Panel discussion, 'Aquaculture and El Niño: Lessons from the Past, Present Warning Signs, and Prevention', held during June 2026 SustainED's edition, focused on climate variability and building resilience in aquaculture.
Photo: Sally Tabares / Sustainable Shrimp Partnership.
Earlier this month, the Ecuadorian shrimp industry convened once again for a new edition of SustainED, the lifelong learning program led by the Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SSP) and Ecuador's National Chamber of Aquaculture (CNA). Given the possibility of another El Niño event and the challenges that each rainy season brings to the country's shrimp farms, the gathering focused on prevention strategies, health management, and adaptation measures for increasingly variable climate conditions.
Over seven sessions, thirteen national and international experts analyzed topics such as the El Niño phenomenon and associated oceanographic indicators, water and soil quality management, ecological balance in farming systems, algal bloom monitoring, disease prevention, and the early identification of factors that can impact production performance.
"Climate variability reminds us of the importance of fostering a culture of prevention in aquaculture," Pamela Nath, Director of the Sustainable Shrimp Partnership, said, commenting on this new edition of the SSP and CNA's educational program focused on preparing the sector to strengthen the resilience of shrimp farming systems.
"Today, rather than simply reacting when problems arise, we need to anticipate challenges, better understand our production systems, and make informed decisions that enable us to reduce risks and adapt to changing conditions. Through SustainED, we seek to share knowledge and practical experiences that contribute to more sustainable shrimp production," she added.
The Executive President of Ecuador's National Chamber of Aquaculture, José Antonio Camposano, spoke in the same vein as Nath, emphasizing the need for collaboration within the sector, a pillar of the SustainED program since its launch in 2024, to strengthen the capacities of the Ecuadorian shrimp industry for its sustainable development.
"Ecuador's position as the world's leading shrimp exporter has been built on our industry's ability to learn, innovate, and continuously adapt," Camposano stated. "In the face of challenges such as climate variability, it is essential to continue promoting spaces where producers, technicians, academics, and companies can exchange experiences and learn from one another. This collaboration is key to strengthening our competitiveness and sustaining the leadership our sector has achieved."
The meeting, held in Guayaquil, the port city that is one of the main centers of the shrimp farming industry in Ecuador, brought together more than 120 aquaculture professionals. They were joined by professionals from companies and institutions across the entire shrimp value chain.
Among the latter were representatives of companies such as Agrosuncorp, Cargill, Skretting, dsm-firmenich Animal Nutrition & Health, INVE Aquaculture or Vitapro, while in the institutional representation, the organizers highlighted the presence of the Higher Polytechnic School of the Coast (Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral - ESPOL), the Public Institute for Aquaculture and Fisheries Research (IPIAP), Ecuador's Ministry of Environment and Energy, and the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) in Brazil.
This edition focused on climate variability and a potential El Niño event is the second SustainED gathering held this year. The SSP and CNA's educational program kicked off its 2026 agenda in February, with a technical workshop focused on health management and seasonal changes in Ecuadorian shrimp production.
In its statement, SSP announced that SustainED will continue to develop new workshops during 2026 to address strategic issues related to innovation, sustainability and competitiveness in aquaculture.