The International Coalition of Fisheries Associations (ICFA) recently unveiled its inaugural website, fishcoalition.org

Established in 1988, ICFA is a collective of national fish and seafood industry associations from major fishing nations worldwide. The group echoes a unified voice on global issues, offering decision-makers a cohesive perspective on what is happening in the oceans around the world. 

“While ICFA has been around for almost 40 years, it has always been a deliberative industry body with deep ties to the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and a emphasis on global policy. We didn’t really have the need for a public presence on the web,” said ICFA Chair Paul Lansbergen, President of the Fisheries Council of Canada. “But with biodiversity negotiations, treaties, and resolutions that require so much stakeholder input these days, we decided to make our resources and voice more public.” 

Comprising 24 seafood industry associations from Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, and Latin America, ICFA actively participates in various international forums, including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI), and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora. 

"I encourage the seafood community to explore the site," Lansbergen continued. “Our achievements and priorities are spelled out, and it’s a new platform for us to engage with industry voices who we might not have heard from. Not to put too fine a point on it but, watch this space.” 

ICFA maintains Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation and meets regularly in Rome for policy deliberations and engagement with the UN FAO. As ICFA steps into the digital realm, stakeholders can expect greater accessibility and collaboration within the global fisheries landscape. 

FRDC is proud to be actively involved with ICFA to provide an Australian research perspective into global ocean policy.