Third global gathering to stimulate innovation in seafood

WWF and partners making waves with third global gathering to stimulate innovation in the seafood sector.

Today, global environmental organisation WWF, and partner organisations, kick-off the third global conference promoting innovation in the seafood sector. The Seafood and Fisheries Emerging Technologies (SAFET) Conference in Bangkok, running from 13-16 February 2019, is the only global conference focused on bringing together the fisheries, seafood supply chain, and technology sectors.

Bubba Cook, WWF’s Pacific Tuna Programme Manager said, “With 230 registered participants representing 129 independent institutions/businesses from 39 different countries, including 50 speakers, this conference is a unique opportunity to create solutions for the issues facing fisheries and seafood supply chains.”

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has conducted similar conferences biennially since 2014, with a vision to explore and drive innovation through emerging technologies that have the potential to transform the conservation and management of the world’s fisheries.

Outcomes from the first two conferences include improvements to regional fisheries surveillance in the Pacific through the connection made between a regulator and a technology provider and improved design of tracking hardware as a result of interaction with practitioners.

“By exploring emerging technologies as diverse as satellite remote sensing and unmanned surveillance vehicles, this conference will create and strengthen new connections among technology, industry, and government specialists,” said Bubba Cook.

Key issues being covered at this year’s conference include the latest tech that can improve fisheries monitoring and new developments in seafood supply chain traceability and transparency, such as multispectral imaging and blockchain.

While WWF led previous events, a broad coalition of government and non-government organizations (NGOs) have come together to make the 2019 event the largest and most relevant to date. The SAFET Conference is the only global conference where practitioners from around the world can explore and learn about the latest technologies available for application in fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) and supply chain traceability.

“Optimizing technology is critical to the advancement of traceability in fisheries,” said Susan Jackson, President of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF). “SAFET is providing a much-needed forum for diverse stakeholders to share proven best practices, as well as emerging solutions for improved fisheries management. ISSF is committed to exploring and promoting cutting edge MCS tech, and we’re excited to support this important conference."

Bubba Cook said, “The event will help identify potential solutions to complex fisheries challenges by connecting technology providers with fisheries and seafood supply chain professionals. Ultimately, this is about solving the conservation and management challenges global fisheries currently face.”

Notes

The Seafood and Fisheries Emerging Technologies (SAFET) Conference at The Centara Grand Hotel, at Central Plaza Ladprao, in Bangkok, from 13-16 February 2019

https://www.seafoodandfisheriesemergingtechnology.com/

The theme for the 2019 SAFET Conference is “Illuminating the Supply Chain,” reflecting the recognition of the increasingly important role that the seafood supply chain plays in identifying and assisting actions related to investigations of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. As evidenced by the implementation of regulatory measures by the European Union, United States, and, soon, Japan, regulatory authorities have progressively viewed seafood supply chain traceability as an increasingly important tool in combatting IUU alongside other available MCS tools.

Following the SAFET Conference, the International Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance Network (IMCS Network) will hold the Sixth Global Fisheries Enforcement Training Workshop (GFETW) on February 18-22, 2019, at the same venue.

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