I had the privilege of working with Ekaterina during my tenure as Vice-President of the Scientific Committee on Aquaculture (CAQ) of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the FAO. Since the GFCM signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Eurofish in 2012, our collaboration with Ekaterina has grown across numerous professional settings. These have included joint project activities, working group participation, and the co-organization of international workshops, conferences, and high-level events. Notably, Ekaterina contributed to and carried out detailed analyses of aquaculture market profiles in Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Türkiye, and Ukraine. She has also led extensive assessments of the aquaculture sector and markets across a range of GFCM countries, including Albania, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, Slovenia, and Spain. Ekaterina has been an outstanding speaker and panelist at various GFCM events. Throughout over a decade of fruitful collaboration, Ekaterina has demonstrated exceptional leadership in regional and international diplomacy. Her remarkable ability to engage with a wide and diverse range of stakeholders, including intergovernmental organizations, national administrations, producer associations, and research institutions, has made her an excellent expert to work with. Her strategic mindset, outstanding communication skills, and talent for building consensus have consistently impressed me. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her adaptability and public speaking skills stood out even more as she seamlessly led discussions and engagements across digital platforms. Ekaterina’s professionalism, deep sectoral expertise, and unwavering enthusiasm are a true asset to all those who have the pleasure of working with her.