EUROFISH Magazine 3 2020

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Croatia Bringing all stakeholders together to ensure sustainable fisheries

Albanian fisheries management organisation launches market for members Placing a value on inland fisheries calls for better data Octopuses’ intelligence raises moral and ethical dilemmas is a member of the FISH INFO network

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In this issue

Encouraging indications from Croatian fish stocks At the start of the year Croatia took over the rotating Presidency of the EU Council for the first time since becoming a member of the EU in 2013. It has been a baptism with fire. The country’s ministers and staff have had to face major institutional changes (a new Commission and Parliament), the departure of the UK, and to cap it all, the unprecedented impact of the coronavirus. Within fisheries and aquaculture, however, the leadership is determined not to let the flood of events prevent them from achieving their goals – making progress on the new EMFF negotiations and on the revised fisheries control regulation. Also, Croatia is working closely with Italy on a number of cross-border projects, instituted partly as the result of an approach to marine conservation that is shared by both countries. Other projects, strongly supported by the ministry, promote collaboration between NGOs and fishermen and aim to diversify incomes and make fisheries more sustainable both economically and environmentally. The countries most important stocks, anchovies and sardines, though not fully recovered, are showing stable or positive trends. Read more on page 22 Auctions are among the oldest ways of selling fish as they are transparent, bring many buyers and sellers together, and are fair — rewarding good quality products with higher prices. This long-established method of trading has maintained its relevance by constantly evolving as technology develops to offer more features, better quality fish, and shorter times to the market and the final consumer. Fish auctions are common in many countries, but while the details may differ, the general principles are the same; fishermen bring the fish to the auction where it is sold to the highest bidder. Today, like so many other services, auctions have moved online. This enables bidders in remote locations to take part expanding the number of potential buyers to the benefit of the fisherman. The lack of a physical presence means that the bidder must be able to rely on the information that is provided about the fish. This in turn has led to the creation of independent services that certify the quality and provenance of the fish so that potential buyers can bid secure in the knowledge that there will be no unpleasant surprises when they take delivery. Read more on page 17 The demands on designers of fishing gear are many. To complicate matters some of them are contradictory — fishermen want their gear to fish as efficiently as possible catching plenty of fish at little cost, while fisheries administrators and environmental NGOs want fishers to use gear that is selective and that has little or no impact on the environment. Longlines, for example, are used in many fisheries because of the quality of the catch. However, longlines are also complicit in catching sharks, sea turtles, and seabirds, and fishing with longlines uses a lot of fuel compared to fishing with other gears. The use of other fishing gears, including trawls, seines, and gillnets, involves similar tradeoffs. In terms of sustainability, fishing gear not only tend to impact the environment when they are actively used, but also when they are lost or discarded. Reconciling mutually opposing requirements calls inevitably for compromises Read Dr Manfred Klinkhardt’s article from page 48 The fisheries sector in Kazakhstan is built on capture fisheries in inland waters and in the coastal zone of the Caspian Sea, and on freshwater fish farming. The capture fishery is entirely small scale and most of it is with passive gears.

Fishing with active gears almost entirely disappeared with the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the fish farming industry different technologies are used to culture fish including ponds, recirculation systems, and cages. Sturgeon, trout, and carp are the main farmed species. Sturgeon and different carp species are also bred for restocking in natural water bodies. The country has a modest international trade in fish products, mainly small pelagic species, but also has a fish processing sector that produces fresh and frozen fillets, dried and smoked fish. Consumption figures are less than 2 kg/capita/year, but this is widely reckoned to underestimate what people actually eat. Read more on page 56 Fish and seafood is possibly not the industry worst affected by the corona crisis, after all, people still have to eat.

However, seafood is the most globally traded animal protein, so lockdowns around the world have had a huge impact on both suppliers and consumers. On the consumption side the closure of the food service sector, restaurants, bars, cafes, canteens, hotels, airlines, among others, has taken some of the most important buyers off the market.

Processors, supermarkets, and private consumers can pick up some of the slack but for many traders the combination of a lack of supplies and of customers is proving existence threatening. Part of the value chain was already reeling under the US-China trade war which imposed tariffs on many products, but then to have to deal with the impact of the corona crisis in addition may prove the final straw for many businesses particularly in the small and medium segment. There has been an uptick in online and direct sales and of takeaway, but not enough to replace the traditional channels of seafood distribution. Read more on page 53

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Table of News 6 International News

Events

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14 IceFish, 23-25 September 2020, Reykjavik Adapting to the needs of a changing industry FI

Fisheries 15 EIFAAC report reveals vast disparities in inland fisheries data collection methodologies in Europe Reliably valuing inland fisheries calls for better data

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17 Internet-based fish auctions bring changes to first hand sales Competition for fish is becoming increasingly international

Croatia

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22 Assisting the European fisheries and aquaculture sector through a pandemic Croatia steers Presidency of the EU Council despite coronavirus

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26 University of Zadar offers a new master’s programme Promoting blue growth in aquaculture and fisheries

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28 A Croatian-Italian project combines model-building with outreach efforts to increase fisheries sustainability Bringing an ecosystem approach to Adriatic fisheries 29 Ambitious cross-border project will protect vulnerable seagrass meadows in the Adriatic Free anchoring of vessels must be curtailed

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31 Novel distribution methods help a Croatian trout farm through the pandemic Home delivery proves highly popular 34 Cooperative enters Fisheries Improvement Project with a view to achieving sustainable practices Looking for ways to access demanding markets 36 Improving the economic and environmental sustainability of a small island community Sustainable fishing in a nature park

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38 High quality from a small-scale sustainable Norway lobster fishery fetches a good price Fishing with creels in the Velebit channel

Species 40 Demand for cephalopods increasing steadily worldwide Octopus aquaculture close to a breakthrough?

Cover picture courtesy Norwegian Seafood Council

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Contents Albania

(CC BY-SA 3.0) Map based on https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Location_European_nation_states.svg

by Hayden120 and NuclearVacuum

44 Capacity building for Blue Growth, and curriculum development for marine fisheries in Albania Albanian fishers can soon earn international qualifications at home

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46 A prominent stakeholder in the Albanian inland fisheries displays its dynamism New fish market should bring several benefits

Technology 48 Fishing methods influence the sustainability of fisheries More selective fishing protects stocks and marine ecosystems 51 Chemical fish egg disinfection in Europe Product approval — a long and expensive process

Kazakhstan 53 The fisheries and aquaculture sector in Kazakhstan Significant potential to be realised

Trade and Markets 56 Corona pandemic changes markets and consumer behaviour Globalisation will remain an indispensable part of the fish industry

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Guest Pages: Maja Markovčic‘ Kostelac

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Worldwide Fish News Africa

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Belgium/EU

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Chile

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China

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Croatia

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Ireland

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Italy/GFCM

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Norway

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Peru

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Turkey

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USA

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63 EMSA strengthens Europe’s competitiveness, sustainable growth, and the blue economy Contributing to all EU policy areas related to the sea

Service 65 Diary Dates 66 Imprint, List of Advertisers

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Scan the QR code to access the Eurofish Magazine website (www.eurofishmagazine. com), where you can also sign up to receive the Eurofish Magazine newsletter.

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Spain: Furniture giant to sell more salmon The Swedish furniture titan Ikea, which claims to be the sixth largest restaurant chain in the world, has stated that it will be opening food outlets in 14 stores in Spain.

Ikea is offering ‘take away’ from its restaurants wanting to bring people to its stores but has also been experimenting with home deliveries, having signed a deal with online food order company Just Eat to deliver food throughout Madrid. In addition to selling ASC certified smoked

salmon, Ikea has, together with salmon supplier Mowi and its existing meatball producer Dafgürd, developed a meatball based on salmon and cod. The salmon and cod balls have been introduced in many markets and will soon also be offered in a packed version in Ikea stores for customers to bring home. Before the coronavirus hit, IKEA’s foodservice operations annually served around 680 million people a year.

In addition to the existing ASC certified salmon products Ikea has developed a salmon and cod meatball to increase the company’s sale of fish.

EU to mitigate the impact of coronavirus on the ďŹ sheries and aquaculture sectors Part of the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative Plus include support for the temporary closure of fishing activities due to the coronavirus, financial compensations to aquaculture farmers and to processing enterprises, specific measures for the outermost regions and support to producer organisations for the storage of fishery and aquaculture products. Additional amendments

to the EMFF Regulation allow for more flexible reallocation of financial resources within the operational programmes of each Member State and a simplified procedure for amending operational programmes with respect to the introduction of the new measures. Operations supported under the temporary coronavirus-related measures will be retroactively eligible as of

1 February 2020 until 31 December 2020. Therefore, Member States can already start selecting and supporting these operations.

Virginijus SinkeviĂžius, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries said it was important to act together to help the fisheries sector through these market disruptions as ‘jobs, communities and food security are at stake.’

US President Trump signs order to promote seafood sector President Donald Trump has signed an executive order promoting American seafood competitiveness and economic growth to boost the domestic seafood sector in America. The order calls for setting up a Seafood Trade Task Force that will include top administration officials including the Secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture and Homeland Security; the director of the Office of Management and Budget, the administrator of the National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration, and the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. This task force has been given the task of provide recommendations within 30-180 day covering the following issues: Combating IUU, reducing burdens on domestic fishing and increasing sustainable fisheries production, removing barriers hampering aquaculture development and finding new aquaculture opportunities, improving regulatory transparency for aquaculture,

promoting aquatic animal health, and finally, improving the international trade in seafood. In addition, the Secretary of Commerce announced the allocation of USD300m (~EUR275m) in fisheries assistance funding. The funding is provided under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also called the CARES Act. It will be allocated to states, and territories with coastal and marine stakeholders who have been affected

by COVID–19.

A Seafood Trade Task Force is to modernise aquaculture development, including controversial offshore aquaculture, and reduce bureaucracy.

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Croatian Ministry of Agriculture launches online trade platform The Croatian Ministry of Agriculture has launched an online web platform, 7UåQLFD KU, which offers farm produce and fish from all over the country. The platform has been launched to help farmers and fishermen in the current situation caused by the COVID19 pandemic and currently hosts 550 producers and their range of products. The platform enables the purchase and sale of domestic produce from all over the country. Currently buyers can choose between 12 product categories, and the number of producers and the range of products on offer are steadily growing. Customers can use the platform to find local

suppliers and purchase fresh and high-quality products without leaving their house.

Even though it has been prompted by the crisis caused by the COVID19 pandemic, Tržnica.hr is a continuation of the digitalisation of the farming sector, Marija Vuþkoviü, the Minister of Agriculture, stated.

The platform provides customers with a simple and fast way to source fresh and quality products from domestic producers. Encouraging domestic production and marketing domestic food products is a pillar of the national farm strategy that is in the final stage of preparation.

With a newly developed online web platform the Ministry of Agriculture is making it easier for Croatians to stay at home while shopping for fish and farm products.

