European Aquaculture Society - our role in supporting sustainable aquaculture development

1. European Aquaculture Society - our role in supporting sustainable aquaculture development Alistair Lane & Yves Harache

2. FAO The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2008

3. FAO The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2008

4. FAO The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2008

5. FAO The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2008

6. The European Aquaculture Society • Europe’s first and main aquaculture network • 500 members in more than 45 countries • Focus on “science to business” • Aquaculture Europe magazine • Aquaculture International peer-reviewed journal • Aquaculture Europe events • EAS Thematic Groups • EAS Student Group • Online networking Join us! www.easonline.org

7. EAS Objectives • to promote contactsbetween all involved in aquaculture; • to facilitate the dissemination of aquaculture-related information; • to promote multi-disciplinary aquaculture research; • to enhance cooperation betweenorganisations and individuals on aquaculture related matters. www.easonline.org

8. EAS membership • Profile 1998 • 85% scientists (public or private) • 15% libraries • Profile 2008 • 45% scientists • 35% industry (producers, suppliers…) • 10% other stakeholders (govt. employees etc.) • 10% students www.easonline.org

11. AE conference themes Meetings organised since 1981 • Technology (7) • Resource management (5) • Regional developments (4) • Responsible/sustainable production (4) • Quality (3)

12. EAS publications

13. EAS projects

16. CONSENSUS stakeholders European Consumers Organisation (BEUC) TEST ACHATS (Euroconsumers) EuropeanBureau forConservation Development (EBCD) Federation of EuropeanAquaculture Producers (FEAP) EuropeanMollusc Producers Association (EMPA) EuropeanFeed Manufacturers’ Assocation (FEFAC) Coordinated by EAS

17. Main outputs • Desired trends for sustainable development of the sector • 78 supporting indicators (under 8 themes) agreed by 120 stakeholders from 16 countries; • 25 indicators contributing to Codes of Best Practiceat national or species level; • 30 indicators for benchmarking of the sector, with a potential use in European standards; • A new, updated Code of Conduct for the European Finfish sector • Balanced information for consumers • Testedconsumer messages on aquaculture sustainability; • Information brochure targeted at the 40 member organisations of the European Consumers’ Organisation (BEUC) and the Euroconsumers network; • Re-looked website, specifically for non expert visitors.

18. Measuring the path towards sustainability by indicators

19. Identifying desired trends

20. Some desired trends • Economic viability • Continuous product supply • Decrease the proportion of production costs in total operating cost • Resource use • Ensure the availability of good quality water • Sustainable supply of juveniles

21. some more… • Health management • Improve health status of farms • Optimise fish welfare • Biodiversity • Increased biodiversity around/on farms • Minimise the negative impact of aquaculture on wild fish populations

22. Implementation aspects • Easy of measurement • Frequency of measurement • Responsibility for monitoring/recording Farm level – as ‘normal practice’ Farm level – new needs Local or regional level National level European level • Current tools/legislation • New tools/legislation • New research • New technology • Data recording • Data storage • Data availability and access

23. ‘master list’ of indicators

24. publications

25. consultation • Through industry • Finfish producers (FEAP) - preparation of CoC • Shellfish producers (EMPA) • Feed manufacturers (FEFAC) • Broader aquaculture sector (meetings & events) • Through the public • Environmental and conservation NGOs (EBCD) • European Parliament hearings • Consumer organisations (TEST ACHATS/Euroconsumers) • The wider public – “Have your say”

26. Indicators for Best Practice • Where the indicator would be measured (on farm, local or national and European levels) • Whether the indicator is an existing legal requirement • Whether the indicator represents personal/confidential information • Whether the indicator can be considered integral to good practice

27. Indicator reduction (25) Point of Measure 27 indicators on-farm; 1 local; 26 National and 14 European. Existing legal requirement 11 required legally; 5 partially required and 52 not required. Personal or Confidential Information 7 indicators – each related to financial considerations Integral to Good Practice 43 of the 68 indicators reflect good practice Reduced to 25 when overlapping indicators were consolidated On-farm measured good practice related to 17 indicators

28. Indicators for benchmarks • Which indicators reflect effective components of a European standard for the measurement of actions relevant to responsibility/sustainability within European fish farming? • How are selected indicators measured, on a repetitive and a comparative basis, and transformation of these into protocols for adoption? • What are the measurable benchmark positions from which certifying agencies are able to make unequivocal judgement?

