Aquatic Life Institute

What problem is Aquatic Life Institute working on?

Aquatic animals make up the overwhelming majority of animals killed for food, yet they remain almost entirely overlooked in food systems, sustainability agendas, and animal welfare policy. Despite growing evidence of their sentience, the conditions under which trillions of these animals live and die are rarely considered in the decisions that shape our oceans, farms, and markets.

The aquatic food system is a complex global network—from production to consumption—deeply connected to public health, food security, livelihoods, ecosystems, and climate. As industrial aquaculture expands and wild-capture fisheries intensify, the absence of meaningful aquatic animal welfare protections has become one of the most neglected issues in global food policy.

A food system that ignores animal welfare cannot be called “sustainable.” Aquatic Life Institute (ALI) exists to correct this gap by ensuring welfare is embedded into the standards, policies, and incentives that govern global seafood, from international guidelines and corporate sourcing policies to certification schemes and traceability norms.

What does Aquatic Life Institute do?

Aquatic Life Institute works to build a more just and sustainable food system by ensuring aquatic animal welfare is recognized, protected, and prioritized. ALI’s work is grounded in science, integrated across supply chains, and connected to global wellbeing and sustainability goals.

ALI focuses on upstream, systems-level change, the most scalable and durable pathway to improving the lives of aquatic animals. To achieve this, they work directly with the institutions that define how seafood is produced and assessed:

• Certification Reform: ALI strengthens aquatic animal welfare requirements in major sustainability labels that collectively govern over 40% of global seafood production.
• Corporate Engagement: ALI supports companies in integrating aquatic animal welfare into responsible sourcing, ESG commitments, and human rights frameworks.
• Policy Advocacy: ALI elevates aquatic animal welfare in national and international agendas, helping shape more transparent, humane, and sustainable food systems.
• Capacity Building & Coalitions: Through the Aquatic Animal Alliance and global partnerships, ALI empowers organisations around the world to coordinate actions and drive credible, evidence-based change.

Together these initiatives reduce animal suffering at scale, promote better food safety, environmental stewardship, and public accountability, thus benefiting consumers, communities, and ecosystems alike.