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Italy: GFCM ADCs offer free online courses on aquaculture techniques during lockdown

As their activities are now on hold due to COVID-19, ADC specialists agreed to bring their knowledge directly to people’s homes via online training sessions. The first week of courses on shellfish environment and pathologies, organized by the GFCM and the National Institute

for Marine Research and Development Grigore Antipa in Constanta, Romania, had more success than anticipated with specialists tuning in from the Mediterranean and Black Sea region and beyond. A second week of training was then organized with experts from the SUMAE Institute in Trabzon, Turkey, focusing on turbot aquaculture and restocking. The GFCM and the SUMAE Institute are now launching a third week of courses on recirculating aquaculture systems. “It’s been quite exhilarating to realize that, just with a webcam, we could reach so many people,â€? explained ølhan AydÄąn, Deputy General Director, General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies, Central Fisheries Research Institute, Trabzon. “I definitely think this is something we could continue doing post-COVID-19â€?.

FAO-GFCM Claudia Amico

In normal times, scientists at the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) Aquaculture Demonstrative Centres (ADC) in Turkey and Romania research and develop new aquaculture techniques and showcase these to experts in academia, private sector, local and national administrations. “The Aquaculture Demonstrative Centres are crucial for fostering cooperation and capacity-building,� said Abdellah Srour, GFCM Executive Secretary. “The success of the ADC online courses illustrates their capacity to replicate their learning models on digital platforms, helping to share knowledge and experiences with a larger audience.�

More information on the courses is available at http://www. f a o. o r g / g f c m / n e w s / d e t a i l / en/c/1270852/

Chinese shrimp colossus hard hit by coronavirus A collapse in demand for China’s largest shrimp company, Zhanjiang Guolian Aquatic Products, has forced the company to update its expected losses for 2020 from CNY81m (~EUR10.5m), as announced in January to almost half a billion (CNY480m) due to the pandemic. The firm which in 2019 opened two new processing facilities including a megafactory in Guangdong has seen a complete collapse in demand during 2020’s first quarter affecting both the realisable value of its raw materials in addition to its

finished products. These losses mean a 17 decrease in expected revenue reducing the CNY5.62bn expectations to CNY4,69bn. Guolian, based in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province owns seafood importer Sunnyvale Seafood in the US. The US being Guolian’s largest export market, the USChina trade war also impacted sales. The company did not anticipate the extensive spread and effect of coronavirus and the impact on the overall economy when it released its initial performance report.

Slow sales and product write offs has created losses of almost half a billion yuan for China’s largest shrimp producer.

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Ireland: Advisory Councils publish report on steps to sustainably manage fishing gear The North Western Waters Advisory Council (NWWAC) is one of the EU’s 11 fisheries advisory councils. Established under the Common Fisheries Policy the advisory councils are fora for dialogue between stakeholders in the fisheries sector in the areas they represent. The NWWAC advises on matters related to fisheries management in ICES areas 5b, 6 and 7 (EC offshore waters within the EEZ of Ireland, part of the United Kingdom and France).

Early this year the NWWAC hosted a workshop “Re-imagining Gear in a Circular Economy” in Brussels in conjunction with the Baltic Sea Advisory Council, North Sea Advisory Council and Pelagic Advisory Council. Discussion at

the workshop focused on the fishing gear component of recently introduced EU legislation, specifically the design, monitoring, collection and disposal of fishing gear.

Around 50 participants from 10 EU Member States discussed the challenges faced by the fishing sector relating to the proposed measures. These include the proposed introduction of an Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme, under which producers of fishing gear cover the costs of the separate collection of waste fishing gear and its subsequent transport and treatment, as well as the envisaged standardisation of gear, relating to the

circular design of fishing gear to encourage preparation for reuse and to facilitate recyclability at end-of-life, and the overall lack of data regarding volumes of end-of-life gear and current recycling rates.

Clear recommendations from the workshop include the need for a full lifecycle analysis of the various types of fishing gear, as well as a complete supply chain analysis in order to arrive at a clear picture of the scale of the issue. While communication and awareness raising within the sector are paramount, it is vital that all stakeholders at local, national and EU levels coordinate their approach, as

this issue falls within multiple policy areas, namely fisheries, waste management and circular economy.

The full report is available at www.nwwac.org. For French or Spanish translations, enter the relevant version of the website at www.nwwac.org and visit the publications section.

For further information call Mo Mathies, Deputy Executive Secretary, NWWAC, at +353 1 2144 143 or write mo.mathies@nwwac.ie.

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Largest Chilean salmon farmers unite in common industry initiative Four of the largest salmon companies in Chile; AquaChile, Cermaq, Mowi and Salmones AysĂŠn have formed the Chilean Salmon Council, an organization which hopes to bring new insight and development to the salmon farming industry in Chile. The organisation aims to launch joint efforts to develop a sustainable industry, in cooperation with authorities and local communities while ensuring continued respect for the environment. The companies will draw on their extensive experience of salmon farming in both Chile and the rest of the world.

In a press release the council stated that it was part of an industry that had started from small beginnings and that had grown and developed over the years, and was constantly professionalising, Participating companies are committed to being a benchmark for innovation, adherence to current regulations, respect for their employees, and the communities where they are integrated, and to implement the best production practices available, so that the Chilean industry can be positioned as a world leader in salmon production.

Four of the largest salmon farmers in Chile have jointly established a body to promote sustainability and innovation in the industry.

Fish in the sea increase by half The European Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) annual report on the performance of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) brings excellent news on the state of EU fish stocks.

The STECF is the European Commission’s scientific body which provides independent scientific advice for the conservation and management of living marine resources, including biological, economic, environmental, social and technical considerations. This allows policymakers to base their decisions on solid science, better understand the health of a stock, determine how much can be fished, and closely monitor the implementation of the CFP.

The scientific report shows a substantial drop in fishing pressure over the period 2003-2018 in the North-East Atlantic. On average, for all the stocks evaluated in this area, fishing pressure has been reduced almost by half in the last 20 years, reaching maximum sustainable yield levels (MSY) for most of them. As a consequence, fish populations have been increasing significantly, reaching in 2018 levels 50 higher than in 2010. However, further efforts are still needed, particularly in the Mediterranean.

The report reveals generally positive trends for many fish stocks across

Europe. This is clearly confirmed by the fact that in the North-East Atlantic the proportion of overexploited stocks has reduced almost by half compared with 2007 figures. The proportion of stocks outside safe biological limits shows a similar downward trend over the same period. The good news in these waters do not end here, as recruitment figures show that the number of young fish entering the stocks has consistently increased since 2012, which may explain the increase in the stock’s production.

However, the latter figure should be treated with caution since it may not reflect the reality of certain fish species impacted by environmental factors. In the Mediterranean, many

Fish stocks are generally improving but the picture is uneven across European waters.

populations remain overfished due to inadequate fishing pressure levels which peaked in 2011. But the new plan for the Mediterranean will deliver an important contribution towards better conservation and sustainable exploitation of fish stocks.

USA: Global salmon industry makes further progress towards sustainability The Global Salmon Initiative (GSI), a grouping of 14 global farmed salmon producers focused on industry sustainability, recently released its 7th annual sustainability report. One of the key trends from the report is a 50 drop in the use of antibiotics over the past seven years when taking all regions and companies into account. This is a priority of the GSI Biosecurity Taskforce which 0

is constantly working to improve antibiotic stewardship, disease control and best-practice sharing.

The report includes a section on the nutritional value of salmon that provides information on macro- and micro-nutrients, omega-3s, as well as the health benefits associated with these elements. Other highlights include the certification to Aquaculture Stewardship Council

(ASC) standards which now covers over 710,000 tonnes or close to 65 of GSI members’ production, and, since 2013, a 130 increase in nonmedical therapies to combat sea lice as well as a 50 decline in the use of anti sea lice medicines. The industry is also seeing accelerated uptake of novel oils from, for example, canola and algae, and the increased use of fish by products to reduce

dependence on marine ingredients.

Moreover, the report pointed out that salmon was an excellent choice for consumers thanks to its low environmental impact compared with other protein sources and its healthful properties. GSI companies as a whole are well on their way to their goal of minimising their environmental footprint while providing a source of heathful food.

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Norway: Collaborating with ‘X’ to make salmon farming more sustainable For over three years, Mowi, the world’s largest producer of Atlantic salmon, has been researching and testing a new sensing system developed by Tidal, one of Alphabet’s (Google’s parent company) ‘X’ projects. These projects are described by Alphabet as moonshot projects, sci-fi sounding technologies that aim to make the world a radically better place by improving the lives of millions, even billions, of people. The project is now ready for commercial validation and Mowi will start using the technology in numerous sites across Norway.

Tidal has developed an advanced underwater sensing and software analysis platform that gathers intelligence on real-time growth, weight distribution, feeding control, and automatic lice counting

for salmon. Using a combination of new camera technology as well as machine learning and machine perception, Tidal’s system can track and model fish behaviour, environmental conditions, and the health of salmon over time.

According to Ivan Vindheim Mowi’s CEO, the company’s vision is to lead the blue revolution. As the biggest salmon farmer in the world the company has a special responsibility to engage in the development of technology to improve its competitive advantage and to optimise farming of healthy and sustainable food from the ocean.

Tidal’s technology provides fish farmers with real-time information, so that they can confidently manage their daily operations.

Underwater cameras track the development of each individual fish to optimize production.

By employing artificial intelligence to analyse big data, Mowi hopes to understand and

respond to long-term trends in fish behaviour and thereby further optimise ocean farming.

Peruvian fleet optimistic thanks to healthy anchovy stock The President of the Peruvian National Fisheries Union (SNP), Cayetana Aljovín, opened the 2020 fishing season with an assigned anchovy quota of 2.4 million tonnes, as authorised by the Ministry of Production. The Peruvian Marine Institute (Imarpe) had prior to the opening

reported a healthy stock of anchovy reaching a total biomass of 10.1 million tonnes.

Mr Aljovin said this figure confirms the proper management of the resource and the commitment of the industrial fleet to its sustainability. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fishing

will subject to a strict health protocol prepared in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health. To ensure compliance an external auditor has been hired to oversee operating procedures with the authority to suspend any company operation not conforming.

The current fishing season will generate much needed income for fishermen and will boost the economy of fishing areas due to its multiplier effect. Taxes from the activity will enable the state to attend to thousands of people who have been affected by COVID-19.

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Norwegian government scraps salmon farm resource rent tax In a press release, the Norwegian government has said that it is proposing to introduce a production tax on salmon, trout and rainbow trout in the state budget for 2021, reports salmonbusiness.com. The proceeds from the levy will be

distributed to the aquaculture and county municipalities. At the same time, the distribution of revenue from the sale of new permits will changes. The tax is set at NOK0.40 (EUR0.03) per kg of fish produced. This will provide about EUR45m

annually in increased revenues as of 2022. However, plans to introduce a resource rent tax on salmon farms have now been scrapped. Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen, the Fisheries and Seafood Minister, explained the new tax saying that municipalities that

contribute to facilitating aquaculture get a more stable and predictable production fee as well as a share of future auction revenue. The proposed tax thus balances the interests of the municipalities with those of the industry, he said.

‘Life at Home, Fish on the Table’ in Turkey Following the first COVID-19 case in Turkey, people were encouraged to stay at home. The motto ‘There is life at home’ was promoted across the country.

Mr Bekir Pakdemirli, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, added that people should consume adequate and nutritionally balanced meals to prevent infection with the COVID-19 virus. Fish stands out for its content of important vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. A joint campaign by the ministry and fish producers therefore extended the motto to ‘Life at Home, Fish on the Table’.

