SUSTAINABILITY FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE February 2024 57 The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development sets forth a comprehensive framework for global development encompassing 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals address the most pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges of our time, with the aim of creating a more equitable, prosperous, and sustainable world by the year 2030. One crucial aspect that deserves attention in the context of the SDGs is animal welfare, which plays a significant role in both supporting, and being impacted by, multiple Goals. Aquatic animal welfare is intrinsically linked to not only SDG 14: Life Below Water, but the achievement of many other SDGs. For example, by examining the detrimental impacts of aquaculture, such as the heavy reliance of farmed carnivorous species on wild fish in current fish feed composition, we can develop innovative solutions, such as plant-based feed, or shifts to more herbivorous farmed species, that would address SDGs 2, 12, 13, and 14. It is essential to recognize that aquatic animal welfare extends beyond ethical considerations. Improving their well-being has far-reaching implications for sustainable development, including poverty eradication, food security, environmental preservation, climate impact, public health, and social equity. Incorporating aquatic animal welfare considerations into national policies, strategies, and practices is an urgent and essential task for all countries. Aquatic Life Institute’s latest sustainability report highlights ten priority areas in which aquatic animal welfare serves as a cross-cutting solution to many of the sustainable development challenges we face today. By embracing this holistic perspective, we can foster a more compassionate, sustainable, and resilient world for both present and future generations. BENEFITS OF AQUATIC ANIMAL WELFARE FOR SUSTAINABILITY Christine Xu Head of Strategic Initiatives Aquatic Life Institute Sophika Kostyniuk Managing Director Aquatic Life Institute
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