Seafood Expo Global 2024: Uniting leaders in responsible supply chains

Seafood Expo Global 2024: Uniting leaders in responsible supply chains

Teaser: Seafood Expo Global 2024, held 23–25 April in Barcelona, Spain, marked a significant milestone: It celebrated its 30th edition, attracting a record-breaking 2,244 exhibiting companies from 87 countries. As one of the key players in the aquaculture certification sphere, GLOBALG.A.P. made its presence felt, fostering connections and driving conversations on responsible supply chains, transparency, and industry trends.

A global platform for aquaculture experts

Providing a global platform for professionals from across the seafood sector to conduct business, forge networks, and solidify partnerships, Seafood Expo Global took place in Barcelona for the third time.

The dual-branded GLOBALG.A.P. and GGN label booth was well frequented throughout the three-day event, with representatives engaging with visitors and fielding inquiries from the feed ingredients sector, in particular. The booth buzzed with activity, underscoring the growing importance of aquaculture certification in meeting consumer demand for transparency and quality assurance.

GLOBALG.A.P. at the forefront

Valeska Weymann, Senior Technical Expert at GLOBALG.A.P. c/o FoodPLUS GmbH, highlighted the increasing interest in aquaculture certification amidst the sector’s global expansion. “As the aquaculture sector grows worldwide, there is a natural increase in levels of interest in aquaculture certification,” she said. “In our case, buyers respond very positively to the fact that GLOBALG.A.P. certification covers all actors in the production chain.”

Amidst the myriad of discussions, the concept of sustainability emerged as a central theme, reflecting the sector’s collective commitment to responsible practices and environmental stewardship.

A panel discussion on responsible aquaculture

A highlight of the event was the panel discussion on “Responsible aquaculture supply chains: Addressing evolving transparency requirements from farm to consumer” hosted by GLOBALG.A.P. c/o FoodPLUS GmbH.

Bringing together representatives from diverse backgrounds, including the FAO (COFI), Marine Conservation Society, Hilton Foods, and Stolt Sea Farm, the discussion delved into topics such as traceability and legal compliance, shedding light on strategies to enhance responsible practices in production systems. Although each panelist offered unique perspectives, they all agreed that meeting the growing challenges and demands of fostering responsible aquaculture supply chains requires collaborative efforts from stakeholders across different sectors.

Remko Oosterveld, representing GLOBALG.A.P. and the GGN label as Aquaculture Key Account Manager, emphasized this, signaling that voluntary certification systems depend on the professional exchange of all relevant actors in the supply chain: “Only with cross-stakeholder collaboration can we as an organization develop standards that meet the requirements of the whole industry. To achieve increased transparency and traceability, with increasing requirements, the cooperation with all stakeholders in the supply chain is vital. GLOBALG.A.P. ultimately exists to support the whole sector,” he concluded.

Looking ahead

As the seafood sector continues to evolve, events like these serve as pivotal moments to reflect, connect, and chart a course towards a more sustainable future. With this year’s event now concluded, our anticipation builds for the next edition, scheduled for 6–8 May 2025. There, we eagerly look forward to continuing the ongoing dialogue on responsible aquaculture practices with the global seafood community.

Don’t miss our biggest event of the year coming up in September:

GLOBALG.A.P. SUMMIT 2024 in Warsaw, Poland – Tickets on sale now!