Turkey’s consumption of fish is almost one third of the world average. To contribute to a healthy population, stimulate resistance

to the coronavirus, and to increase the consumption of fish per person, a fish consumption campaign was organised jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Fisheries Central Producers Union and the developers of the ‘There is life at home’ campaign. With the minister as the front figure, a series of campaigns were held to increase consumption. The first campaign focused on seabass and sea bream, the second on ‘Turkish salmon’, while a third promoted the consumption of trout. The campaigns and the fish they promoted attracted great attention both in the press and from the public though it is too early to say whether fish consumption in fact increased.

Large sea trout promoted as ’Turkish salmon’ featured prominently in a campaign in April to encourage Turks to eat more fish.

Norway and the Faroe Islands reach agreement with EU on monitoring, control and surveillance The first dedicated fisheries control agreement is a major step towards achieving a level playing field on control and management of shared pelagic stocks in the North-East Atlantic covering mackerel, horse mackerel, blue whiting, and herring. The agreement had invited other coastal and fishing states but unfortunately Greenland, Iceland and the Russian Federation were not able to commit to the agreement but will be able and are 2

encouraged to join it fully in the future.

The three signatories commit to adopt a number of control measures for the fisheries to avoid discards and to monitor the landing and weighing operations.

To ensure compliance with the landing obligation, several measures to prevent illegal discards will be required, such as providing control authorities with realtime access to weighing data, and

camera surveillance of landing and processing facilities. The signatories also agreed, for the first time, several measures aimed at ensuring accurate weighing and catch recording. In addition, an ambitious plan to test remote electronic monitoring systems on board fishing vessel, such as cameras and sensors, will be implemented. Â The agreement calls for a regular review of the achievements, so that the measures can be enhanced in the future.

The EU agreement with Norway and the Faroe Islands leaves the door open for Greenland, Iceland and the Russian Federation to sign.

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Norway: Skaginn 3X supplies patented chilling system to Mowi Norway A manufacturer of food processing systems, Iceland-based Skaginn 3X offers a range of patented chilling, freezing and thawing solutions.

One of these, a chilling system, will shortly be installed at a facility in Herøy, Norway owned by Mowi, the world’s largest producer of Atlantic salmon. The system uses a patented technology that enables the temperature of the fish to be brought down to -1.2 degrees C without using ice.

According to Magni Veturlidason, general manager of Skaginn 3X AS, Norway, the fish itself becomes the cooling refrigerant and stays at a sub-zero temperature for longer than if chilled with ice. This delivers better quality to the consumer and extends shelf life by up to seven days. The patented chilling

technology will sub-chill 30 tonnes of salmon an hour, but even more interesting is that by making ice redundant, 20 more product can be shipped for the same price. Cutting back on the amount of ice used reduces costs as well as carbon footprint making the whole value chain more sustainable. The technology has been proven at whitefish and salmon processors at several sites in Iceland and Norway, the world’s biggest salmon exporter. In 2019 about 1.4m tonnes of fresh salmon were exported from Norway together with some 330 thousand tonnes of ice. If the ice could be eliminated from the equation it would bring significant savings to the companies and to the environment, says Mr Veturlidason.

The chilling technology patented by Skaginn 3X significantly reduces the need for ice lowering transport costs and benefiting the environment.

African stakeholders fear severe food chain impact from COVID-19 Stakeholders in the African aquaculture sector warn of an impending food crisis, prompted by the COVID-19 outbreak, guardian.ng reports.

During a webinar organised by the World Aquaculture Society’s West African branch, experts warned the pandemic had affected the entire value chain leading to huge financial losses.

Estimates say that the pandemic could plunge more than half a billion people into poverty, with communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and the Middle East expected to be worst affected. Economic activities have, like everywhere else, generally slowed down and many farmers have growing volumes of unsold stocks, caused by market restrictions, falling incomes, and decreasing purchasing power. In a presentation, Gareth Johnstone, Director-General

Estimates say that the pandemic could plunge more than half a billion people into poverty with Africa potentially the hardest hit.

of WorldFish, an international research organisation within fisheries and aquaculture, feared serious and potentially dire implications for the poor and vulnerable living in developing countries. The impacts

of this global health crisis and ultimately the economic crisis will disproportionately affect women and girls and reverse progress on gender equality on many levels, he added. A looming food crisis with serious

socio-economic consequences will become inevitable unless sound and decisive measures are taken fast to keep global food supply chains going and to protect poor and vulnerable communities.

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[ EVENTS ] IceFish, 23-25 September 2020, Reykjavik

Adapting to the needs of a changing industry Held once in three years the IceFish trade show showcases the Icelandic ďŹ sheries and aquaculture sector. Plans for the fair this year are on track and the organisers are highlighting the Fish Waste for ProďŹ t conference that will be held in parallel and a matchmaking event with Innovation Iceland to bring buyers and sellers together.

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s Iceland’s fishing sector has been through some far-reaching changes, the IceFish exhibition, taking place on 23-25 September 2020, has evolved in response to the shifting needs of the industry. Today the event has expanded its original focus on the catching sector to encompass processing, seafood, aquaculture and the burgeoning recognition of the importance of producing value from every kilo of fish landed, something in which Iceland has emerged as a clear leader.

Fisheries make a large contribution to the Icelandic economy The fisheries sector as a whole is a vital part of Iceland’s economy as 35 of export values come through fish or fish related products, and while frozen raw materials are still the mainstay, the growth areas are seafood, aquaculture and by-products. For the first time IceFish has a dedicated area within the event focusing on these four vital sectors of the seafood industry, says Marianne Rasmussen-Coulling, Events Director.

At the same time, the Fish Waste for Profit conference that has been attracting increasing attention over the years, will this year 14

be held alongside IceFish, a result of the close co-operation between the exhibition’s organisers and the wider industry. Ms Rasmussen-Coulling and her team consult extensively with the industry discussing with the advisory boards that represent crosssections of the fishing and seafood sectors. Regular surveys are carried out and staff are trained to understand the needs of these markets. For this kind of event that takes place every three years, it is critical to get it right, she emphasises. The three-year cycle arose precisely from this interaction with the industry, which saw annual or biennial events as being too frequent. The threeyear frequency ensures that there are innovations to display, and also allows companies to invest greater energy and effort in stand design and presentation.

The IceFish tradeshow will feature a matchmaking initiative with the Icelandic industry as well as a conference on fish waste with speakers from major companies in the seafood industry.

with arrangements assuming that

ported by all of the major fishing

concern is the health and safety of exhibitors, visitors and staff and the organisers will continue to monitor advice and the latest information from the Icelandic and UK health authorities and the World Health Organization on the spread and effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Naturally, if the situation changes significantly, we will issue a news update, she says. IceFish is sup-

tion of Icelandic Industries, the Seamen’s Federation, and more.

This year the organisers are confident that they can build on the 13,621 people from 52 countries who attended the 2017 exhibition.

All Icelandic stakeholders it will be business more or less as bodies in Iceland, including the support the event usual by September. The primary Ministry of Fisheries, the FederaThe event is a unique opportunity to meet key Icelandic and international stakeholders within the sector under one roof. This year will see a matchmaking initiative with Innovation Centre Iceland, designed to bring buyers and sellers together in 90 meetings during the exhibition. The 13th Icefish is still five months away and Ms Rasmussen-Coulling is proceeding

If interested in exhibiting, sponsoring, attending or speaking at 2020 IceFish please call +44 01329 825 335 or email info@icefish.is.

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[ FISHERIES ] EIFAAC report reveals vast disparities in inland ďŹ sheries data collection methodologies in Europe

Reliably valuing inland ďŹ sheries calls for better data Inland fisheries have an increasingly important role to play in the maintenance of biodiversity, the provision of recreational services, and as a source of healthful and nutritious protein. However as long as an accurate economic value cannot be placed on this activity and the services it provides, it will lose out to competing uses of inland freshwater bodies. The answer, according to research by scholars at European Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Advisory Commission (EIFAAC), is more thorough data collection that is harmonized across Europe. typically small-scale. Smallscale fishers and angler associations active on freshwater bodies throughout Europe exert little influence on policymakers, when decisions about alternative uses or the environmental status of freshwater resources are taken.

These uses include extraction,

hydropower and navigation, water diversion for agriculture or urban development, the compromised water quality or segmentation of rivers which negatively affects aquatic habitats and thus inland fisheries (“Regional conference on river habitat restoration for inland fisheries in the Danube

River basin and Black Sea areas, FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Proceedings 63, Rome, 2019).

Without proper valuation of the contribution of inland fisheries to the economies of Europe, these competing uses continue to have priority in national and regional decision-making.

Janis Stikuts, jst@fishing.lv

F

AO estimated the global inland fisheries catch to be 12 million tonnes in 2018, contributing slightly more than 12 percent to the global total fisheries catch (FAO. 2020. Fishery and Aquaculture Statistics. Global capture production 1950-2018 (FishstatJ)).

FAO also confirms that catch statistics underestimate the value of inland fisheries due to underreporting, thus the actual yield and socio-economic contribution of the sector is likely to be much greater.

Inland fisheries are estimated to make a significant economic contribution to Europe The socio-economic value of inland fisheries is the sum of ecosystem services that contribute not only to human diet, but also to health, well-being, rural community livelihoods and local economies. In developed European countries, as river and lake habitats have degraded and commercial fishing fleets declined, inland fisheries have increasingly provided biodiversity conservation, recreational and eco-tourism services that are estimated to provide billions of dollars to the region.

What remains of the commercial inland fisheries in Europe are

Recreational fishers contribute substantially to the economy particularly in areas with good fishing opportunities.

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Commercial freshwater fisheries are still practiced in some EU countries though in others they now no longer exist as fishers have become fewer and fewer in number.

As long as the data on the importance and socio-economic value of inland fisheries remains unrecorded or under-reported, decision makers may value other water uses with known value to the economy over the fisheries sector. The management of inland fisheries should be switched from site-by-site management to a larger environmental and socioeconomic scale.

International rivers and shared stocks complicate freshwater fisheries management Although country-level socioeconomic studies have been conducted on recreational fisheries, there is no coordinated European-wide valuation. Management of European fisheries on a site-by-site basis is inadequate when we consider how European rivers cross international borders, as well as how fish stocks in lakes 16

bordering more than one country are shared. Given the complexity of inland fisheries, including species which migrate long distances and cross international borders, many freshwater fisheries are managed without the use of stock assessments. Lack of reliable scientific data complicates the development of harvesting strategies for sustainable fisheries.

EIFAAC, the European Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Advisory Commission, a panEuropean network of research institutions, reviewed the status of data collection systems in European countries in collaboration with FAO’s Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia. The findings of this research are published in “Data collection systems and methodologies for the inland fisheries of Europe�, FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper 649, Budapest, 2020 (http://www.fao. org/3/ca7993en/ca7993en.pdf )

“Underreporting and limited international coordination of shared waterbodies contribute to inland fisheries being largely overlooked in national and EC policy discussions about utilization of freshwater resources of Europe, although the sector makes significant contributions to many targets of the UN Development Agenda 2030�

Ms Victoria Chomo, FAO Senior Fishery Officer and Secretary of the European Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Advisory Commission (EIFAAC).

