Aquatic Blue Food Coalition

As countries work toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, it has become increasingly clear that blue foods—fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants and algae from freshwater and marine systems—support food and nutrition security for billions of people worldwide. Yet these foods are often missing from the policies and investments shaping the future of food. The Aquatic Blue Food Coalition was created to elevate blue foods in decision-making and align food system goals with ocean priorities.

The Center for Ocean Solutions helped lay the groundwork for this effort as a co-lead of the 2021 Blue Food Assessment, which strengthened the scientific evidence on the benefits, risks, and trade-offs associated with fisheries and aquaculture investments. The coalition was proposed that same year during the UN Food Systems Summit and officially launched at the UN Ocean Conference in 2022. It now includes more than 60 members, including 40 countries as well as many intergovernmental organizations, academic institutions, civil society, and businesses. This multi-sectoral structure helps coalition members connect the dots between science and policy, financing and capacity, and on-the-ground action.

The coalition’s work centers on three priorities. First, it advocates for the integration of blue foods into food system transformations at national, regional, and international levels. Second, it mobilizes investment, technical capacity, and partnerships for countries (or groups of countries) working to incorporate blue foods into policy. Third, it drives knowledge exchange and place-based action by helping partners clarify needs and opportunities and then matching those priorities with funding and technical assistance.

Get to know the coalition