50 Years of WorldFish: From Fisheries Science to Aquatic Food Systems for Sustainable Development

Abstract

This document, "50 Years of WorldFish: From Fisheries Science to Aquatic Food Systems for Sustainable Development," celebrates WorldFish's journey from its origins as ICLARM in 1975 to its current role as a leader in aquatic food systems. This brief highlights the organization's evolution from focusing solely on fisheries science to embracing a holistic approach that includes aquaculture, value chains, socio-economic dimensions, and environmental aspects of aquatic food production. The publication showcases key achievements such as the development of influential tools like ELEFAN and Ecopath, and the creation of FishBase, the world's most comprehensive database of fish species. It also emphasizes WorldFish's commitment to bridging the gap between science and development, empowering small-scale fisheries, integrating gender into research, and addressing global challenges like climate change and food insecurity through sustainable aquatic food systems.