The main objective of the research was to produce an up-to-date report on catch data collection and the methodologies used for inland fisheries (commercial and recreational) in European rivers and lakes. This paper was produced by 26 authors from 6 countries: Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland under the direction of an FAO regional technical cooperation programme project for West Balkan countries.

Methods of inland fisheries data collection vary widely across Europe The results of the research illustrated that the level and methods of inland fisheries data collection in Europe are highly variable. Some countries do not collect any data on recreational fishing, or it is collected only from specific areas, or only the number of fishing licenses sold

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[ FISHERIES ] are recorded. Data collection from catches of diadromous species was the most common and harmonized among countries and in particular, Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), due to the high economic value of the species. For other fish species the methods used for national data collection included postal or telephone recall surveys using a sample of citizens of the country.

More detailed surveys were used to assist national surveys, or were used independently, in specific sites of importance using various methods, like postal surveys targeted at fishing license holders, online reporting of catches, or catch reports and logbooks. Many countries provided fishing license buyers with catch return forms or logbooks to be filled at fishing occasions and/or returned at the end of the fishing season.

Although commercial inland fisheries have declined, in

countries where commercial fishing is still important the fishers were registered and obliged to report their catches. However, the reliability of self-reporting of commercial catches was questioned in some cases.

There was a trend towards webbased online reporting of inland fisheries data, which some countries were already using.

The specific country examples give detailed description of data collection, namely: 1) country-wide postal survey in Finland, 2) web-based survey and development of citizen science approach in Denmark, 3) recreational salmonid fishing and conservation limits in Ireland, 4) one strict system of logbook returns which is considered to work well in the Czech Republic and 5) one less controlled system of logbook returns

currently not producing acceptable results and under re-development in Croatia. Case studies were provided in each country example.

EIFAAC is working on ways to evaluate inland fisheries The technical paper reveals the need for more harmonized data collection systems throughout Europe for more comparable cross-country results, including within the European Union.

Commercial inland fishing, where commercially important, was better monitored than recreational fishing. Information about the socio-economic importance of inland fisheries was scarce and placing an economic and social valuation on the sector is one of the biggest challenges for protect-

ing freshwater biodiversity. It is one of the goals of EIFAAC to determine a reliable methodology for valuation of this renewable natural resource, which faces multiple external threats from climate change and competing alternative uses of freshwater. In the future, the importance of inland fisheries for safeguarding aquatic biodiversity in a time of climate change, providing recreational services for a growing urban population, and as a sustainable source of protein for healthy diets, can only increase. Thus, the immediate need for improvements in data collection, monitoring and management of inland fisheries.

Teppo Vehanen, Petri Heinimaa, Victoria Chomo, European Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Advisory Commission (EIFAAC)

Internet-based fish auctions bring changes to first hand sales

Competition for fish is becoming increasingly international The basic idea behind auctions is very old: the goods on offer will be sold to the highest bidder. This method – which is also used to auction fish and seafood – is as simple as it is successful. But the advancement of digital technologies is now making its mark in this area. Many auctions have completed the step into the modern age and are using the possibilities of the internet to prepare themselves for the global fish business.

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n many regions of the world it is common practice for fishermen to sell what they catch to just one or only a few wholesalers. This can work, but it has the disadvantage that the fishermen are dependent on the trader and are sometimes not paid fairly because the trader dictates the prices. That is why quite a lot of fishermen consider auctions to be the better method for first hand

sale in the fish marketing chain.

The principle of auctioning fish catches and selling to the highest bidder is not new and has in some places proven itself for decades.

The bell that heralded the opening of the daily fish auction in Honolulu rang for the first time in 1952, and the Tsukiji fish market which closed down just recently in Tokyo, where it counted 900 licensed traders who handled

around 1,600 tonnes of fish and seafood a day, was opened as early as 1935. The roots of the Norwegian Sildesalgslag go back to 1927, and Sweden’s largest fish auction in the port of Gothenburg even dates back to 1910.

The idea of bringing together suppliers and potential buyers for trading certain goods such as fish and seafood under regulated

conditions offers several advantages from which fishermen, traders and ultimately consumers all benefit equally because a constant supply of fresh produce is guaranteed every day. The auctioning process is fast and timesaving, and it enables the goods to be brought into the marketing chain quickly. The system allows buyers to bid and thus compete for the fish on offer and rewards

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The amount of work involved in transhipment, storage, icing, sorting, weighing and quality assessment is considerable and requires a high level of expertise.

high-quality goods with higher prices. That means fair competition based on uniform market conditions, paying equal attention to various different aspects (quality, freshness, refrigeration, and careful handling), all of which ultimately pays off for the fishermen.

Despite these advantages, fish auction systems are not always immediately popular and they are often difficult to implement, as could be seen in an FAO study from 2011 which focused on improvements to the fish trading system in the fishing port of Thuan An (Thua Thien Hue Province, Vietnam). The trading system at the time was relatively simple and based primarily on long-term business relationships between fishermen and wholesalers or intermediaries.

Each fisherman only negotiated with “his� dealer with whom 18

close personal relationships often existed. This network created individual dependencies and blocked direct competition for the goods, with the result that the fish was often sold below value and many fishermen were not adequately paid. The introduction of an auction system in Thuan An, the study found, could make an effective contribution to improving the livelihoods of fishermen in the region. In addition, open auctioning would encourage many fishermen to pay more attention to market signals and fish “more in line with demand� which could reduce the proportion of hard-tosell catches. However, the fishermen had a lot of reservations which could only be overcome through constructive dialogue with all the parties involved. It became apparent that rational arguments – however reasonable they may be – are sometimes not

enough to dispel deep-rooted traditions in either business or personal relationships that have grown up over decades.

Auctions are designed for speed and efficiency Auctions are objective (even prosaic) and goal-oriented but by no means as anonymous or “unromantic� as is sometimes assumed.

Transparency of all processes, clear rules and regulations ensure equal opportunities. The working day often begins around midnight when the goods are delivered for the morning auction. Fish auctions are often located in fishing ports, so that, after landing, the fish can be transported directly to the auction halls. Deliveries by road are of course also possible. Some auctions offer the full range of caught species while others specialise in certain products,

such as pelagic or demersal species, mussels or tuna and swordfish. While schooling fish such as herring or mackerel are usually grouped together in larger lots and auctioned by the case or pallet, species such as tuna are in the meantime sooner sold individually. Between delivery of the fish and the start of the auction there is always plenty to do as the fish have to be sorted by species, size, weight and quality before further information (fishing vessel, fishing gear, fishing region and date) is added prior to arrangement in boxes or on pallets in the auction hall for inspection by the buyers.

The amount of work involved in transhipment, storage, icing, sorting, weighing and quality assessment is considerable and requires a high level of expertise.

The range of qualified skills and employees required at auctions is

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[ FISHERIES ] competition continues until all the fish are sold. This traditional fish auction procedure is becoming increasingly rare, however, because modern forms of bidding via the internet allow for much faster transactions. Fish if a perishable product which means that the time factor is of central importance, so anything that shortens the auctions is gratefully adopted.

Defined standards are a prerequisite for fair business

A fish auction in a Moroccan fishing port: the goods on offer are carefully arranged to create a pleasing image for the buyers.

correspondingly large. Although the focus usually rests on the auctioneers there are far more workers involved behind the scenes to ensure smooth operations.

There were allegedly 60,000 to 65,000 people employed at the old 23-hectare Tokyo Tsukiji fish market!

Shortly before the auction starts, buyers arrive to view the day’s supply of fish and decide which lots to bid on. It is often the case that they already know the day before what will be on offer because the fishermen report their catches from the fishing ground at sea. Anyone wishing to bid at a fish auction has to be registered and usually needs an auction account which is also linked to a credit limit according to the bank guarantee. The buyers

who bid and compete with each other for the best fish can be brokers or agents of fish processing companies, chain stores, local fish traders or restaurateurs. Since they meet regularly, most of them know each other.

Traditionally, a bell rings to mark the beginning of the auction. The main task of the auction team is to sell the fish at the best possible price, which depends on the quality as well as the quantity of the fish and on the level of demand.

At many auctions, the auctioneer moves along the rows of fish that are on display, followed by the buyers who then bid openly against each other. This can be an entertaining spectacle whose rituals and customs are probably only understood by insiders. The

Computer and internet-based auction systems today allow buyers to bid from anywhere. Nobody has to be personally present at such auctions anymore because they receive all information on the offered fish on the auction’s internet platform and can adjust their bids accordingly. The fish auctions’ purpose and tasks have not changed but the customary procedures and techniques have.

In the past, personal inspection of the fish was the decisive basis for an auction bid. Today this assessment is a “service” that has been outsourced and delegated to the auctions. By “anonymizing” the transactions, some of the original flair of fish auctions has been lost for many onlookers, but efficiency is what counts and that has increased significantly. More customers are reached, better prices are often achieved and the fish arrive at the market faster and in better quality. A prerequisite for the acceptance and success of internet auctions is of course uniform, binding standards that enable clear differentiation and categorisation of the fish on offer.

The detailed information provided by the fishermen and the auctions must be clear and comprehensible to potential buyers.

An example of this new form of fish auction is Norges Sildesalgslag,

one of five fish sales organisations in Norway. A cooperative first hand sales organisation, it is owned and operated by Norwegian fishermen. Catches are recorded daily for the electronic auction while the vessels are still at sea and presented to potential buyers, whose bids are based on detailed information about the fish caught. After purchase, the catches are landed in the port preferred by the buyer, which guarantees optimal freshness and quality.

Since all the basic data on the auctioned catches (including all details of the transactions) are stored in the auction’s computer system anyway, and since all subsequent processes, from invoicing through collection to final payment, are handled electronically, the extension to an internet-based bidding procedure was actually a logical step.

The example of the Pan European network of Fish Auctions (PEFA), which was among the first in the world to develop, offer and use fully functional infrastructures for online auctions, also demonstrates the enormous potential of internet auction systems for fresh fish. Indeed, they can help fisheries control authorities and governments to manage the status of their fisheries better and combat IUU fishing. These are imperative conditions for the enforcement of quota systems, the creation of a transparent market, and fair taxation. In addition, such auctions contribute to stabilising the fish market, supporting fair cooperation between fishermen and fish buyers, and ensuring reliable traceability chains.

Iceland, where fish have been auctioned over the internet since April 2004, has gone one step further and fully decentralised the auction system. There is no

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Under the “Dutch� system prices gradually fall to the level where there is a bid.

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and hand lines to catch cod, a fishing method which, unlike the gill nets of the past, does not cause bruising of the fish.

Centralisation of market entry facilitates many controls Better catch quality is worthwhile for both the fishermen, who are paid higher prices, and for the consumers, who get fresher fish on their plates. A welcome side effect of fish auctions is that they “democratise� competition, so to speak. Two different bidding systems are used. The classic one is the English system which is an open, ascending bid auction. The price is raised until only one active bidder remains. The Dutch system, which was originally probably taken over from tulip auctions, is quicker. Here you start with a price that is a little above the expected value of the fish offered and run a clock with price offers from the highest downwards.

The displayed price is lowered

continuously until the first bidder stops it. If you strike too early, you perhaps pay a little too much, but you get the goods you want. Those who hesitate too long keep their money but run the risk of going home empty-handed. This bidding system therefore requires a lot of experience.

