Blue Food Futures Research Grant Program

Blue Food Futures Research Grant Program is sponsored by Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions. Offers funding and support for early-career researchers to explore the role of aquatic foods in sustainable food systems, focusing on climate resilience, equity, and nutrition.

Blue Food Futures Program | Center for Ocean Solutions Blue Food Futures Program Strengthening blue food science, policy, and community around the world. (Image credit: Avel Chuklanov, Unsplash) The Center for Ocean Solutions co-founded the Blue Food Futures Program and hosts its Secretariat.

The Blue Food Futures Program explores how blue foods — fish, shellfish, algae, and other aquatic species — can help build healthy, equitable, and sustainable food systems.

Endorsed by the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, the program strengthens blue food science, policy, and community by building research collaborations, accelerating the integration of blue foods into food system policies and programs, and expanding opportunities for early-career researchers to engage with science and policy.

The program builds on research from the Blue Food Assessment (2021 - 2023), which addressed key gaps in understanding the role of blue foods in global food systems. Current work spans nutrition and health, climate and biodiversity, trade and supply chains, and equity, ranging from local community projects to global policy analysis.

Guided by a science committee of scholars from around the world, the program sets shared research priorities and shapes thematic working groups to inform policy discussions.

As part of its policy efforts, Blue Food Futures builds on knowledge-to-action initiatives led by the Aquatic Blue Food Coalition to raise the profile of blue foods in forums such as the UN Ocean Conference, the Committee on World Food Security, and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The program’s policy committee connects scientists, decision-makers, NGOs, and other stakeholders to identify policy gaps and translate scientific findings into policy recommendations. Beyond its science and policy work, Blue Food Futures also strengthens research capacity through a global network and fellowship program.

The fellowship program hosts early-career researchers working to investigate questions at the intersection of food, climate, biodiversity, and equity. The network connects blue food researchers worldwide, encourages collaboration, and helps expand access to blue food data. The network has grown to 75 members across 22 countries.

Become a member of the network Attend blue food webinars as part of a monthly series co-hosted with UN Ocean Decade programs. Participants in the Blue Food Futures Workshop hosted on the Stanford campus in March 2026. (Image credit: Belle Long) Blue Food Futures Fellow Ruyel Miah presents on research he leads in his home country of Bangladesh.

(Image credit: Eric Hartge) Ruyel Miah (2026 Fellow), Josheena Naggea (Program Manager), Gladys Mwaka Holeh (2026 Fellow), Aphiwe Moshani (2025 Fellow), Liliana Sierra Castillo (2025 Fellow), Jim Leape (Policy Committee Chair), Eric Hartge (Fellowship Liaison).

Credit: Belle Long Xavier Basurto | Science Committee, Department of Environmental Social Sciences Nicole Franz | Policy Committee, Center for Ocean Solutions Eric Hartge | Fellowship Liaison, Center for Ocean Solutions Caroline Ferguson Irlanda | Science Committee, Department of Environmental Social Sciences Jim Leape | Policy Committee Chair, Center for Ocean Solutions Josheena Naggea | Program Manager, Center for Ocean Solutions Roz Naylor | Policy Committee, Center on Food Security and the Environment Environmental Defense Fund National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University University of British Columbia The Blue Food Futures Program is funded by the Oak Foundation.

Welcoming the 2026 Blue Food Futures Fellows The Blue Food Futures Program, co-led by the Center for Ocean Solutions, will host two early-career researchers dedicated to elevating the role of blue foods in global food systems transformation.

Inaugural Blue Food Futures Fellows to advance blue food solutions A new 12-month fellowship through the Blue Food Futures Program, co-led by the Center for Ocean Solutions, will support two early career researchers dedicated to understanding the role of blue foods in global food systems transformation.

New collaborative blue food program endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions and program partners will build a global network to further blue food research, policy, and sustainability solutions.