Global Fisheries and Food Supply The world population has now reached 7 billion and is projected to increase to 9 billion by 2050. There is a greater demand for seafood worldwide. Because no further increases from capture fisheries are possible, aquaculture becomes a crucial part of the sustainable solution to meet the global demand for seafood. For the past few decades, the industry has experienced dynamic growth, with an annual rate of 6.6 percent. In 2010, global aquaculture production reached 55 million metric tons and was valued at $105 billion. The famous French sea explorer Jacques Yves Cousteau once envisioned, “We must plant the sea and herd its animals using the sea as farmers instead of hunters. That is what civilization is all about -- farming replacing hunting.” Yet, it has become clear that aquaculture itself, in common with all other food production practices, is facing challenges for responsible development. Issues such as preservation of environmental conditions (water, land, and coastal areas), sustainable supply of feed ingredients, and production of high-quality seafood have become serious and must be dealt with in a responsible manner. In this session, a panel of international experts will highlight issues relating to responsible aquaculture development; discuss how the world is addressing the issues through scientific research, technology development, and improvement in production practices; and provide achievable solutions.