Moving fish auctions onto the internet also has the positive side effect that more market niches and special purchasing wishes can be

satisfied. In contrast to direct auctions where the bidders are present in person internet platforms have a much greater, if not even worldwide, reach. This increases the probability that fish species or by-catches with lower regional demand can also be successfully marketed. Ultimately, this is an important contribution to greater sustainability in the fishing industry. In some auction houses fish caught or produced under certified sustainability labels such as Fischmagazin

longer a central auction hall, as all catches reported by local small-scale fishermen by radio or telephone from the sea can be auctioned at 27 auction sites spread across the country. When the fish arrives at the port it has usually already been sold to the fish processing company, fishmonger or restaurant operator with the highest bid, which further accelerates entry into the value chains. None of the prospective buyers has seen the fish they are bidding on before. Icelandic fishermen offering fish for auction must provide very precise information (on fishing gear, quality, quantities and sizes of fish, type of ice for cooling, and processing stage, gutted, bled or not) and business is based on trust between the parties involved. Open competition is good for the industry because the auction market penalises poor, and rewards good, quality. Since the introduction of electronic auctions fishermen have increasingly focused on the high-end market and use mainly longlines

Iced and labelled mackerel ready to be sold to the highest bidder at an auction in the Netherlands.

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For the uninitiated, an auction at a small fish market in Turkey is often very subtle.

MSC or ASC are even presented for auction in colourfully marked boxes to help interested bidders with their assessment.

Despite their long tradition, fish auctions are by no means outdated. They have at all times advanced, taken on additional tasks and expanded their range of services to meet changing requirements. Whereas in the past their core business was the auctioning of fish today additional services such as the slaughtering and filleting of the auctioned fish often follow. This eases the work load of fish buyers, saves time and space during transport, protects the environment, and accelerates subsequent processing steps.

Auctions offer opportunities for showcasing their work It is not only professional fish buyers who are interested in fish

auctions: they exert what is almost a “magical” appeal on tourists and fish enthusiasts among the local population. Visitors to an auction have the unique opportunity to marvel at unknown fish, to experience freshness and quality, and to recognize the effort that goes into getting the fish onto their plates as quickly as possible and in the best quality. Just how great the public interest in fish auctions can be is shown by the example of the Tokyo Tsukiji fish market with its tuna auction which was attracting 40,000 visitors every day before it closed. Since a similar number of visitors is expected in the newly built Toyosu Fish Market, which at almost 41 hectares is almost twice the size of the old site, a panoramic platform was also included in the plans, allowing a clear view of all processes without disrupting ongoing business. There is no entrance charge.

And that is surely a wise decision in that it offers the fish industry a

unique opportunity to showcase its high hygiene and safety standards, an impressive variety of fish and seafood and the perfection of its organisational processes in an extraordinary atmosphere. It is hard to imagine a better way to advertise one’s own business. As long as there are still auctions in the traditional style they should also be used to impart knowledge and provide specific information about important aspects of today’s fishing sector.

A lot of tourist offices even offer guided tours of auction locations during which the operational procedures can be explained step by step. Participants learn how carefully the catches are checked at the incoming goods inspection to ensure food safety, they see the variety of landings and learn a lot about sustainable, scientifically based management systems within the fish industry.

Some auctions even hold small

auctions at which visitors can bid for the goods themselves. “Eight euros for the cod, nine euros, do I hear ten?” This is fun for everyone involved and is sure to be remembered for a long time.

From time to time fish auctions also support charitable causes and donate the auction proceeds to social, charitable or similar projects. In January 2020 the auction of a 30.8 kg kingfish, which was hooked at the Abu Dhabi King Fish and Cobia Fishing Championship brought the record value of 200,000 Dirham or nearly 50,000 euros. The money went to the Emirates Red Crescent, a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. And at the famous New Year’s Auction in Tokyo, which took place in 2019 for the first time at the new Toyosu site, a 278 kg blue fin tuna was sold for 333.6 million yen (2.76 million euros). mk

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CROATIA

Assisting the European ďŹ sheries and aquaculture sector through a pandemic

Croatia steers Presidency of the EU Council despite coronavirus Holding the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union is a challenging task at the best of times. Despite being a small country, holding the Presidency for the ďŹ rst time, and facing a Europe-wide health and economic crisis, Croatia intends to make progress on key ďŹ sheries and aquaculture issues on its agenda, says Ante Misura, Assistant Minister with responsibility for ďŹ sheries in the Ministry of Agriculture.

Ante Misura, Assistant Minister, Ministry of Agriculture, Croatia

Since the 1st of January, Croatia has taken over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. What are the main priorities for the fisheries sector on the agenda during the 6-month presidency, and are they going to be achieved, given the current Covid-19 crisis?

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This is our first Presidency since becoming an EU Member State. It came at a time of many changes, with the new Commission and Parliament on board, and with the UK leaving the EU family. The Presidency often faces unplanned situations, but the Covid-19 crisis is without precedent in recent history. From a practical point of view,

meetings at the Council could no longer take place as planned, and it has therefore been difficult to make progress within our 6-month term. In light of the crisis, our priority was to find a way to help the fishery and aquaculture sector to better cope with the consequences of the pandemic. In close cooperation with the Commission and the

Parliament, we managed to adopt urgent new measures that will support fishermen, aquaculture farmers and processors. However, our main priorities have remained the same, and are related to two important subjects. First are the negotiations on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund for the 2021-2027 programming period.

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We aim to achieve as much progress as possible in inter-institutional negotiations, and have found a way to continue working with the Commission and the Parliament in these challenging times. Our second priority is to make significant progress on the new fisheries control regulation, and we believe we will achieve it by the end of our Presidency. Our goal is to reach a Partial General Approach in June, as planned.

decrease, effort limits through a complex system of spatial and temporal restrictions as well as capacity limits, Croatia at the national level implements even stricter measures that go beyond the international framework. This proves our commitment to directing stocks of sardine and anchovy back within the safe biological limits, but always by taking into account sub regional specificities and the sustainability of the industry.

In January 2020, the European Commission withdrew the proposal for a multi-annual plan for small pelagic stocks in the Adriatic Sea and the fisheries exploiting those stocks, and no agreement is foreseen anytime soon. What is your opinion on this, and what impact will it have on the sustainability of small pelagics fisheries in the Adriatic?

The fact that the Commission withdrew its proposal for a multi-annual plan for small pelagic stocks in the Adriatic Sea and the fisheries exploiting those stocks is not expected to have a negative impact on the sustainability of small pelagic fisheries in the Adriatic.

Some positive benchmarks have already been achieved based on the current legal framework, particularly in terms of improving the scientific methodology. Here it needs to be highlighted that the time necessary for stock assessment has been shortened for a whole year enabling the stock assessment to be based on the time series including the data from the previous calendar year (n-1). This is very important for managing the short-lived species such as sardine and anchovy and represents a revolutionary approach in the entire Mediterranean region. Also, some stable or even positive trends are observed with respect to the state of sardine and anchovy stocks, which are still far from the full recovery but certainly the signals are encouraging.

This is so as the management of small pelagic stocks in the Adriatic is already addressed at the regional scale. Namely, there is a multiannual plan for small pelagics in the Adriatic in force adopted by the GFCM. At the moment, this plan is supplemented by a set of emergency measures during the 3-year period 2019-2021. In addition, one of the provisions incorporated in the legal framework implies the obligation to develop a new multiannual management plan for 2022 and onwards, picking up on the results of the current management framework. Apart from the measures in force through a GFCM framework, and which include catch limit and its progressive

Overall, we believe that the GFCM framework is more suitable for managing fisheries in the Adriatic as it applies to the entire region, including the non-EU riparian countries (Albania and Montenegro) and creating a level playing field for all players in the area.

Fishing and aquaculture are among the sectors hardest hit by the outbreak of the coronavirus, as demand has seen a sudden decline in the EU. What are the main issues Croatian fishermen are experiencing during the crisis, and how is Croatia helping the sector address these challenges?

Croatian fishermen and farmers are indeed hit by the outbreak of the coronavirus Covid-19. As in most countries, serious market disturbances have occurred due to a significant decrease in demand.

The main challenge for the sector was where to place fish products since restaurants and fish markets were closed and it was difficult to export due to the quarantine measures and situation in Italy, which represents our main fish market.

For that reason, fishermen were selling more fish directly from the fishing vessels. Nevertheless, most of the fisherman have remained in ports to avoid any further losses, whilst farmers were facing very low prices for their fish.

As regards measures intended to provide assistance to fishermen and other beneficiaries in the fisheries and aquaculture sector during the Covid-19 crisis, several means of financial assistance are foreseen in Croatia, out of which some have already being implemented and others are in preparation. Croatia has already started the implementation of temporary cessation measure under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, introduced specifically to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak in the fishery and aquaculture sector in the framework of the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative (CRII package). Within this measure, support is granted to fishermen in the form of compensation for losses which they are facing during the period of cessation of fishing activities due to Covid19 outbreak. As compensation includes financial support for salaries of crew members of respective fishing vessels, this measure contributes also to maintaining employment during this crisis.

Furthermore, other means of assistance to fisheries and aquaculture sector have also been made

available. In the framework of state aid, Croatia has designed a state aid scheme to support the fishery and aquaculture sector in the context of the coronavirus outbreak and serious disturbances to the economy.

The scheme was approved by the European Commission under the State aid Temporary Framework.

The public support, which will take the form of direct grants, aims at ensuring that companies active in the sector, which are experiencing cash difficulties due to the coronavirus outbreak, have liquidity to maintain their activities during and after the outbreak. The scheme, which will apply to the whole territory of Croatia (mainland and islands), will be open to companies of all sizes active in the fishery and aquaculture sector, including those active in marine commercial fishing (capture fisheries), shellfish farming, marine fish farming, warm-water (cyprinid) and cold-water (salmonid) fish farming, processing of fisheries and aquaculture products and fisheries cooperatives. The scheme is implemented based on the national ordinance on conditions, criteria and manner of granting state aid in fisheries supporting economy – Covid19 (OG 53/20). Applications for aid can be submitted by the beneficiaries is till 20 May 2020. Funds available under this scheme amount to 30 million kuna (around 4 million euro) and maximum amount of aid per undertaking is EUR 120,000.

Financial support to other sectors such as the aquaculture and fish processing sector, but also to producer organisations, is also possible also under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. Preparation for the implementation of such measures is currently on-going, with an analysis and state of play in the respective sectors.

Croatia is introducing a traceability system for fishery and EVSPlTI Magazine 3 / 2020

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aquaculture products from catch to consumer. Which species are going to be traced and what are the expectations of such a system? There is also an app for fishermen to report their fishing activities and sales.

How does this work in practice?

Are fishermen accustomed to using digital tools in their work?

