2025 UN Ocean Conference

At the 2025 United Nations Conference (UNOC), held in Nice, France from 9-13 June, aquatic blue foods featured prominently in global conversations linking ocean health, food security, and climate resilience. UNOC was co-hosted by Costa Rica and France and built on two previous UN Ocean Conferences, hosted by Sweden and Fiji in 2017 in New York and by Portugal and Kenya in 2022 in Lisbon.

With the overarching theme “Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean,” this year’s UNOC brought together governments, civil society, researchers, and industry to advance implementation of SDG 14 and connect ocean action across the 2030 Agenda.

Aquatic blue foods on the global stage

Throughout the week, Aquatic Blue Food Coalition members convened dialogues and showcased progress at The Ocean That Feeds Us: Trade and Food House in the Green Zone and in official Blue Zone programming. Discussions emphasized the growing recognition of blue foods as vital to achieving not only SDG 14 but also goals related to food security, climate mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity, and livelihoods.

One of the ten official Ocean Action Panels focused on the role of sustainable food from the ocean in poverty eradication and food security, where delegates called for stronger integration of blue foods in climate action and food systems transformation. The Aquatic Blue Food Coalition also welcomed Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia, and Sierra Leone as new government members.

Aquatic Blue Food Coalition events

Aligning UNOC, UNFSS, and COP30 for sustainable aquatic blue food systems

10 June, Green Zone – The Ocean That Feeds Us: Trade and Food House

This panel explored the role of blue foods across the major 2025 milestones: UNOC, Bonn SB62, UN Food Systems Summit +4, and COP30. The side event opened with remarks from Jón Erlingur Jónasson (Iceland Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Aquatic Blue Food Coalition) and Eduardo Sfoglia (Brazil Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture). A panel with Delio Da Costa (Sustainable Ocean Alliance), Jim Leape (Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions and Blue Food Futures Program), and Katherine Bryar (BioMar) highlighted opportunities to accelerate action, enhance coordination, and center equity in food and climate solutions. The session concluded with remarks from Dr. Andreas Schaumayer (German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development) and a networking event hosted by the Aquatic Blue Food Coalition.

Advancing blue foods for sustainability, food security, and livelihoods

11 June – Blue Zone Room 3

Co-chaired by Iceland and Brazil, this high-level side event spotlighted commitments and progress since the 2022 UN Ocean Conference. Leaders from Indonesia, the Philippines, Madagascar, Sierra Leone, Mexico, Germany, and the European Union showcased national action, alongside partners from research and civil society.

The event included remarks from:

• Ambassador Peter Thomson, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean
• H.E Arif Havas Oegroseno, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Indonesia
• Elín R. Sigurðardóttir, Directorate General for International Development Cooperation, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Iceland
• Mr. Eduardo Sfoglia, Head Advisor for International Affairs, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Brazil
• Mr. Jón Erlingur Jónasson, Special Envoy for the Ocean, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Iceland
• Ms. Drusila Esther E. Bayate, Undersecretary for Fisheries, Department of Agriculture, Philippines
• Mr. Costas Kadis, Commissioner for Fisheries, European Union
• H.E. Mahatante Tsimanaoraty Paubert, Ministre de la Pêche et de l’Economie Bleue, Madagascar
• Ms. Teresa Ish, Walton Family Foundation
• Mayor Hamilton Brito, Mayor of Curuçá, Pará, Brazil
• Mr. Leno Ignatious, Association of Artisanal Fishers and Blue Green Coastal Resource Centre
• Mr. Iván López, International Coalition of Fisheries Associations
• Mrs. Princess Dugba, Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Sierra Leone
• Dr. María José Espinosa, General Coordinator of Operations and Institutional Strategy, National Aquaculture and Fishing Commission (CONAPESCA), Mexico
• Dr. Andreas Schaumayer, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany

Ongoing Engagement at The Ocean That Feeds Us: Trade and Food House

28 May-14 June, Green Zone – Palais des Expositions

With support from France and the Republic of Angola, and co-organized by UN Trade and Development and the Aquatic Blue Food Coalition in cooperation with FAO, the Trade and Food House served as a hub for knowledge sharing and partnership building. It highlighted innovative and scalable solutions, and promoted international cooperation for sustainable ocean-based food systems, trade, and value chains. It showcased best practices, especially from developing countries and for small-scale actors, and underlined the need for clear, harmonized standards in sustainable fishing and aquaculture. The House also advocated for responsible trade in ocean foods, showing how it can support both ocean health and biodiversity.

A roadmap toward COP30

Momentum from UNOC continues on the road to the UN Food Systems Summit +4 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and UNFCCC COP30 in Belém, Brazil. During the conference, Brazil announced the Nice–Bonn–Belém Roadmap to elevate aquatic foods in the COP30 agenda. The announcement underscored the Coalition’s growing role in connecting global processes and promoting integrated ocean–food–climate solutions.

The Blue Zone side event was supported by: Government of Iceland; Peter Thomson, UNSG’s Special Envoy for the Ocean; European Union; Government of Japan; Government of Madagascar; Government of Ghana, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Government of Canada; Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Federal Government of Germany; Government of Norway; Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Government of Indonesia; Department of Agriculture, Government of the Philippines; Aquatic Blue Food Coalition; School Meals Coalition; Global Action Network Food from the Oceans and Inland Waters for Food Security and Nutrition; Environmental Defense Fund; Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions; Oceana; African Union Development Agency); CARE; WorldFish; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; Global Seaweed Coalition; European Bureau for Conservation and Development; UN Climate Change High-Level Champions; Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action – Ocean Breakthrough; African Women Fish Processors and Traders Network (Awfishnet Nigeria Chapter); Sophia University Island Sustainability Institute; Institut de Recherche pour le Développement; Marine Stewardship Council; Monterey Bay Aquarium; World Resource Institute; Rare; Meridian Institute; Walton Family Foundation; Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation; Foundation Erol; Builders Vision; World Economic Forum