GOAL Conference Returns to Latin America for First Time in Seven Years
The Global Aquaculture Alliance’s GOAL 2018 conference will be held at the Hilton Colon Guayaquil in Guayaquil, Ecuador, from Sept. 25 to 27, the organization announced in conjunction with Ecuador’s Cámara Nacional de Acuacultura (CNA) on Jan. 8.
This is the first time in seven years that GOAL is being held in Latin America and the first time that GOAL has been held in Ecuador. Guayaquil is Ecuador’s largest city and is the hub of its prosperous shrimp-farming and -processing sector.
“Ecuador, one of the earliest supporters of GAA, has become one of the world’s leading shrimp producers and a hotbed of foreign investment,” said GAA President George Chamberlain. “GOAL 2018 will celebrate Ecuador’s leadership, which has redefined the term ‘sustainability’ with farms that have been in continuous operation for more than three decades. Production efficiency has steadily improved using a unique combination of breeding, high quality feeds and semi-intensive management without antibiotics. We look forward to bringing many of the world’s aquaculture thought leaders to Guayaquil to advance the responsible aquaculture discussion.”
“For more than 50 years, Ecuador has proven to be a leader in shrimp aquaculture, complying with the highest environmental and social standards, which has made it a world reference in the industry. For our country and our organization, this is a great opportunity to show other countries and buyers the commitment of this industry on producing a healthy, nutritious and pure premium quality shrimp, farmed in the most sustainable way,” said CNA Executive President José Antonio Camposano.
GOAL (Global Outlook for Aquaculture Leadership) is a pre-competitive event, an opportunity to put day-to-day business aside and bring together all industry segments to discuss shared responsibilities and goals. Established in 2001, the three-day conference features 60-plus speakers providing insight on the trends shaping the future of responsible aquaculture production and sourcing as well as multiple social and networking opportunities for around 400 seafood professionals from 30-plus countries.
Last year’s conference was held at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland, where GAA celebrated its 20th anniversary. GOAL 2017 drew more than 400 attendees.
Cámara Nacional de Acuacultura is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and will be co-hosting GOAL 2018. This organization is dedicated to promoting the sustainable development of Ecuador’s aquaculture industry, helping to maintain the competitive advantage Ecuador enjoys with a profound commitment and respect for social and environmental standards. After GOAL 2018, the organization is holding the AQUAEXPO 2018 trade show and conference at the convention center in Guayaquil from Oct. 15 to 18. CNA represents the interests of the entire spectrum of operators within Ecuador’s aquaculture industry, including hatcheries, farmers, processors and exporters of shrimp, tilapia and other species, in addition to supporting industries from feed providers to industrial manufacturers.
About GAA
The Global Aquaculture Alliance is an international, nonprofit trade association dedicated to advancing environmentally and socially responsible aquaculture. Through the development of its Best Aquaculture Practices certification standards, GAA has become the leading standards-setting organization for aquaculture seafood.