Croatia has introduced a traceability system for bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) and swordfish (Xiphias gladius) at the beginning of 2020. Traceability system defines that every fisherman has to mark every fish and to introduce the barcode in the electronic system that will be passed to the first buyer and afterwards to any other buyer in the distribution chain up to the final consumer. By scanning the bar code, consumer can trace the fish on the web page https:// ribarstvo.hr/hriba/ and can get information about the species, location of the fishing, fishing toll category etc, and about the fisherman himself. Our system enables fishermen to tell the story about themselves, their vessels and fishing in the Adriatic Sea, about their tradition and culture. In our opinion, the traceability system is very important for food safety and to prove the legitimacy of the fish as well as to verify sustainability. It also enables local fish and producers to be recognized on the market. In the future, a traceability system is foreseen for other species, but it will be introduced gradually. We strongly believe that this system, among other benefits, will result in a better price for the fishermen since it will be recognized on the market.

During the last decade, we have introduced various electronic systems for fishermen and farmers in Croatia so to speed up the processes, to make it simpler for 24

users and administration, more accurate, efficient, and easier to control. One of those systems includes possibility (for certain vessels it is obligatory) to send the catch data via e-logbook or through a mobile application. We see a positive trend over the last months in using the mobile app, which confirms that we are on the right track and we will continue to develop and to modernize our fishery information system in the future. For fishermen that are not accustomed to using digital tools in their work we provide technical support on daily basis and during weekends, and we listen to their suggestions for improvements.

Croatia has been using drones for fisheries control, surveillance and monitoring since 2019. What has been the outcome of this initiative? Have drones proved to be better than traditional control tools and surveillance tactics? Has their deployment brought about a decline in IUU fishing?

In 2018, the “Orbiter 3� drone system was introduced. It is six fully equipped drones with a range of 150 km that can fly for 6 hours at a time, while their mobile launching system means they cover all Croatian territorial waters. The drones are equipped with cameras with extensive capabilities like recognition of vessel marking at 2 km as well as recording any other maritime activities. During the first phase of using the system, we had to learn a lot about the system itself as well as its possibilities. The Ministry of Defence operates the drone system. We are using drones in coordination with our fisheries inspection vessels that operate from the sea. In this short period, it has proved to be a very efficient and fast way of detecting and preventing IUU activities while protecting legal fisheries from illegal competition.

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The landing obligation for species subject to minimum conservation reference sizes in the Mediterranean has been in force for over a year now. Given the specificities of fisheries in Croatia (numerous landing ports, many on islands), implementing the landing obligation gives more costs than benefits. What is the long-term solution to this issue? What is the current number of ports and is it expected to decrease?

Landing obligation is certainly one of the biggest challenges of the Common Fisheries Policy. After being implemented over more than 5 years for small pelagic species, progressively including more and more species, it reached its full implementation in 2019. Landing obligation as currently defined by the Common Fisheries Policy surely requires an overall reassessment and, although it is implemented on the basis of a regional approach, a more decisive shift in that direction is needed as the circumstances differ to a large extent between different regions. So far, Croatian fisheries have operated under the de minimis exemption rules which has proved a feasible solution. This tool allows for a derogation from the full implementation of the landing obligation where the quantity of discard is small and the costs for collection and handling, disproportionally high. However, Croatia is committed to reach the conservation goals of the Common Fisheries Policy and we will continue to encourage research activities and scientific solutions that would clear the path towards further decrease of the discard quantities.

The Ministry has been supportive of projects managed by NGOs to help small-scale fishermen diversify incomes or to sustainably exploit marine protected areas. Is it mainly moral support that the ministry provides for ad hoc cases, or is there a policy to

actively encourage collaboration between fishers and NGOs, and increase the economic and environmental sustainability of this segment?

The Ministry actively encourages collaboration between fishermen and NGOs in order to contribute to the policy of active support to fishermen with the aim of increasing economic and ecological sustainability, in particular for the small-scale coastal fisheries. In that respect, various measures are available under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund in which NGOs can be supported for their projects. For example, one of these measures concerns partnership between scientists and fishermen where NGOs can receive support for projects related to the creation of networks, partnership agreements or associations and implementation of the activities carried out in the framework of partnerships, such as data collection and management activities, studies, pilot projects, dissemination of knowledge and research results, seminars and best practices.

Furthermore, NGOs are also supported under the communityled local development projects, financed under the Union Priority 4 of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund in the framework of fisheries local development strategies developed and managed by fisheries local action groups (FLAGs). Several FLAGs have participated in such projects, managed by NGOs, which aim to help fishermen, including small-scale operators, diversify incomes or to sustainably exploit marine protected areas.

One of the biggest Croatian fishing cooperatives has entered a Fisheries Improvement Project with the objective of getting MSC certification for the fishery. Does the ministry support EVSPlTI Magazine 3 / 2020

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efforts by cooperatives or others to obtain third-party environmental certification?

We are aware that ecolabelling, traceability and related certification are becoming significant features of fish trade and marketing. There are many ecolabels concerning different products in operation on the world, and some of them are related to fisheries and aquaculture. One of them is MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certification that focuses on wild capture fisheries and provides for independent scientific verification of the sustainability of the stock, eco-system impact of the fishery and the effective management of the fishery. There is also ASC (Aquaculture Sterwardship Council) which manages the global standards for responsible aquaculture and is implemented by our farmers. Adoption of environmental certification provides an additional tool to move forward towards sustainability of capture fisheries and aquaculture and brings together elements of the market, industry and environmental interest. We do encourage our fisherman (cooperatives, PO’s or individuals) and farmers to work according to scientific advice and market needs and to exploit resources sustainably.

Climate change in the Adriatic is likely to have an impact in particular on demersal stocks. What are the implications of this for the demersal fisheries sector?

Are measures to mitigate or help fishers adapt to these changes being considered by the Ministry? What do they consist of?

Climate change and its impacts on marine ecosystems are unfortunately a reality. There are several signals in the Adriatic Sea that indicate the response of ecosystems to climate change. Under the stable increase in sea water temperature, it is expected that the thermophilic species would benefit from this development increasing their abundance and overall biomass to the detriment of

species with limited tolerance to temperature increase. This can already be observed with Nephrops norvegicus (Norway lobster) and Parapenaeus longirostris (deep-water rose shrimp): biomass of Norway lobster (preferring cold water) decreases, while that of the thermophilic deepwater rose shrimp increases as does its area of distribution. Also an increase in the abundance of some alien species (for example, Callinectes sapidus (blue crab)) or species which were considered rare in the past such as Pomatomus saltatrix (bluefish), or Balistes carolensis (triggerfish) can be observed with the result that they become more and more important commercially. In addition, climate change causing an increase of sea temperature and affecting sea current patterns also causes a change of behaviour and migration routes of a number of marine organisms.

The effects of climate change are a growing challenge which are still being studied and ongoing research projects in collaboration with the leading scientific institutions in the region are used as a basis for making decisions in management.

As for the management response to climate change in the segment of demersal fishery, it should be noted that Croatia applies a complex system of spatio-temporal restrictions which is primarily based on protection of spawning and nursery grounds which has proven to be the most effective management measure so far. The best example is the management regime applied in the Jabuka Pit as one of the most important nursery grounds for commercially important demersal species, that feeds the entire Adriatic Sea. In case changes in spawning areas or spawning periods are noted, the management measures can swiftly be adapted to the new situation.

Such flexibility implies a close collaboration between science and administration and is able to ensure sufficiently effective conservation

measures which guarantees the sustainability of resources and fisheries.

We recognise the importance of continued support to scientific research projects towards understanding the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems and we plan to maintain good collaboration with science in this respect and are committed to providing adequate management responses to the ever changing situation in the sea.

Croatia is partnering with Italy in several cross-border projects, e.g. SASPAS, FAIRSEA, under the Interreg Europe programme. From Croatia’s perspective which are the priority areas within the fisheries sector for these cross-border projects?

Are there areas where Croatian and Italian interests diverge?

There are around a dozen joint projects with Italy currently ongoing in the field of fisheries. Such a high number of joint initiatives is a direct result of more than 50 years of intensive cooperation in joint research programs aiming at harmonising and agreeing on a common approach in conservation of resources. Also, it is worth mentioning that our mutual relation is more and more based on collaboration and compatibility rather than on competition. Often, the cooperation on the Adriatic level is used as an example of good practice to other regions where a number of riparian countries share common resources. The results of this cooperation are recognised on international level, not only in the EU, but also at the GFCM. As for the FAIRSEA project, the Ministry of Agriculture is a partner on this project and supports it at all levels. Believing that the ecosystem based approach is the future for the management of living marine resources, we support any effort directed into the modelling exercises which would improve the knowledge and understanding of

the processes within the ecosystems, however small they might be. Any such tool developed to take into account and integrate regional specificities in all aspects (geographical, biological, economic, social, etc.) and on all levels (scientific, administrative and sectorial) would be more than welcome in our daily work. The cooperation with our Italian colleagues is good but the Covid-19 pandemic has interrupted the project. However, we expect that we would soon pick up and continue with the activities.

There are other projects that are being implemented with our Italian colleagues such as Adri.SmArtFish that unites Italian and Croatian regions of the northern Adriatic, together with two pre-eminent research centres and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Croatia, in an effort to promote sustainability, innovation and co-creation (the collaborative development of value using customers, suppliers etc.) in small-scale fisheries (SSF) policymaking. Also under the support of Interreg we have an ongoing Prizefish project which aims to increase economic competitiveness of Italian and Croatian Adriatic fishing SMEs and Producer Organizations (POs) by developing and piloting innovative fishery products with added-value given by ecolabels fulfilling requirements of environmental, economic and social sustainability.

These are just some of the projects that are conducted with our Italian partners and there is a positive trend over the past years that confirms that we are on the right track when we talk about fishing in the Adriatic. We have a common interest in securing the sustainable exploitation of marine resources in our sea basin for our fishermen and the generations to come which is a challenging task that can be achieved only if we work side by side.

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University of Zadar offers a new master’s programme

Promoting blue growth in aquaculture and ďŹ sheries The University of Zadar, together with partners from the private sector, the county administration, and an NGO, and with support from the EMFF, has developed a new master’s programme to ďŹ ll the growing need for skilled personnel in the ďŹ sheries and aquaculture sector.

The master’s programme Sustainable management of water ecosystems has enrolled 80 students since it began of whom eight have graduated.

Pictured is the programme’s first set of students.

Public and private sectors develop the programme together

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roatia’s long coastline and numerous islands have fostered a dynamic fishing, fish processing, and, more recently, fish farming sector.

However, as in the wider Mediterranean, the Adriatic is subject to pressures both natural and manmade that have an impact on the marine environment in general and on fish stocks in particular.

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Understanding these phenomena, their causes and impacts, and devising strategies to mitigate their effects and/or to adapt to them, is vital if the fisheries and aquaculture sector is to continue to be a source of

livelihoods and nutritious food in the future. With support from the EMFF, the University of Zadar (the largest integrated university in Croatia) and three partners, the Agency for Rural Development of Zadar County (AGRRA), Cromaris, a private fish and seafood farming company, and WWF Adria, an environmental NGO, have developed a graduate

programme, Sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems, that is intended to equip students and professionals with the skills required by industry and to expand the competencies of people already working in the field. The programme has so far enrolled three generations of students, eighty in total, of whom eight have graduated.

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The seeds of the programme were in fact sowed by undergraduate students studying underwater science and technology and applied agronomy at the University of Zadar and who were looking for a graduatelevel programme where they could go into more depth in these fields.

