Aquaculture without Frontiers (AwF) is thrilled to announce a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Future Aquaculture Magazine, a new international publication dedicated to the aquaculture sector.
This partnership aims to boost knowledge-sharing, visibility, and joint action—helping us deliver on our mission to promote responsible aquaculture and improve livelihoods worldwide. The MoU covers:
Joint promotion of events and initiatives, online and in person
Opportunities to publish stories, interviews, research, and innovations across both platforms
Visible support for each other on websites, newsletters, and campaigns
Enhanced collaboration with industry and academia to drive progress
AwF is committed to delivering practical solutions and capacity-building for sustainable aquaculture, and this partnership leverages both organisation’s global networks to deliver more impact.
AwF (Australia) Ltd chair, Dr Lance Lloyd said “Stay tuned for features, educational resources, and collaborative projects—together, we are advancing responsible aquaculture for a better future and making sure no one is left behind! “
Please support AwF and donate to Ava’s ‘Run for Resilience’ Fundraiser by Ava Drake : Ava’s 200-Mile Run Across Tajikistan for AwF . Ava is going to run 200 miles in Tajikistan to highlight that across Central Asia, food insecurity is a serious issue. Around 28% of people experience moderate or severe food insecurity, and most food is imported, leaving communities vulnerable to external shocks. Aquaculture offers a sustainable solution. It can strengthen local food systems, support livelihoods, and create opportunities for women and marginalised peoples. Funds that AwF receive will go towards projects in Tajikistan.
Ava Drake is pursuing a PhD in aquaculture at Stirling University, Scotland, and approached Aquaculture without Frontiers (AwF) about creating a donation platform for the two hundred mile run that she has chosen to enter across Tajikistan in May 2026.
How amazing is that?
Ava, who comes from a small town in Essex, UK, and has always been drawn to nature, farming and people, which has seen her engage in travel from Madagascar to Mongolia before starting her degrees in Zoology and then One Health. This travel left a profound mark on her as it helped her see how food, health and equity are strongly interlinked.
In Ava’s own words, “I am not only a researcher, but an avid runner who enjoys a challenge, so when I saw this event that includes running across the Pamir Mountain range, living amongst local communities, and ultimately putting myself through a serious test of endurance and resilience I could not resist.”
“But I did not want this to be just about personal growth. I saw an opportunity to unite three parts of my life: my world as a runner, my world as a researcher, and my vision for a fairer, more equitable world. AwF is the perfect fit for this because their values from grassroots empowerment to gender equity in food systems reflect how aquaculture can be used to address food insecurity. As a woman researcher in aquaculture, I am aware of the privilege I have, not only to study in this field but to do so in a space where I am respected and supported. This is not the case for many women around the world. So, if I can help amplify the incredible work AwF does, raise awareness about the importance of aquaculture, and build something meaningful beyond the race then this campaign would have all been worthwhile. Additionally, as a PhD student I also see this as an opportunity to turn part of my research into something more tangible, something that resonates beyond the academic bubble, and turning miles into meaning.“
Conversations have been held, and AwF are starting to plan how this ‘project’ could be helpful to those Ava has outlined.
Tajikistan is a mountainous and landlocked country in Central Asia, which continues to grapple with significant levels of poverty despite steady progress over the past two decades. As of 2024, an estimated 23% of the population lives below the national poverty line, with rural areas disproportionately affected. About 80% of Tajikistan’s poor reside in the countryside. The country’s fragile economy depends heavily on remittances from citizens working abroad, which, while lifting many out of extreme poverty, also makes household incomes vulnerable to regional and global shocks. Many families earn less than US$3.65 per day, and income disparities remain a persistent challenge.
