The first-ever Sustainable Seafood Forum will be held in conjunction with the 14th annual China Fisheries & Seafood Expo in Qingdao, China, on 2 November.
The one-day conference is organized by China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Sea Fare Expositions of Seattle, which puts on the show, which runs from 3 to 5 November.
The conference will feature speakers from Asia, the European Union and North America, including government officials, environmentalists and major seafood buyers and producers, who will all discuss their involvement in advancing the global sustainable seafood movement.
It is supported by World Wildlife Federation, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Seafood Choices Alliance, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership and Trace Register.
“U.S. and European retailers and suppliers are actively trying to improve fisheries,” says Jim Cannon, CEO of Sustainable Fisheries Partnership.
“They benefit by diversifying and assuring their supply options and widening their product range,” he explained. “Chinese companies also have a critical role to play in fisheries improvement, which will help them compete effectively and secure their long-term future. This kind of meeting, which engages government and industry and exchanges experiences and perspective, is a big step in the right direction.”
“China is the world’s largest seafood exporter, so it is important that the Chinese industry learn about producing as much seafood as possible on a sustainable basis,” added Niu Dun, China’s vice minister of agriculture. “We want to start doing this quickly and with strength.”
