The future of Australia’s seafood supply and the choices available to consumers will be explored at a free public lecture to be held at The University of Western Australia next Wednesday.
Around 70 per cent of the seafood consumed in Australia is imported, raising important questions about the sustainability of the seafood on our plates.
From fish and chips by the coast to prawns on the barbecue at Christmas, seafood is woven into Australian life. But the journey from ocean to plate can have far-reaching environmental and social consequences, from impacts on threatened species and illegal fishing to links with modern slavery.
Associate Professor Carissa Klein, an ARC Future Fellow at The University of Queensland and Director of the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, will explore these issues at the 2026 Wen Family Chair in Conservation Public Lecture.
A leading conservation scientist, Associate Professor Klein’s research spans social, economic and ecological science to find practical solutions to real-world conservation challenges and includes marine spatial planning, land-sea conservation and sustainable seafood.
In her lecture, she will reveal where Australia’s seafood comes from and examine the environmental and social consequences of sourcing seafood from different parts of the world and will also offer practical advice to help people make more sustainable choices.
“Most of the imported seafood that we eat comes from countries that have weaker environmental regulations and are more vulnerable to modern slavery,” Associate Professor Klein said.
“We need to be proactive and make careful and informed choices about the seafood we consume.”
Australia has committed to improving the sustainability of its seafood through national fisheries policies and international commitments, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Meeting these commitments will require action across the seafood supply chain – from how Australia manages its own fisheries to the products it chooses to import.
Professor Jessica Meeuwig AM, the Wen Family Chair in Conservation said this year’s lecture topic held particular relevance for Western Australians.
“Carissa brings exceptional expertise in marine conservation and sustainable seafood. With the West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource now permanently closed to commercial fishing, her lecture could hardly be more timely as we consider what sustainable seafood choices really look like,” Professor Meeuwig said.
The 2026 lecture will be held on Wednesday 30 September from 6pm to 8pm at The University Club of Western Australia, supported by Wen Giving, The Jock Clough Marine Foundation, Forrest Research Foundation and the Oceans Institute and you can register here for free tickets here.