79th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Annual Meeting Opens November 2 in Curaçao, with About 250 Delegates Focusing on Fisheries Resilience and Food Security

From November 2 to 6, Curaçao will host the 79th annual meeting of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI), bringing together about 250 policymakers, researchers, fishers, government officials, industry representatives and marine experts from the Gulf and Caribbean region and beyond. Aquaculture will be one of the topics on this year's agenda, alongside fisheries, food security and climate resilience.

Founded in 1947, GCFI works to promote the exchange of knowledge on the use and management of marine resources across more than 40 countries and territories. This year's meeting is organized by GCFI in partnership with the Government of Curaçao and several regional and local organizations, and has been recognized as an endorsed activity of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

The theme of the meeting is "Fisheries for the Future: Resources, Resilience and Tradition." GCFI79 will focus on how Caribbean fisheries can remain productive and resilient in the face of environmental, economic and social pressures while continuing to support food security, livelihoods and cultural identity.

Over the five-day meeting, participants will discuss topics including food security, sustainable fisheries, marine conservation, climate resilience, the socioeconomics of fishing communities, blue economy finance, innovation and regional cooperation.

On Monday, November 2, a special session will examine food security and how fisheries strengthen the socioeconomic conditions of communities, followed by a fishers' forum that places fishers at the center of discussions on resilience, stewardship and the future of marine resource management.

Later in the week, the agenda will address a number of regional priority issues, including nearshore marine protected areas and the "30x30" target, sustainable ocean food systems, coastal resilience, Caribbean blue economy finance, aquaculture, artificial intelligence in fisheries, marine debris, and the future of Gulf and Caribbean fisheries science. Curaçao itself will serve as a case study in discussions on large-scale marine conservation and regional ocean governance.

The meeting officially opens on November 2 with remarks from GCFI leadership and the local organizing committee, followed by an opening address by Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas of Curaçao. Dr. Mark Vermeij, Scientific Director of the CARMABI research station, will deliver a keynote address titled "The Missing Conservation Target." The Prime Minister will then ring the traditional opening bell.