Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture (GSA)

Publications

19/11/2025

Aquatic food systems are increasingly recognized as an essential contributor of adaptation and mitigation solutions in national climate strategies, while safeguarding food and nutrition security for billions of people. With countries submitting updated nationally determined contributions (NDCs), there is a timely opportunity to scale up climate action on aquatic foods.

14/11/2025

This manual provides a practical guide for preparing seaweed-based foods in China, and it aims to raise global awareness of the nutritional and culinary potential of edible seaweeds.

21/10/2025

The cultivation of macroalgae in Latin America and the Caribbean represents a strategic opportunity to strengthen food security, foster economic development and promote environmental sustainability.

02/09/2025

These guidelines aim to support current and prospective entrepreneurs and investors by outlining essential steps to help them determine whether to invest or continue investing in aquaculture. In addition, the guidelines provide prospective entrepreneurs and investors a list of actions they could take to secure the funding necessary to establish, maintain, and operate sustainable aquaculture farms as successful businesses.

29/08/2025

A tool to support the development and implementation of strategies to improve aquaculture’s resilience to climate change

19/08/2025

This technical paper summarizes how the aquaculture sector contributes to the vision, goals, and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) with a view to ensuring that sustainable aquaculture systems and practices are not overlooked in efforts to achieve the KMGBF targets.

07/04/2025

This publication presents an educational toolkit designed to take teachers and students throughout the Mediterranean and the Black Sea on a journey to discover the aquaculture sector in their region....

01/04/2025

This manual provides a comprehensive guide on best practices for sea moss cultivation in the Caribbean, emphasizing its economic potential and role in supporting rural and coastal communities. Sea moss (Kappaphycus alvarezii), commonly known as Eucheuma cottonii, has long been harvested in the region for cultural and culinary uses, and its cultivation presents a sustainable opportunity for economic growth and environmental conservation.

17/03/2025

This document presents key findings from a comprehensive feasibility study on smart and sustainable aquaculture in Peru, aimed at examining the current state of the shrimp aquaculture industry, particularly in...

20/01/2025

The Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture (GSA) were prepared at the request of Members in an inclusive, transparent and participatory manner under the guidance of the Sub-Committee on Aquaculture of the...

17/01/2025

The vision of the Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture (GSA) is of an aquaculture sector that contributes significantly to a world free from hunger and to the equitable improvement of the...

16/01/2025

The FAO Innovation for Blue Transformation series introduces relevant policy initiatives, mechanisms and tools to promote innovation and technical solutions that can accelerate aquatic food systems transformation. The series shares...

06/01/2025

The FAO Expert Workshop on Mud Crab Aquaculture, held in Singapore, brought together leading experts to address critical challenges and emerging opportunities in the sustainable farming of Scylla spp. mud...

03/01/2025

Aquafeeds are the largest variable cost in fed aquaculture, accounting for up to 70 percent of total expenses. Their high cost can make fish farming unfeasible, which highlights the need...

02/01/2025

Despite high temperatures and limited water resources, arid regions show promise for aquaculture. New innovative technologies like aquaponics and closed recirculation systems now enable fish farming in these challenging environments....

24/12/2024

The FAO has a Blue Transformation roadmap to ensure aquatic foods contribute more significantly to ending hunger and poverty. Sustainable aquaculture expansion is a major objective of Blue Transformation. To...

09/12/2024

Insurance can help small-scale aquaculture farmers and producers become more resilient to shocks.

10/10/2024

Blue or aquatic foods — foods that are wild-caught or farmed from oceans, rivers, and lakes — are an important part of global food systems. They are increasingly recognized as...

01/08/2024

Co-management, a collaborative decision-making approach between governments and diverse user groups regarding shared resources, has evolved across natural resource settings. Traditionally applied in fisheries, forestry, and water management, co-management

07/07/2024

Integrated agriculture-aquaculture is a sustainable development option. In integrated farming, the waste of one enterprise become inputs of another and, thus, optimize the use of resources and lessen pollution. Moreover,...