The Global Initiative for Life & Leadership through Seafood (GILLS) aims to increase understanding of the importance of seafood consumption through knowledge sharing. It seeks to improve global communication about seafood research and promote seafood consumption to reduce hunger and improve health outcomes. GILLS plans to increase engagement with universities, develop wellness programs, improve its website and social media presence, and form strategic partnerships. Its vision is for less hunger, better health through increased seafood intake.

1. Global Initiative for Life
& Leadership through
Seafood

2. Dr. Ralph Holman
(1917 - 2012)
A true trailblazer in the science of omega-3 fatty acids
Holman RT. The slow discovery of the importance of omega-3 essential fatty acids in
human health. J Nutr 1998;128:427S -433S.

3. THE JOURNEY
• International Seafood & Health Conference in
Dec 2005 Washington
• Thinking a little left field
• International Seafood & Health Conference in
Nov 2010 Melbourne
• Coming together of minds at Santander July
2011
• Launching of GILLS at IAFI Washington Nov
2011

4. www.gillseafood.com
45,000 unique visitors from all over the world this year…….

5. THE STRATEGY
• Become a repository for all Medical research
relative to seafood, fish, fish oil
• Encourage all Medical researchers to make
their peer reviewed papers available for the
website
• Invite major medical researchers/experts
opportunity to engage
• Info from Conferences, Meetings, etc
• Link to all relevant videos and media

6. THE STRATEGY (2)
• Assist and promote research
• Build Seafood Consumption information
• Encourage global involvement
• Promote partnerships in research, education,
training and other activities
• Be inclusive with involvement and partners
• Universities invited to join

7. HUNGER –associated fatality compared to 10
leading causes of death (In Millions)
SOURCE : MODIFIED FROM WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

8. GILLS VISION
• Increased understanding of importance of
seafood through knowledge sharing
• Better global communication from research
through industry to consumers
• Less hunger and better health outcomes
• Increased seafood consumption

9. PROMOTE HEALTHY EATING

10. GILLS PLAN 2012/3
• Increase number of Universities engaged
• Omega-3 wellness program
• Continuous improvement with website and other
electronic social platforms and media
• Link with major societies/associations, etc through
strategic partnerships
• Think Tank on gaps in research and sharing ideas
• Global Day concept

11. Nashville Feb & Halifax Sept 2013

12. HEALTH BENEFITS OF SEAFOOD
Seafood is the single most important food one can consume for
good health. Regular consumption may help to increase
intelligence, reduce the risk of various diseases and disorders.
(Harvard School of Public Health, 2006).
Fish is rich in omega–3 fatty acids which are known to
contribute for the healthy development of brain tissue
and retina (Natural News Network,2006)
Japanese
eat daily
@150-
200 g fish

13. START OF LIFE

14. LATER IN LIFE

15. UK Parliamentary Report on the
benefits of eating seafood
• We recommend that the Scientific Advisory
Committee on Nutrition (SACN) should be
asked to define further the optimum intake of
omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)
in different stages of life, especially for
pregnant women and children.

16. UK Report Recommendation
• While research continues to identify and
produce alternative sources of omega-3
PUFAs, we recommend that all people in the
UK should be encouraged to eat more fish,
some of which should be oily fish, or its
equivalent in omega-3 PUFAs.
• http://www.fhf.org.uk/meetings/inquiry2007/
FHF_inquiry_report_diet_and_behaviour.pdf

17. JOINT FAO/WHO EXPERT
CONSULTATION 2010
Risks and Benefits of Consuming Seafood - Recommendations:
To minimize risks in target populations, the Expert Consultation
recommended a series of steps that Member States should
take to better assess and manage the risks and benefits of fish
consumption and more effectively communicate with their
citizens:
• Acknowledge fish as an important food source of energy,
protein and a range of essential nutrients and fish
consumption as part of the cultural traditions of many
peoples.
• Emphasize the benefits of fish consumption on reducing
mortality from coronary heart disease (and the risks of
mortality from coronary heart disease associated with not
eating fish) for the general adult population.

18. JOINT FAO/WHO EXPERT
CONSULTATION 2010
Risks and Benefits of Consuming Seafood - Recommendations:
• Emphasize the net neurodevelopmental benefits to offspring
of women of childbearing age who consume fish, particularly
pregnant women and nursing mothers, and the
neurodevelopmental risks to offspring of women of
childbearing age who do not consume fish.
• Develop, maintain and improve existing databases on specific
nutrients and contaminants, particularly methylmercury and
dioxins, in fish consumed in their region.
• Develop and evaluate risk management and communication
strategies that both minimize risks and maximize benefits
from fish consumption.
• http://www.fao.org/docrep/014/ba0136e/ba0136e00.pdf

19. Prof Micheal Crawford et al
• The contemporary lipid malnutrition is most
likely contributing to the rise in brain disorders
which in the European Union has overtaken
the cost of all other burdens of ill health at
Euro386 billion for the 25 member states at
2004 price.
• The Role of Docosahexaenoic and Arachidonic Acids as
Determinants of Evolution and Hominid Brain Development
• Michael A. Crawford, C. Leigh Broadhurst, Claudio Galli, Kebreab
Ghebremeskel, Holm Holmsen, Letten F. Saugstad,
• Walter F. Schmidt,Andrew J. Sinclair and Stephen C. Cunnane