Because Tajikistan is landlocked and possesses limited arable land (only about 7% of its territory is suitable for agriculture) it relies heavily on imported food, especially wheat, sugar, meat, and various staples. The bulk of food imports come from neighbouring countries such as Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, and China. This reliance on imports means that Tajikistan is acutely vulnerable to fluctuations in global food prices, border closures, and supply chain disruptions, as was seen during recent global crises. Food insecurity can quickly escalate when regional exporters change their policies or when transport costs spike, often leaving the poorest Tajiks especially exposed to scarcity and rising prices.
Given these challenges, aquaculture holds considerable untapped potential for improving food security and livelihoods in Tajikistan. Although endowed with extensive river systems and freshwater resources, national fish production remains extremely low. Per capita fish consumption in Tajikistan is among the lowest in the region, under one kilogram per year, compared to the global average of over twenty kilograms. Recent government initiatives, supported by international organizations like the FAO, have begun to promote modern aquaculture practices and technology transfer. If developed sustainably, aquaculture can provide a reliable and affordable local protein source, create rural jobs, and reduce dependence on food imports, helping the country to manage both poverty and food security challenges more effectively in the years to come. AwF will endeavour to be a catalyst of change in that regard because of Ava’s initiative.
Here are some last words from Ava, “I am looking forward to the journey and to seeing what opportunities might grow from it. I am sure that with AwF’s assistance we can do something to assist in Tajikistan. I am hoping to build something meaningful through this process. For me, this run is about connecting people to a bigger story, that aquaculture when done well, is an integral part of the solution.”
AwF will continue to update you all on the ideas and Ava’s involvement in this fascinating adventure and we hope you will join us on this journey of discovery and hope and will be prepared to engage in any way you can.
The Conapesca team together with the Undersecretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Government of Tamaulipas, Jorge de Jesus Montagner Mendoza and his team work, follow up the agreement between the Secretary of Agriculture, Dr. Julio Berdegué Sacristan and the Governor Dr. Américo Villarreal As part of the National Ostriculture Program of Confisheries, various prospecting activities aimed at a laboratory and the pre fattening facility of oyster seed and fish production belonging to Universidad Tecnológica del Mar de Tamaulipas Bicentenario (UTMarT). In addition, accompanied by fishermen, prospects were also made in the main coastal areas of Tamaulipas, which have high potential for the development of Oyster Agriculture. Likewise, also together with fishermen and in support of aquaculture in continental waters, it was done a prospecting in the Vicente Guerrero Dam and the inland water system known as Champayán, matching with Altamira CD, Tamaulipas. We reiterate our commitment together with the State of Tamaulipas to promote aquaculture. #ConapescaContigo.
In honour of Meryl Williams who received the Margarita Lizárraga Medal, at the 36th Session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI)
The latest addition to the long list of awards received by Meryl J. Williams, is the Margarita Lizárraga Medal, presented during the opening of the 36th Session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) headquarters. In the award announcement, the Committee noted:
“Meryl is a tireless, substantive, and globally well-respected advocate for matters of gender, globalization, and development in the fisheries and aquaculture arena, sharing science-based knowledge and experiences on the ground, in academic dialogues, and in local and global fora. Her inspirational leadership and mentorship—both first-hand and through the various platforms she has created—are heralding a new generation of leaders in gender in fisheries and aquaculture firmly on the global fisheries, aquaculture, and development agenda.”
Mr. Matteo Luzzi, FAO, handing over the medal to Dr. Meryl J. Williams, at the IIFET-2024 Pre Conference Workshop on Integrating Gender into Fisheries and Aquaculture Economics and Trade Research, at WorldFish, Penang
Awards often reinforce what is already known about a person. Meryl Williams has dedicated over 45 years to Australian and international fisheries, aquaculture, aquatic resource conservation, and agricultural research and development. She began her career as a secondary school teacher in Queensland in 1973 after earning a Diploma in Education. She later returned to university, earning a First-Class Honours degree in Science and a PhD in Zoology. Her entry into fisheries began as a Fisheries Biometrician with the Queensland Fisheries Service (1977–1981) and as a Fisheries Statistician for the Tuna and Billfish Assessment Program at the South Pacific Commission in Noumea, New Caledonia (1981–1984).
