme.
In addition to the regular sections from the aquaculture statistician and fish health specialist, this issue showcases FAO’s work around the world, presenting activities in many countries and (sub-) regions, including the Maghreb, the United States of America, the Balkan and Caucasus countries, Pakistan, and Southern Africa. A story of how youth catfish farmers are connecting through social media, and another on how agroecological approaches can be used in intensive shrimp farming, are among the diverse subjects in this issue. Five thematic articles, rich in scope, cover topics including aquaculture in desert and arid lands, integrated rice-fish systems, new developments in alternative feed ingredients, dimensions of policy and governance improvements, and tracking of farmed types of aquatic genetic resources. The three last sections focus on new staff profiles in the FAO Aquaculture Branch, new FAO aquaculture publications and a calendar of events. Our former colleague Michael Vinke is remembered in this issue.
Aquaculture is indeed high on the docket for several international fora and events, including the UN Ocean Conference and the 25th anniversary of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, which highlights aquaculture’s role in the global food system, and underlines its relevance to humanity’s collective goals for sustainable development. To that end, this edition of FAN describes the future Global Conference on Aquaculture Millennium +20, to be held in Shanghai, China, which will review status, trends and emerging issues in aquaculture development, identify opportunities and challenges in aquaculture and its contributions to sustainable development, and build upon the partnerships needed for advancing aquaculture as a global, sustainable and competitive food production sector.
