Newsletters - Weekly Seafood Insights

This week’s conversations at AquaBeats centred on a shared theme across species and value chains: how India can move from volume-driven growth to value-led leadership. From shrimp farming challenges linked to performance, genetics, and transparency, to the need for data-backed competition among hatcheries, and finally to the untapped potential of India’s certified tuna fisheries, each discussion pointed toward the same conclusion —

Papua New Guinea is today recognised as one of the world’s largest and most trusted tuna fisheries. It contributes around 25% of the PNA tuna supply, 12% of global tuna production, and manages access to over 650,000 metric tonnes of MSC-certified tuna.

This week’s conversations on Aquabeats revolved around a single, uncomfortable truth: India doesn’t lack seafood potential — it lacks alignment. Whether we’re talking about potential export species, recurring disease losses in shrimp farming, or food safety challenges that surface at the border, the pattern is the same.

New Year Greetings As we enter a new year, we wish you good health, steady partnerships, and shared progress. The year ahead will be defining for global seafood. Supply chains are being reassessed, sourcing expectations are rising, and trust is becoming the most valuable currency in trade. This newsletter release on the onset of 2026 is our way of starting the year with clarity- about where Indian seafood stands, where it can go and why Aquabeats exists.

India’s seafood success story is at a critical inflection point. As global markets evolve and sustainability, resilience, and trust become non-negotiable, the need for a second export pillar is clear. This newsletter explores why tilapia—when built with the right systems, scale, and intent—could redefine India’s aquaculture and export future.

India’s seafood ecosystem is entering a decisive phase where scale alone is no longer sufficient. Global buyers, regulators, and investors are increasingly focused on sustainability, verification, and long-term reliability.

Global shrimp value chains are under pressure — rising feed costs, growing carbon scrutiny, tighter traceability expectations, and increasing supply volatility. Across South East Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America, large-scale commercial trials on insect protein are already underway. Retailers like Auchan are partnering directly with feed mills to demonstrate circular, low-carbon feed solutions at industrial scale.

India’s aquaculture sector is at a defining inflection point. Scientific governance, value-chain collaboration and - sustainability-led innovation are no longer optional—they are becoming the - foundations of global competitiveness. This month’s newsletter brings together three critical developments:

India’s seafood industry is entering a decisive phase shaped by strategic government initiatives, global sustainability demands, and the sector’s growing ambition to expand its presence in high-value international markets.

India launches its first National Digital Traceability Framework for aquaculture & fisheries - read the official announcement here. This marks a major leap toward global transparency and market competitiveness. As global markets tighten compliance — with US FDA FSMA Rule 204 and the EU Digital Product Passport mandating digital traceability-India stands at a defining moment.

Welcome to this week’s Aquabeats Insights Newsletter. In this edition, we spotlight India’s rapidly evolving tuna landscape—from policy-driven deep-sea reforms to certification opportunities—

Welcome to the Aquabeats Newsletter — your weekly insight into how India’s seafood industry is evolving from scale to sophistication.

Across the global seafood trade, India’s shrimp sector stands at a crossroads — between scrutiny and significant reform. Recent reports by Corporate Accountability Lab, The Outlaw Ocean Project, the U.S. Department of Labor, Global Seafood Alliance, Seafood Watch have raised hard questions about worker welfare and ethical sourcing.

When I began sharing the story of non-ablation, it wasn’t just about animal welfare—it was about proving that compassion and productivity can, and must, coexist. The response to our latest video and carousel has been extraordinary, sparking an industry-wide conversation that unites voices from suppliers, hatcheries, and exporters around one question: Can compassion make shrimp farming more productive?

This week’s edition spotlights a landmark for India’s marine industry: next year by 2026, the first-ever Indian fishery will receive MSC certification, marking seven years of progress since the Sustainable Seafood Network of India (SSNI) was formed in 2018. As an SSNI member, I’ve watched collaboration turn big aspirations into real achievements. Now, the shrimp sector is called to unite—showing that labor rights and ethical sourcing are values the whole industry can stan