In addition, employment in the fisheries sector has been increasing in Croatia as a whole and in Zadar county in particular. However, there is a shortage of skilled labour in the fisheries and aquaculture sector, which is forecast to become worse in the coming years as the sector grows. This growth needs to be sustainable, reducing or eliminating any negative impact on the environment and establishing synergies with other maritime activities in the coastal area.

differs from similar degrees at other Croatian universities in that it is heavily focused on sustainability and is highly interdisciplinary — dealing with the economic, environmental, and social aspects of both freshwater and marine aquatic systems. Students acquire a range of practical skills through laboratory classes, field work and the mandatory internship, as well as a rigorous theoretical foundation from mandatory and elective classroom instruction. Students can expect a demanding course of study that has been evaluated in accordance with the obligatory requirements of University of Zadar by two independent evaluators, a quality assurance committee, and finally by the agency for science and higher education.

Catching two fish on one hook

Equipping students with skills that industry and others can use

It was felt that a programme of study on sustainable management would meet several requirements at once — supply skilled workers for a growing sector of the economy and move the fisheries and aquaculture sector in a more sustainable direction. Tomislav Šariü, Assistant Professor, Department of ecology, agronomy and aquaculture, University of Zadar, says that thanks to the different partners in the project consortium the design of the programme was able to draw on expertise from academics at different universities, from private fisheries and aquaculture companies, from divers, and from experts in sustainable resource management.

Representatives from the University of Zadar coordinated the twoyear project which concluded on 31 December 2018 with the twoyear master’s programme. The degree is divided into four semesters, the last of which is dedicated to a mandatory internship and master’s thesis. This programme

Students acquire a range of skills during the programme. They learn, for example, how aquatic and marine ecosystems function and how healthy ecosystems provide services to human society.

They understand how to place an economic value on these services and how to recognize and avoid human-induced negative impacts on ecosystems. They also learn about the circular economy and the basic principles that maintain life on Earth. These skills and the others they acquire are put to good use. One of the most important criteria to measure the success or otherwise of a new study programme is how rapidly and what kind of jobs the graduates get upon completing their degree.

In the two full years after the first students enrolled in the programme eight of them graduated and all of them found employment. Some joined mariculture and fish processing companies, others were hired by schools,

The master’s programme Sustainable management of water ecosystems combines a theoretical foundation with practical skills.

Here the students are on a field trip.

nature parks, and by the Ministry of Agriculture, says Dr Šariü, The principles of blue growth are slowly permeating all the relevant sectors of the economy, he adds.

Another of the project outputs is an online course, Introduction to sustainable fisheries practice. This is not part of the master’s programme, but master’s students are encouraged to take it as the information it provides is valuable, in particular for potential employees of aquaculture farms, feels Dr Šariü. The target group are people working in the fish processing or aquaculture industry and those who wish to work in these fields but have no prior

knowledge of these areas. The course includes lectures, videos, links, assignments, and exams at the end of each module, and it is offered free of charge in both Croatian and English.

The Blue Smart project has successfully developed two programmes of study (the master’s and the online course) thereby alleviating a shortage of skills in blue economy sectors. At another level the project has contributed to building social capital and has enhanced the potential for mindful living in harmony with nature, both softer, less tangible results, but no less important for that.

Project BLUE SMART Full name: Blue Education for Sustainable Management of Aquatic Resources Coordinator: University of Zadar – Department of ecology, agronomy, and aquaculture Partners: Agency for Rural Development of Zadar County (AGRRA), Cromaris and WWF Adria

Total eligible costs: EUR399,493 Results: Master’s programme Sustainable management of water ecosystems Online course Introduction to sustainable fisheries practice Website: www.bluesmart.hr EVSPlTI Magazine 3 / 2020

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A Croatian-Italian project combines model-building with outreach efforts to increase ďŹ sheries sustainability

Bringing an ecosystem approach to Adriatic ďŹ sheries Commercial ďŹ shing in the Adriatic Sea targets mainly small pelagic species (anchovy and sardines) and demersal stocks. The main eets ďŹ shing in the Adriatic are the Italian and the Croatian. Albania, Montenegro and Slovenia also have eets in the Adriatic, but they are signiďŹ cantly smaller.

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he small pelagic fisheries in the Adriatic are managed at the regional level by the GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean) which has adopted a multiannual management plan for small pelagic stocks in the Adriatic.

Measures under the plan include restrictions on capacity, catches, and fishing effort. Despite the management plan, there is scope for reducing the environmental impact of fisheries in the Adriatic according to Sunce, an environmental organisation in Croatia, that identifies a series of challenges with fishing in the Adriatic including overfishing, competition between fleets, and a lack of enforcement and the dearth of an integrated vision for Adriatic fisheries.

Ecosystem approach considers social, economic, and environmental factors Sunce together with ten other partners from Croatia and Italy is participating in the FAIRSEA project which aims to contribute to the sustainable management of Adriatic fisheries. Led by OGS, the National Institute for Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (Italy), the project will comprehensively analyse fisheries in the Adriatic, but also plans to increase 28

awareness in the region of the ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF), a method that considers the economic, environmental, and social impact of fisheries. The FAIRSEA project will examine all fisheries in the Adriatic though the focus will be on the main commercial fisheries for which detailed data are available, while recreational and small-scale fisheries for which data are sparse will be studied in less detail.

FAIRSEA started in January 2019 and will continue for 26 months. It is funded under the Italy-Croatia Cross Border Cooperation Programme, which is the financial instrument supporting cooperation between the two Members States territories overlooking the Adriatic Sea, to the tune of EUR2m. Currently halfway through its lifespan, the project has some noteworthy achievements already. These include a seminar for capacity building on EAF in Venice, Italy in 2019 while another one is scheduled for 2020 in Split, Croatia. An online discussion game on fisheries in the Adriatic has been designed (at playdecide.eu) as well as a food web card game for children (fish n’ ships). In addition, national and international workshops for stakeholders to discuss issues and objectives have been held to create a roadmap

Simone Libralato, coordinator of FAIRSEA presents the project at Crofish in Porec, Croatia in November 2019.

of interventions. The project is also developing a model that links oceanographic dynamics such as currents and the productivity of the sea with food web modelling and fisheries dynamics. The model is being trained on 20 years of data on resource monitoring, as well as fishing and environmental variables to produce management scenarios, which can be used to inform policy makers at local, national, and European levels. Although

the project so far includes partners only from Italy and Croatia, in the next stage the three other countries fishing in the Adriatic, Albania, Montenegro, and Slovenia, will also contribute to the model giving a comprehensive picture of developments in the entire Adriatic Sea. For more information about the FAIRSEA project contact: Simone Libralato, project coordinator, slibralato@inogs.it

FAIRSEA — Fisheries in the Adriatic region — a shared ecosystem approach Start date: 01.01.2019 End date: 28.02.2021 Total budget: EUR2,060m

Supported by: Italy Croatia Cross-Border Cooperation Programme

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Ambitious cross-border project will protect vulnerable seagrass meadows in the Adriatic

Free anchoring of vessels must be curtailed A project with Croatian and Italian institutions as partners is ďŹ nding solutions to reduce the threat to Adriatic seagrass meadows from human activities. The SASPAS project will deploy different strategies to improve seagrass preservation and restoration.

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eagrasses in the Adriatic (and in other seas) are among the most important habitats in the Mediterranean. These marine plants form large fields in shallow coastal waters. Their location makes them accessible, but also exposes them to threats from both land and sea. Seagrasses are important for the multiple ecosystem services they provide, including breeding and nursery grounds for fish and other marine creatures, coastal protection, oxygen generation, and carbon sequestration. Seagrasses vary greatly in size with some very small plants reaching just a few centimetres above the seabed, while others extend up to 80 cm into the water column.

Their roots may also vary causing different impacts on the sediment. Despite the benefits that seagrasses provide they are endangered. Coastal development, rising levels of nautical traffic, and increasing activities both commercial and recreational along the coast are threatening seagrass meadows and the services they provide.

Many years of experience in seagrass protection Sunce, a Croatian environmental NGO, has been working for the protection of seagrasses for a

Seagrass meadows in the Adriatic provide multiple environmental services but are threatened by human activities along the coast and are in urgent need of protection.

decade; mapping their distribution, monitoring their status, and studying the factors that impact them, among other activities. The organisation’s expertise in this area make it a valuable partner in the consortium behind the SASPAS (Safe Anchoring and Seagrass Protection in the Adriatic Sea) project. An Interreg Italy-Croatia Cross Border Cooperation Programme funded initiative SASPAS brings together Italian and Croatian organisations in an effort to improve marine seagrass preservation and restoration through laying safe anchorage systems, performing pilot transplantations, carrying out monitoring activities

and by defining an integrated management system for marine seagrasses in the Adriatic area.

This in turn will conserve biodiversity in the Adriatic Sea ecosystem and decrease its vulnerability to impacts such as those of climate change.

SASPAS areas include Natura 2000 sites where analyses of the interactions between social, economic, and environmental systems will be undertaken to identify cause and effect relationships and the responses to be implemented. Marine seagrass beds are widespread along both the Croatian and Italian coasts and

their conservation status is similar in both countries, so significant results can be achieved only by setting up a good cross-border cooperation which is achieved with SASPAS. The project consortium is led by the Italian municipality of Monfalcone at the northern end of the Adriatic and has seven partners of which three are from Croatia. The cross-border approach ensures coordinated planning and implementation of the protection and restoration activities, as well as joint development of the Marine Seagrass Safeguard Integrated Management Programme — the proposed guidelines for management and EVSPlTI Magazine 3 / 2020

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for behaving appropriately in protected areas. The management plan will incorporate the project outcomes related to monitoring, vessel anchoring, installation of buoys, transplantation of seagrass, and assessment of pressures. It will be a guideline for other areas and authorities in the Adriatic on how to deal with these management issues.

shoot density and length, leaf length and width, leaf necrosis, and regression/progression on the upper and lower border of specific meadows among other indicators. In addition, it is also important to quantify impacts, such as, number of vessels anchoring, wastewater discharges, water quality, and trawling activity.

Project focuses on impact of human activities in natural marine parks

Seagrass lacks the status of other high-profile marine organisms

Project activities will be carried out at three sites, Monfalcone (Bay of Panzano), Kornati National Park, and Regional Natural Park of Coastal Dunes from Torre Canne to Torre San Leonardo. The latter two sites are characterised by the large scale presence of seagrass meadows of Posidonia oceanica, while the Bay of Panzano has Cymodocea nodosa meadows. Both natural parks attract a number of tourists and recreational sailing vessels, so they are ideal to study the impacts of these activities on seagrass.

Seagrass is not as obviously attractive nor as visible as other forms of marine life which makes it hard to draw the public’s attention to the plight of seagrass meadows in the Adriatic. Efforts are being made to raise awareness among the public and some stakeholders, such as those working with marine tourism, are becoming more aware of the issues. But governments, scientist and NGOs need to work more closely with communication experts to better communicate the challenges to specific stakeholders and the general public.

P. oceanica is endemic to the Mediterranean and is a good indicator of the overall health of marine ecosystems. However, over the last decades it has suffered declines in distribution all over the region. Many Mediterranean countries lack seagrass distribution maps so there is a high risk of overexploitation.