29. Indicator reduction (30) Health & welfare (4) fish welfare index Human resources (3) age, gender, education, training Public image (5) promotion, visitors, certification progammes, demand Resource use (4) feeds, energy, juvenile supply • Biodiversity (3) • species index, polyculture, escapes • Economic viability (5) • diversification, investments • Environmental standards (2) • site selection, monitoring • Governance (3) • BEP, best use of sites • Sectoral issues (1) • reliable sector data

30. FEAP Code of Conduct • Relevant indicators implemented at farm level • Linked to chapters of the FEAP Code of Conduct • Incorporated in a ‘web’ structure • Linked to background and other information See www.euraquaculture.info

32. Consumer activities

33. What’s on consumers’ minds • Isn’t wild fish superior to farmed fish? • Aren’t farmed fish unhappy? • Isn’t fish farming just intensive factory farming? • Isn’t aquaculture bad for the environment? • Doesn’t aquaculture threaten natural biodiversity? • Is fish farming really the answer to rising demand?

34. consumer partners European Consumers Organisation (BEUC) Test Achats (Euroconsumers) www.beuc.eu www.test-achats.be to deliverbalanced messages about aquaculture

35. message testing • SUSTAINABILTY message on sustainable and ethical production. • SAFETY message on how aquaculture (management) can control contaminants in farmed fish. • HEALTH message on nutritional benefits of farmed fish • EUROPE message on European (value) dimension

36. combinations of messages • Condition 1: sustainability only • Condition 2: safety only • Condition 3: health only • Condition 4: balancing safety & health • Condition 5: balancing safety, health & sustainability • Condition 6: balancing safety, health, sustainability and European dimension

37. conclusions • Fish has a positive image among consumers • Consumer knowledge is rather limited • Limited awareness of issues of farmed versus wild • Origin farmed/wild) is not “top-of-mind” for consumers • Image of farmed fish is generally positive

38. consumer articles • Implementation of the EC Labelling Directive; • Contaminants in farmed fish products; • Food claims regarding Omega-3; • The (lack of) differences between wild and cultured fish.

39. a brochure for consumer organisations…and everybody else

40. CORE message • Thanks to aquaculture, eating more seafood will become healthier and more sustainable. • we are all faced with a conundrum: health experts tell us to eat more seafood; environmentalists tell us to eat less. • Aquaculture can bridge the gap by demonstrating its sustainability. • Research shows that the sector has already come a long way.

41. consultation & feedback • Interest set to increase significantly over the next three years. • Organisations generally have a positive perception of aquaculture • CONSENSUS publication very well perceived by the member organisations • Organisations want more information on contaminants and health risks, health benefits of farmed seafood and traceability in aquaculture. • CONSENSUS stakeholders are not very well known by BEUC members.

42. A new EU strategy for aquaculture “The EU aquaculture industry of the future should be at the forefront of sustainable development. The appropriate measures must be put into place to ensure that our industry can take a lead role in the "blue revolution", whether this concerns the production of aquatic food itself, technology and innovation, or the setting of standards and certification processes at EU and international level”. COM (2009) 162

43. A new EU strategy… “The EU aquaculture industry should be able to answer to consumer demands, be adaptable to changing market requirements and be capable of interacting on an equal footing with the other actors of the marketing chain6…” 6The "Consensus" project provides a positive example of improved discussion among stakeholders of the marketing chain. COM (2009) 162

44. Join us! www.easonline.org