Second ACP Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers Council

Vassen Kauppaymuthoo, chairman of the Mauritian NGO Kalipso, participated in the second ACP Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers Council on behalf of CFFA, in Seychelles from 22 to 25 November 2010. That gave the occasion to make the Ministers and ACP officials aware of the point of view and proposals of the African civil society on the future of fisheries, voiced in September through the Banjul Declaration adopted by African civil society organizations in margin of the Conference of African Ministers of Fisheries and Aquaculture, in which Kalipso and CFFA participated.

The presence of CFFA as observer at the ACP Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers Council allowed artisanal fisheries to gain better visibility, showed their potential and raised the issues that need to be addressed by decision makers in order to ensure artisanal fisheries a sustainable future. However, Vassen Kauppaymuthoo deplores “the impression of some kind of duplication of efforts at the level of these various institutions, because too few bonds are made between these different ministerial meetings and what is actually discussed inside”.

Furthermore, he highlights that “aquaculture was mentioned several times during the Ministers Council, and presented as the panacea to face the collapse of wild fish stocks. But one should not forget that industrial aquaculture development in coastal areas leads to the privatization of the public maritime domain, sometimes jeopardizing the existence of coastal communities living there and provoking a lot of damages and pollutions to the coastal environment: the list of countries that have faced ecological disasters linked to industrial aquaculture is evergrowing. ACP countries cannot neglect these aspects and intensive aquaculture in sensitive tropical ecosystems like Maurice or Seychelles should be proscribed”.

Documents of the ACP Ministers Council are viewable on:http://www.acpsec.org/en/fisheries/2010/resolution_fisheries2_en.pdfhttp://www.acpsec.org/en/jpa_kinshasa/fisheries_press_statementENG_seychelles2010.htmlhttp://www.acpsec.org/en/fisheries/2010/report_short_en.pdf

Let’s adopt a differentiated approach to small scale artisanal aquaculture

Intervention by Brian O’Riordan, on behalf of ICSF/CFFA at Working Group 2 Aquaculture 3 June 2010 - Aquaculture and the CFP Workshop

The issue of why aquaculture in Europe is stagnant, whilst globally it is considered to be the fasted growing (animal) food-producing sector, needs some analysis. Our discussions have provided some insights and highlighted some issues; I would like to add a couple of observations.

1. Perhaps the model of aquaculture we are promoting in Europe is wrong. Most of aquaculture production is accounted for by Asian countries (many of them in tropical regions), dominated by China, and aquaculture has experienced the fastest growth rates in recent years in tropical African and Caribbean countries. Most production comes from inland waters, of fin fish that are mainly herbivorous, omnivorous, plankton feeders, often cultured in “polyculture” systems, that are low tech, non-intensive, and with relatively low inputs.

Yet in Europe, the focus has been on carnivorous fin fish, and on intensive, high input, fishmeal dependent systems. So too our temperate ecosystems are quite different to the tropical ecosystems where aquaculture is “booming”.

2. If aquaculture is to become an integral part of the CFP, or a basic pillar, then perhaps we should also consider adopting a “differentiated approach” to small-scale, artisanal, family run, community activities based that play an important social role on the one hand, and large scale, capital intensive systems on the other. The former, as highlighted by Sra. Portabales, are often family run SMEs, that have particular problems in accessing credit and grants. Whilst on he other, as highlighted by Mr Flynn, the capital intensive models provide the economic engines for boosting economic activities… but often with significant social and environmental costs.

In this regard, I would like to draw attention to the Ocean2012 contribution to the Green Paper consultation on CFP Reform, which highlights that

“A key reason for this contrasting state of affairs (stagnation vs growth) may be that a significant proportion of EU aquaculture production is aimed at wealth creation first, and food production second. Prominence has also been given to the production of carnivorous species, highly dependent on large scale, intensive, high-tech production systems, which are highly vulnerable to parasite and disease infestations. We feel therefore that the new European aquaculture strategy again places too much emphasis on the intensive farming for carnivorous species, at the expense of other forms of more traditional aquaculture.”

And proposes that:

“the EU should consider the potential for developing other types of aquaculture. For example, traditional systems of freshwater and marine fish and shellfish farming have been developed throughout Europe over the last centuries. Pond farming operations assist the maintenance of wetland areas and live bivalve molluscs help combat eutrophication and maintain a good sanitary quality of coastal and estuarine areas.”

And:

“To require closed containment for industrial aquaculture for carnivorous species in order to minimise impacts on the marine ecosystem. Closed containment, which prevents the transmission of diseases and parasites, could offer some solutions to the many environmental problems caused by such aquaculture.”

3. Explore synergies between Artisanal Coastal Fishing and Small-Scale Artisanal Aquaculture.

Shellfish farming and other small-scale family based marine fish farming shares much in common with artisanal coastal fishing, particularly from a social and economic perspective.

In the same way, industrial aquaculture production shares much in common with other high input, high turn over food production enterprises.

A different approach is therefore required for small-scale, artisanal family based operations on the one hand, and large scale, capital-intensive operations on the other.

Incorporating aquaculture into the CFP requires some consideration of these issues.

CFFA joins the Pure Salmon campaign

On May 25th, CFFA joined the Pure Salmon campaign which lobbies to raise the standards of farmed raised fish.

The Pure Salmon campaign calls on the global salmon farming industry to: 1. Adopt farming methods that eliminate disease transfer and salmon escapes; 2. Eliminate the use of antibiotics, biocides, and harmful chemicals in salmon farming; 3. Guarantee salmon farm waste is not discharged directly into the environment; 4. Stop the current depletion of wild fish stocks caused by the 3:1 ratio of slaughtered fish to salmon growth. 5. Prohibit the use of genetically engineered fish, feed, and other genetic modification; 6. Guarantee that salmon farming does not harm other wildlife; 7. Respect the views of coastal communities and other stakeholders in locating farms; and 8. Adopt and implement ethical business practices, including safe, healthy work environments and fair compensation.

For more information, see Pure Salmon campaign websitehttp://www.puresalmon.org/

CFFA joins the Pure Salmon campaign