Walton-backed aquaculture centre launches in La Paz with global ambitions.
A new international centre aimed at accelerating regenerative aquaculture innovation has launched in La Paz, Mexico, with backing from philanthropist Christy Walton’s Innovaciones Alumbra.
The Center for Applied Aquaculture Innovation (CAAI) was formally unveiled at the 2025 UN Ocean Conference. It aims to support science-based solutions to restore marine ecosystems, promote biodiversity, and advance sustainable food systems, particularly in warm-water regions.
“Our oceans and their resources are significantly degraded,” said Walton, founder of Innovaciones Alumbra. “It is no longer enough to assume that sustainability alone will reverse the damage. We must move beyond efforts to do no further harm and take huge strides toward generative and regenerative outcomes.”
Led by Dr Ernesto Rodríguez Leal, a specialist in applied technology and innovation in Latin America, the centre will support applied research, small business development, and ecosystem restoration initiatives across finfish, shellfish, and algae aquaculture. Rodríguez Leal previously led ventures in robotics, healthcare, and education.
“We are building a space and a global alliance that brings scientists, entrepreneurs, and communities together to work side by side,” said Rodríguez Leal. “The CAAI will offer access to resources, hands-on innovation, and rapid deployment to advance our global ability to deliver on sustainable blue economies.”
Vidar Helgesen, Executive Secretary of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, described regenerative aquaculture as being “at the leading edge of innovation—restoring ecosystems, feeding communities, and proving that a thriving ocean and a thriving humanity go hand in hand.”
Located in the Gulf of California, the La Paz-based facility will offer hatchery, laboratory and open-ocean testing infrastructure. It will focus on practical aquaculture solutions with ecological and economic benefits for small- and medium-sized producers.
“Sustainable and regenerative aquaculture is key to Mexico’s commitment to ocean health, food security, and climate action,” said Norma Munguia, Director General for Global Affairs at Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The project aligns with broader UN and Ocean Decade goals and underscores Mexico’s positioning in the global push for regenerative ocean industries.
Senator Ivideliza Reyes Hernández, President of Mexico’s Fishing and Aquaculture Commission, described the centre as “a blueprint for inclusive growth,” noting ongoing efforts to advance regenerative aquaculture policy and establish an Ocean Caucus in the Mexican legislature.
The centre is now operational. More information is available at caai.org.