All Things Come Full Circle

Twenty-five years after 56 individuals gathered at a World Aquaculture Society meeting in Seattle to lay the groundwork for what became the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA), the nonprofit organization is returning to the Emerald City, this time to hold the 21st edition of its signature event,?GOAL: The Responsible Seafood Conference .

In the past quarter-century, some things have changed, and some things have not. Though GAA has since rebranded as the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) to reflect its budding involvement in wild-capture fisheries, particularly with its certification standards, the mission of GOAL remains the same — to provide a pre-competitive space for seafood thought leaders to put day-to-day business aside to address the challenges and opportunities facing seafood. What also remains the same is the recognition that we’re only as strong as the network of individuals and organizations that we surround ourselves with. We’re not too proud to ask for help.

We’re gradually publishing more and more content on fisheries, ocean health and climate change. Recent highlights include the?Responsible Seafood Advocate?articles?Ocean acidification isn’t just a carbon story — it’s also about nitrogen ,?From reporting apps to floating traps: How technology tackles ghost fishing ?and?Rethinking ropes: Can ropeless fishing gear end whale entanglements? ?as well as Aquademia podcast episodes with?Dr. Halley Froehlich ?and?Captain Jack Molan . As for GOAL, two of the eight virtual events held last year centered on fisheries —?Social accountability: Managing risk in fisheries, vessels, ports and processing plants ?and?Feeling the heat: What is seafood’s role in mitigating the impacts of climate change?

But it’s just the beginning. With yesterday’s announcement that GOAL 2022 is coming to the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in downtown Seattle from Oct. 3 to 5, it’s a perfect time to publicly ask for ideas from our friends in fisheries.?So fire away. ?Our media and events are only as strong as the connections we make with you, the experts.