The UN Ocean Conference 2025: A Defining Moment for Ocean Governance
This year presents a crucial juncture to accelerate protections and drive meaningful change for the future of our oceans
As we reach the midpoint of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, our oceans continue to face immense challenges. From rising sea levels and pollution to the degradation of marine ecosystems and emerging threats like seabed mining, the urgency for action has never been greater. Overfishing remains a critical issue, with nearly 90% of global fish populations either overexploited or fished to their maximum capacity. Facing these pressures, there is growing recognition by governments, the private sector and civil society to step up ocean conservation efforts. This year presents a crucial juncture for us to accelerate protections and drive meaningful change for the future of our oceans.
At the end of 2024, the UNOC3 Zero Draft Political Declaration was introduced, setting the stage for negotiations among UN member states. This document commendably emphasizes marine conservation and the blue economy, but falls short in one key area: aquatic animal welfare.
Each year, an estimated 2-3 trillion aquatic animals are caught and killed for human consumption while another 100 billion are farmed—a figure roughly 35 times greater than the total number of farmed land animals combined. This immense scale of exploitation not only raises serious welfare concerns but also threatens marine ecosystems, contributing to biodiversity loss, habitat destruction, and disruptions to ocean health—key challenges addressed by Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14).
Public awareness of this issue is rising, with over 90% of EU citizens calling for the same legal protections for aquatic animals as those granted to land animals. In response, governments, businesses, and certification bodies are increasingly incorporating aquatic animal welfare into their policies. In fact, in 2021 the FAO took steps in the right direction with the Shanghai Declaration on sustainable aquaculture by incorporating aquatic animal welfare for the first time, setting an important precedent.
The UN Ocean Political Declaration has an opportunity at this critical juncture to build upon these advancements and position itself as a global leader in ethical and sustainable ocean governance. The third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3), co-chaired by the governments of France and Costa Rica, will convene in Nice this June. Under the theme “Accelerating Action and Mobilizing All Actors to Conserve and Sustainably Use the Ocean,” this conference builds on past gatherings in New York (2017) and Lisbon (2022). It provides an essential platform for governments, civil society, and stakeholders across sectors to align efforts with SDG 14 and ensure a sustainable future for marine life and coastal communities. To truly address SDG 14, the UNOC3 Declaration must include considerations of aquatic animal welfare, as research proves it is intrinsically linked to the health of our oceans.
Key Areas for Strengthening UNOC3 Commitments
My team at Aquatic Life Institute and I work with decision-makers worldwide to incorporate welfare considerations into their policies, and we see three key areas that can be addressed to strengthen the UNOC3. ALI provided feedback on the following areas of the Declaration, and are hopeful they will appear in the final draft.
1. Reframing Language
The term "fish stocks" reduces sentient aquatic animals to mere commodities. Acknowledging them as living beings with intrinsic value will help drive more compassionate and sustainable ocean management.
2. Sustainable and Humane Aquatic Food Systems
While the Draft highlights the role of oceans in global food security, it must differentiate between sustainable, humane aquatic food production and intensive, high-emission, and ecologically destructive practices. Transitioning toward low-trophic, high-welfare food systems aligns with climate and biodiversity goals and reinforces the FAO’s Shanghai Declaration.
3. Eliminating Harmful Fishing Practices
Destructive methods like bottom trawling contribute to excessive carbon emissions, bycatch, habitat destruction, and severe distress to marine life. Prohibiting such practices will enhance biodiversity protection, ecosystem resilience, and long-term food security.
Our full comments can be found here.
UNOC3 and Beyond
Beyond this feedback, we will continue to play an active role in shaping ocean policy through three key initiatives in 2025:
Driving Impact at UNOC3: We will bring critical aquatic welfare issues to the forefront through side events, direct engagement with government officials, and participation in the UN One Ocean Science Congress (June 4-6). At this congress, we will present research on fisheries welfare and innovative technological solutions to reduce suffering in seafood supply chains.
Advocating for Welfare-Driven Ocean Solutions: We will continue serving as a global hub for welfare solutions, updating our annual report on innovative practices in fisheries welfare, staying up-to-date on the latest research on fish welfare issues, and working with governments and industry stakeholders to integrate humane practices into ocean management.
Strengthening Protections for Aquatic Welfare: We will advocate for humane aquatic food systems at the UN Climate Change Conferences, participate in seafood trade shows around the world, and provide feedback on public consultations to governments and to seafood certification schemes pushing for higher welfare standards in seafood production.
What Can You Do?
The need for bold, collective action has never been greater. The challenges facing our oceans are immense, but so are the solutions. Only through united efforts, strong political leadership, and global collaboration can we protect marine ecosystems and the animals who live within to secure a sustainable and ethical future for all.
Here’s how you can get involved:
As an organization:
Join the Aquatic Animal Alliance (AAA) to collaborate on advancing aquatic animals welfare globally.
Register a commitment to ocean sustainability: UN SDG Ocean Commitments. (See ALI’s commitment.)
As a company:
Revise your seafood sourcing policy to prioritize sustainability and welfare. We have several resources and offer free consultations.
Establish an animal welfare commitment that is publicly available and includes time-bound goals.
As an individual:
Sign petitions, raise awareness of aquatic animal welfare on social media, and contact your representatives to advocate for stronger aquatic animal protections.
At ALI, we are committed to making 2025 a turning point for ocean health. Join us in building a future where the ocean is not only protected but thriving.
By Christine Xu, Head of Fisheries Welfare
Christine is the Head of Fisheries Welfare at Aquatic Life Institute, where she leads ALI's efforts in advocating for improved animal welfare standards in capture fisheries with international institutions and the private sector.
Christine has extensive experience in international ocean conservation, having worked with major NGOs in Washington, DC, including using geospatial technology to track fishing vessels and deter illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Originally from Tianjin, China, Christine grew up in California and now resides in Spain. She holds dual bachelor’s degrees from UC San Diego and a master’s degree in Corporate Responsibility from EOI Business School in Madrid.