In 1976, FAO held its first global conference on aquaculture in Kyoto, Japan, triggering the recognition of aquaculture as a significant food production sector and exploring opportunities for the development of the sector. This was followed by the global conferences “Aquaculture in the Third Millennium” in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2000, and “Farming the Waters for People and Food” in Phuket, Thailand, in 2010.

With aquaculture now providing more than half of the global aquatic food supplies, and increasingly contributing to the sustainability of integrated food systems, FAO, in partnership with the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA) and the Government of China, is organizing the fourth Global Conference on Aquaculture 2020 to be held in Shanghai, China, from 26 to 30 October 2020, to review the achievements and challenges in world aquaculture development and build consensus on a way forward for sustainable development of the sector.

The objectives of the Global Conference on Aquaculture 2020 are to:
1) review the present status and trends in aquaculture development
2) evaluate the progress made in the implementation of the Bangkok Declaration and Strategy for Aquaculture Development Beyond 2000 and the Phuket Consensus
3) address emerging issues in aquaculture development
4) assess opportunities and challenges for future aquaculture development
5) build consensus on advancing aquaculture as a global, sustainable and competitive food production sector.

The Global Conference on Aquaculture 2020 will bring together a wide range of stakeholders, i.e. government, academia, training, research, industry and many others, to the conference. You are cordially invited to attend the conference and share your innovative contributions. More information about the Global Conference on Aquaculture 2020 will be made available at: www.aquaculture2020.org.