Dr. Kafayat Fakoya receiving the medal on behalf of Dr. Meryl J. Williams in Rome from the FAO Deputy Director General, Ms. Maria Helena Semedo. Photo: FAO
She has held senior positions including Director of the Fisheries Resources Branch at the Bureau of Rural Resources, Department of Primary Industries and Energy, Canberra, Australia (1986–1990), Executive Director of the Bureau (1990–1993), and Director of the Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia (1993–1994).
Meryl continues to lead research on gender and aquaculture, focusing on equitable fish production systems for food security.
Meryl became Director General of WorldFish in 1994, then known as the International Centre for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM), headquartered in Manila, Philippines. She oversaw its relocation to a new campus in Penang, Malaysia, in 2000. During a visit to WorldFish in July 2024, she vividly recounted how each building had been constructed—20 years after she left the organization. As Director General (1994–2004), she focused WorldFish’s efforts on eradicating poverty, improving nutrition, and reducing environmental pressures. Her leadership supported transformative work by her deputy, Modadugu Vijay Gupta, whose innovations in low-cost freshwater fish farming earned him the World Food Prize in 2005.
Meryl credits her deep interest in women and gender in fisheries to initiatives by M.V. Gupta and the late Prof. M.C. Nandeesha. Prof. Nandeesha organized the first Women in Fisheries Workshop in India during the 2nd Indian Fisheries Forum in 1990. Gender-focused events like Women in Cambodian Fisheries in 1994 and the Women in Fisheries photo competition at the 4th Asian Fisheries Forum (AFF) followed. Later, the 6th AFF in Taiwan and the 7th AFF in Penang hosted global symposia on women in fisheries. WorldFish supported publications from these events.
In 2008, on the sidelines of the 8th Asian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum (AFAF) in Kochi, India, Meryl organized an informal networking meeting to discuss advancing gender in aquaculture and fisheries. Despite a modest turnout, the discussions were profound, highlighting challenges and charting a path forward. A small team under her leadership continued to organise the GAF Global Conferences (e.g., GAF3 in Shanghai, GAF4 in Korea, GAF5 in India, GAF6 in Thailand) during the AFAFs, where the network meetings also continued, distilling the need for a Section. Meryl’s sustained efforts in the AFS Council culminated in the formation of the Gender in Aquaculture & Fisheries Section (GAFS) of the Asian Fisheries Society, which was officially inaugurated in 2017. Meryl served as its founding Chair (2017–2022).
GAFS has since developed initiatives, including the GAFS Statement on Gender Equality – From Catch to Consumer: Why Gender Equality Matters in Aquaculture and Fisheries. This statement underscores the significance of gender equality for fisheries and aquaculture, where women comprise about half the workforce. It also highlights the systemic injustices faced by fisherwomen and the need for data and advocacy to address these inequalities. Gender inequality negatively impacts food and financial security, family nutrition, and community stability.
Meryl continues to lead research on gender and aquaculture, focusing on equitable fish production for food security. She serves as Vice Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation and a board member of Aquaculture without Frontiers (Australia).
On a personal note, my acquaintance with her began at the 2008 Kochi gender networks meeting, which sparked an enduring friendship. She is a mentor, philosopher, and guide to many, touching our lives uniquely. She inspires and encourages people to excel, and generously shares valuable insights from her vast knowledge and experience. Meryl is a true champion for ALL WOMEN in fisheries.
The article appeared in Yemaya #70 and is reprinted with kind permission of ICSF.
This past year, USAID helped 6.2 million people gain access to drinking water services and 3.9 million people gain access to sanitation services. Women and girls make up approximately half of each group. USAID mobilized $848 million from non-USG government sources, nearly doubling the U.S. government’s $475 million investment in water and sanitation through foreign assistance. The 2024 annual report not only celebrates these achievements but also marks a major milestone that has driven this progress: the tenth anniversary of the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act.