20. Meat Consumption in Selected
Countries
Source: AFFA, Agrifood Globalisation & Asia, 2008

21. Template - Seafood Consumption

22. Factors Affecting Seafood
Consumption
ECONOMIC FACTORS
Income
Prices
INDIVIDUAL FACTORS
Dietary requirements
Taste preferences
Availability of product and time
Awareness about safety and sustainability
CULTURAL FACTORS
Culture & tradition
SOCIAL FACTORS.
Corporate social responsibility & public image
Regulations

23. FISH CONSUMPTION SURVEY IN
TAMILNADU
Total number of districts (surveyed) 23
Total no. of families 2569
Total no. of family members 10694
Non Vegetarian 10674
Vegetarian 20

26. Common type of fish preparation at
home
2500
2060
2000
1500
1000
482
500
5
0
Fish curry Fried Fish Both

27. 25 Per capita consumption
22 of fish (in kg)
20
20
20
15 15
15 14 14 14
14 14 13 13
13 13
12
11
11 10
10 9
7
5
5 4
0

28. No. of persons having awareness about the
health benefits of fish
700
590
600
516 513
500 453
400
300
200
100
0
Good Good Strengthens More
for for immune digestible than
heart brain system of body
other proteins

29. SUN: 1,000 Days
Fat in the Critical Thousand Days
Ensuring
Adequacy of Essential Dietary Fats
for Mothers and Children in
Low and Middle Income Countries
Meeting in Washington D. C., April 2011
http://www.thousanddays.org/
Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, The WorldFish Center

30. SUN: 1,000 Days
Global, National and Individual Development
Brain Development and Cognitive Capacity (1,000 Days)
Essential Dietary Fats
Fish (small marine) and Fish Products

31. Fish is a Rich Source of Essential Fats
Lake Malawi:
•Dried usipe contains 1,700 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
per 100 g, comparable to salmon
•DHA in the breast milk of women ~0.7% of fatty acids, about
twice the global average
Lake Kitangiri, Tanzania (cradle of civilization):
•Fish and breast milk of women with high concentrations of
essential fats
http://www.worldfishcenter.org/resource_centre/WF_3165.pdf

32. Contact:
Aquaculture without Frontiers
c/o Carol Mendoza
World Aquaculture Society
143 J. M. Parker Coliseum
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA 70803 (USA)
Phone: +1-225-578-3137
FAX: +1-225-578-3493
Email: carolm@was.org
Web:
http://www.aquaculturewithoutfrontiers.org/
Fish - Our contribution
to a healthier
http://www.thousanddays.org/
nutrition for children
“The 1000 Day Initiative”:
http://www.eassg.org/
Making the link between
aquaculture and the vulnerable

33. 1000 days?
The 1,000 days between a woman’s
What can we do? -> Fish in the first 1000 days of life
pregnancy and her child’s 2 nd birthday are
critical for a child’s early development. Fish is the third staple food after rice and vegetables in the everyday
Certain nutritional targets have to be diet in developing countries, such as Bangladesh, especially of the
reached during the critical early rural poor. Being the only animal-source food it improves dietary
development phase to guarantee healthy diversity and supplies multiple nutrients such as anim al protein,
development of the child. essential fats, vitamins and minerals.
Readily available and cheap,
During pregnancy, malnutrition can have a small fish are particularly rich
devastating impact on the healthy growth in vitamin A, iron and zinc,
and development of a child. Babies who are with high bioavailability. As
malnourished in the womb have a higher risk many small fish species are
of dying in infancy and are more likely to eaten whole, with bones,
face lifelong cognitive and physical deficits they are a source of bio-
and chronic health problems. available calcium, important
For children under the age of two, for lactation and growth.
malnutrition can be life-threatening and
weaken a child’s immune system and make
Through basic nutritional education
him or her more susceptible to dying from
and improvement of availability of
common illnesses such as pneumonia,
this irreplaceable food sour ce
diarrhoea and malaria.
The right nutrition during the 1,000 through the development of
day window will: aquaculture in such countries,
children can have a chance for a
 save more than one million better and healthier future from the
lives each year very start of their lives.
 reduce the human and
economic burden of diseases By boosting aquaculture & fisheries
such as tuberculosis, malaria techniques, helping government and
and HIV/AIDS the people to help themselves, we
 reduce the risk for developing can make a difference.
Any money raised
late life diseases like diabetes,
...
will be donated to
 improve an individual’s Aquaculture without
educational achievement and Frontiers to be
earning potential distributed and used
 increase a country’s GDP by at in support of the
least 2-3% annually 1000 day initiative in
Bangladesh.

34. Health Benefits
• Life evolved in the ocean - Oceans cover 72% worlds
surface – 99% volume of the world
• Seafood is the richest source of many nutrients that
optimize the development of baby’s brains and
nervous systems
• Peer reviewed science repeatedly demonstrates
health benefits far outweigh theoretical risks
• Scientific evidence is compelling that seafood
deficient diets are a real and present danger
• Prevention through nutrition creates incredible
savings for Public Health

35. Website - www.gillseafood.com
Facebook – G I L L S
Linked In - GILLS - Global Initiative for Life and Leadership
through Seafood
Twitter – 2perweek