Smallholder farms are the backbone of shrimp production in Asia. This session explored the technologies and industry collaboration that are providing a pathway for smallholder farms to achieve certification and broader market access. Keys to success are improving farm productivity and sustainability, leveraging market demand, collaborating with digital solution providers, streamlining training and assessment, and improving interoperability of data from diverse sources.
Antonio Santa Marta has been working in the seafood industry for over eight years, most of which has been focused on aquaculture sustainability challenges and technology development. Antonio currently leads the shrimp aquaculture program at The Nature Conservancy, focusing on global shrimp supply chain sustainability challenges. Antonio’s work for TNC’s growing shrimp portfolio currently focuses on Ecuador, India, Thailand, and Indonesia. Antonio has extensive experience working with aquaculture supply chain traceability and sustainability in Southeast Asia and Latin America, as well as aquaculture risk management across Europe, North America and the Middle East.
Birgitte Krogh-Poulsen is an internationally recognized expert in human rights and social development with more than 25 years of experience working across Europe, Africa, and Asia. As a Senior Fellow at Monterey Bay Aquarium, Birgitte champions human rights and social equity in the global seafood industry. She leads work at the intersection of environmental, economic, and social sustainability—driving systemic change to improve livelihoods, promote fair labor practices, and protect vulnerable communities. In 2010, Birgitte established Poulsen Consulting, based in Denmark, through which she advises leading organizations including the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO). Her expertise lies in addressing the root causes of child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking, with related work in safe migration, education, gender equality, and child protection. Birgitte has collaborated with governments, industry actors, trade unions, community groups, and NGOs to lead policy development, conduct risk assessments, and design and implement practical, rights-based interventions.
Cormac O’Sullivan is the Senior Fellow for Sustainable Aquaculture with Monterey Bay Aquarium Global Oceans Conversation Program. With a master's degree in environmental protection and having farmed salmon, trout, and char in Ireland for nearly 15 years, Cormac has been involved in seafood certification, sustainability and environmental consultancy around aquaculture and fisheries for government, private industry and NGOs for 30 years. Cormac leads global improvement projects with Monterey Bay Aquarium in a number of countries with a particular focus on Verification of assurance around small scale production in shrimp. Cormac has experience in standard development, aquaculture improvement work, conducting certification audits, and consulting on seafood sustainability in over 20 countries.
Sarabpreet has been associated with the seafood industry for over 20 years in various capacities. As General Manager at Devi Seafoods he has been working on strategies to achieve the company’s sustainability goals. As part of eco certification and sustainability initiatives of shrimp farms, he has engaged with different stakeholders of the industry. Devi Seafoods' integrated infrastructure and presence across the entire shrimp supply chain has given Sarabpreet the opportunity to implement international sustainability standards in shrimp hatcheries, farms, feed mills, and processing facilities.
Dr. George Chamberlain started his aquaculture career in 1975 as a researcher, instructor, and Extension Aquaculture Specialist at Texas A&M University. For the next ten years, he directed the aquaculture programs at Ralston Purina International and Monsanto. From 1999 to 2020, he founded and managed several shrimp breeding, nutrition, and farming companies ultimately known as Kona Bay with operations in Malaysia, Brunei, and Hawaii. Concurrent with his commercial activities, Chamberlain served as a Board member and President of the World Aquaculture Society and later helped found both the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GSA) and The Center for Responsible Seafood (TCRS). He continues to serve as board member of GSA and President of TCRS.
Burhan is the Program Manager for the Fisheries and Aquaculture Program at Konservasi Indonesia, with over 15 years of experience in natural resource management and marine conservation. He has led projects on sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, marine biodiversity, and coastal livelihoods across the Coral Triangle region, supported by donors such as USAID, KfW, EU, and Germany’s BMU-IKI. Burhan holds degrees from the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science at Bogor Agricultural University and the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Germany. He is also an alumnus of the Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program at UC Berkeley.