This year’s report provides snapshots of how USAID is improving health, prosperity, and stability around the world through its global water security activities and initiatives. Together, these vignettes from South Asia to sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East capture the breadth of Agency programming under the U.S. Global Water Strategy and illustrate the transformative role water and sanitation play in improving lives and livelihoods.
We invite you to dive into this report and discover how USAID’s water and sanitation investments are building on a decade of progress and improving lives around the world every day.
Curious to learn more about the U.S. government’s targeted investments to build a more water-secure world?
For the first time, we’re reporting the number of water and sanitation institutions strengthened, with our interactive map that provides a geographic breakdown of results.
In 2024, USAID strengthened 985 institutions to manage water resources or improve water and sanitation services–12 percent of which were strengthened for the first time.
This newsletter was prepared under USAID’s Global Waters Communication and Knowledge Management II activity. Content included in this publication are not endorsements and do not represent the views of USAID or the U.S. Government, unless stated otherwise.
The FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, in collaboration with the FAO e-Learning Academy, offers a comprehensive collection of free certified e-learning courses. These resources are accessible to everyone and serve as a valuable public good.
Latest Additions:
Emergency Preparedness for Aquatic Disease Outbreaks Learn how to enhance readiness and response to aquatic disease outbreaks. ➡️ Access the course
6 New Courses on Ecosystems Approach to Fisheries (in French) These courses complement the existing English versions and deepen understanding of sustainable fisheries practices. ➡️ Course 1 ➡️ Course 2 ➡️ Course 3 ➡️ Course 4 ➡️ Course 5 ➡️ Course 6
Explore the entire collection of FAO e-learning courses and start your learning journey today: Click here.
These courses are designed for global accessibility and are always free of charge. Dive in and contribute to a more sustainable future for fisheries and aquaculture!
We are pleased to announce the 9th Global Conference on Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries (GAF9) on the theme “Transforming Aquaculture & Fisheries for gender justice” will be held from 1-3 October 2025 at the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand.
We are excited to invite you to our upcoming online Escape Room event, designed for one and all (including school students)! This fun and interactive event will challenge your problem-solving skills and teach you about the importance of sustainable aquaculture.
Event Details Date: Thursday 15th of August 2024 Time: 6:30pm AEDT (Approximately 1 Hour) Registration Fee: $25 Pax: 6 Per Team (or we can place you in a team!)
Get your team together now to solve the escape room the quickest! Save The Date! More details to follow!
Thank you for supporting Aquaculture Without Frontiers. We look forward to seeing you at the event.
Mark your calendars! The 15th of August 2024 is the date to save. More details to follow!
The AquaQuest: Escape Room Challenge! As you learn about sustainable aquaculture, race to the finish to win your prize! #EscapeWithAwF #SustainableAquaculture #AquaQuest #AwFEscapeRoom #aquaculture
AwF Australia Ltd Director, Dr Meryl J Williams was awarded the Margarita Lizárraga Medal Award during the opening of the Committee on Fisheries 36th Session (COFI), at United Nations Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) headquarters in the Plenary Hall.
The FAO instituted the Margarita Lizárraga Medal back in 1997 to be awarded biennially by the Conference upon the proposal of the Council to a person or organization that has served with distinction in the application of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries.
The Medal pays tribute to the late Dr. Margarita Saucedo Lizárraga, Senior Fishery Liaison Officer for her decisive role in promoting the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, for her productive work in the field of fisheries for almost forty years, for her great dedication to FAO and for her strong commitment towards fostering the promotion of the fisheries sector, especially in developing countries.
Meryl is a tireless worker and globally renowned scientist, leader in fisheries & great advocate for women’s empowerment.
From an AwF aspect Meryl was one of the originators of the organisation and continues to drive gender issues within the organisation.
This is truly a wonderful achievement to be recognised in this way by FAO and we, at AwF, thank Meryl deeply for all of her endeavours on behalf of the organisation.