Keeping track of developments in the status of seagrass meadows calls for monitoring, methods for which vary from the simple to the complex and correspondingly from the cheap to the expensive. Reliable monitoring should be long-term, going over years, and should measure the extent of the meadow cover, 30

Anchoring has significant impact on seagrass meadows.

Although data from seagrass monitoring in Croatia is scarce, they do reveal that seagrass meadows are stressed and that in certain locations the impact of anchoring is high with clear scars in meadows in areas with a high presence of sailboats. After spending years organising the necessary permits and funding, the Kornati National Park is now ready to install permanent buoys to which vessels can anchor instead of freely anchoring and risking damage to the meadows. Permanent, ecologically safe moorings and a ban on free

Largely invisible to the general public seagrass meadows lack the charisma of other marine flora and fauna. However, their role in maintaining a healthy marine environment must not be underestimated.

anchoring are the main ways to protect seagrass meadows. But permanent moorings are not a solution in all circumstances. To protect seagrass meadows accurate maps showing the distribution of seagrass meadows are needed, as well as information for the public on why anchoring in seagrass is a threat. This, of course, must be coupled with the necessary regulations and effective enforcement.

Trials on transplantation of seagrass meadows are also carried out Another tactic being deployed for the protection of seagrass meadows is transplantation. Several methods have been developed that vary in terms of complexity, costs, and degree of success.

Strong winds and waves in the first years after transplantation affects survival rates, as does the ability to secure good environmental conditions and to reduce

the impact of stress factors. However, transplantation is generally expensive and not always successful and therefore should be used as a last resort with more effort going into protecting existing meadows.

The SASPAS project has been running for about 17 months and has achieved some significant results so far. Monitoring systems have been set up and the data collected and processed. Pilot transplantations of P. oceanica have been carried out and at the Kornati National Park the procurement process for installing the mooring system has begun. Much remains to be done, but implementation has been hampered by the incidence of Covid-19.

For more information about the SASPAS project contact: Rada Orescanin, project coordinator, rada.orescanin@comune. monfalcone.go.it

SASPAS — Safe Anchoring and Seagrass Protection in the Adriatic Sea Start date: 01.01.2019 End date: 30.06.2021 Total budget: EUR1,906,100

Supported by: Italy, Croatia Cross-Border Cooperation Programme

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Novel distribution methods help a Croatian trout farm through the pandemic

Home delivery proves highly popular Croatia is renowned for its coastline which each year attracts millions of tourists who come for the weather, the beaches, and not least, the seafood. Unsurprisingly, a lot of the seafood comes from the sea. But Croatia also has a production of farmed freshwater ďŹ sh in the continental part of the country.

The farm is located in a nature park which is a mixed blessing. While the pristine surroundings attract people to the area, they also host predators that feed on the fish.

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reshwater farmed fish production in Croatia can be divided into fish produced in polyculture in carp ponds and farms producing rainbow trout either in ponds or in recirculation systems.

The volumes of freshwater fish produced are modest. According to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics output from carp ponds amounted to 2,500 tonnes in 2019 while that

of trout was 370 tonnes. Over nine tenths of the trout produced is rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), while brown trout (Salmo trutta) accounts for about 1.

Zagreb is the main market for the trout Among the trout producers is the family-owned company Vrabac

Fish Farm. The facility was established in 1998 and today supplies quality rainbow trout and brown trout to markets in Zagreb and to hotels, restaurants, and catering establishments across Croatia, as well direct sales to local customers. The fish is grown primarily from eggs imported from Denmark and the United States. In addition, says Tomo Vrabac, the

owner of the farm, a small amount is bred from spawn produced on the farm itself. He is particularly proud of the brown trout they produce which calls for twice as much time and effort to reach market size compared with rainbow trout.

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Tomo Vrabac’s trout farm comprises 23 breeding raceways with an area of just over 2,000 sq. m. Here he displays a market-sized fish.

exceeds 2,000 sq. m in total which theoretically allows an output of 40 tonnes of fish annually. However, technical limitations, says Mr Vrabac, have restricted production to about 33 tonnes of fish per year. The farm is situated in a small village about 60 km from the Croatian capital Zagreb in the Žumberak - Samoborsko Gorje Nature Park. The location is convenient in terms of connections to the surrounding towns and cities as well as to Zagreb, but is less suitable in other respects. The biggest problem Mr Vrabac is currently 32

facing is the lack of labour. As in other parts of Europe in Croatia too rural areas are depopulating as people move to the cities where jobs are more numerous. No one is interested in moving to a small, almost deserted, rural place, he says, which makes it difficult to hire staff. Another issue he faces is that of predation. Being located in a nature park has its advantages — the natural beauty is striking and visitors to the farm can enjoy stunning views of the surroundings. Moreover, the farm is only some 100 m away from a

source of very high-quality water.

On the other hand, the park harbours many natural predators like otters and herons. Beavers too, while they do not prey on fish, cause damage by building dams on the water source that supplies the farm. This can affect the flow of water to the farm. All these impacts push up the cost of production, says Mr Vrabac. The fact that we are in a nature park also means that there are restrictions on the kinds of investments we are permitted to make, he adds.

Solar energy to compensate for inadequate electricity supply Investments are being made in protective fences and nets to ward off predators, as well as in renewable energy, partly with support from the EU. The shift to renewable energy will reduce the farm’s dependence on the local electricity supply which can be quite erratic and, as Mr Vrabac points out, also contribute to fulfilling an objective of the Common Fisheries Policy. The current

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The fish is mostly bred from eggs imported from Denmark and the United States, but a small quantity is also produced using spawn from the fish on the farm.

Production amounts to some 35 tonnes a year, almost all of it rainbow trout. A small volume of brown trout is also reared.

pandemic has also called for creative responses and so a home delivery service was launched to bring the freshly harvested fish to customers. The service is marketed online, in particular on Facebook, but more important is the word-ofmouth-marketing by satisfied end customers. The farm has also benefited from promotion on radio and TV shows and in newspapers as an example of best practice. Direct delivery has proved so popular that Mr Vrabac is mulling continuing it even after the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus situation are lifted. He calculates that this would necessitate one more delivery vehicle and additional staff. The product portfolio has diversified recently with the addition of trout

Mr Vrabac himself has more than 20 years of experience in freshwater aquaculture. He uses this experience not only in his own production, but also to mentor students who come to the farm to do their practical training in production technologies. The students are from the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Zagreb, with which the farm has a cooperation

caviar, a product that is available only in small quantities and which is currently going exclusively to one of the best hotel chains in the Adriatic. Currently the main product is fresh gutted fish, but plans to further expand the range of products are on the anvil. Mr Vrabac is considering trout fillets, smoked trout and even a trout pate, but if this is to materialise “the younger generation in the family will need to contribute,” he says.

Staying abreast of developments in production techniques Trout on Vrabac Fish Farm is bred following scientific principles and modern breeding technology.

agreement. Mr Vrabac is also keen to stay up to date with the latest developments in the field, and so periodically attends international scientific and expert meetings on freshwater fisheries and aquaculture. It is always useful to hear about new theories and insights as they can lead to better or more efficient ways of production or to other benefits, he says.

Fish Farm Vrabac Žumberak nature park Stupe village Zagreb county Owner: Tomo Vrabac Activity: Production of rainbow trout, minor volumes of brown trout

Volumes: 33 tonnes Product: Fresh gutted fish, trout caviar (small volumes) Markets: Zagreb, rest of Croatia

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Cooperative enters Fisheries Improvement Project with a view to achieving sustainable practices

Looking for ways to access demanding markets The Omega 3 ďŹ shing cooperative was the ďŹ rst in Croatia to be recognised as a producer organisation as deďŹ ned by the EU policy on the Common Organisation of the Market. Today it has a processing and distributing facility for the ďŹ sh caught by its members which amounts to about a ďŹ fth of the total Croatian catch of small pelagics.

D

amir MiĹĄlov is a fisherman and a president of the supervisory board of the Omega 3 Fishing Cooperative located in the fishing town of Kali on the island of Ugljan. He has a long history as a fisherman having spent 18 years in the Pacific fishing for yellowfin tuna before returning to Kali.

Small pelagics are the main target species Members of the cooperative fish primarily for small pelagic species (sardine and anchovy). The cooperative was founded by fishermen in 2008 and today consists of 17 members who own a fleet of 22 purse seine vessels. Mr Miťlov himself owns a 25-meter purse seine. Each vessel has a full-time fishing crew of 8 to 9 people, so the cooperative employs some 200 people in total. A couple of vessels from the fleet fish exclusively for the tuna farming industry which uses small pelagic fish as feed for the tuna. The total annual catch by the cooperative’s members amounts to about 20 of the Croatian small pelagics’ catch, or some 64.000 tonnes in 2018. In Croatia, purse-seines targeting small pelagic fish account for the bulk (more than 75) of catches.

Omega 3 was the first cooperative in Croatia to acquire the status of 34

Damir MiĹĄlov spent 18 years fishing yellowfin tuna in the Pacific before returning to Kali and becoming president of the Omega 3 fishing cooperative.

a producer organisation, a body officially recognised by the EU that is responsible for the day-today management of fisheries and plays an important role in running the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy and the Common Organisation of the Market.

Fisheries Improvement Project is step towards sustainability The cooperative has its own production facility, freezer warehouse, and 11 trucks that are used to transport fresh fish. The modern

technology used in the production facility was supported by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014-2020. In June 2017, jointly with WWF Adria and the Croatian Directorate of Fisheries, Omega 3 signed a memorandum of understanding to join the Adriatic small pelagic

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fishery improvement project (FIP).

The FIP is expected to lead to a Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certificate for sustainable fisheries of European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus). This species is targeted by the Croatian purse seine fleet in Adriatic geographical subareas 17 and 18 (North and Central Adriatic, Southern Adriatic). The certification will open up the most demanding markets for our products, says Mr Mišlov, like Switzerland. Today, one kilogram of sardines is sold for about HRK3.50 (EUR0.45), and some fishermen sell at an even lower price to tuna farms, where mainly sardine, but also other small pelagic species, are used as lowvalue whole feed-fish for the growing and fattening of tuna. That is a shame, says Mr Mišlov, if we get the certificate, we expect to achieve a price of more than HRK4.50 (EUR0.60). The cooperative is also negotiating with the processing industry on how to develop and market the final product.

Measures to protect small pelagics stocks Annually, Mr Mišlov catches approximately 800 tonnes of small pelagic species, of which sardine constitutes 70, and anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) the rest. There is a minor volume of bycatch of horse mackerel (Trachurus spp.), and mackerel (Scomber spp.). Sardine is mainly caught during the colder period autumn-winter-spring, while the anchovy catch is highest in summer. Based on the current effort-based management measures which complement international measures adopted by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), purse seine fishing activities are limited to maximum 180 fishing days annually (with a maximum of 144 fishing days targeting sardine and of 144 fishing days

targeting anchovy), or 20 fishing days monthly. Mr Mišlov’s vessel usually manages about 160 active fishing days, as weather conditions prevent fishing all year round. It is quite difficult to reach the maximum number of days permitted, he says.

Fishery closures at the fleet level are established to protect species during spawning periods.

These extend from 16 December to 15 February, when the sardine stocks spawn, and again from 1 to 30 May (anchovy spring spawning). Due to the necessity of supplying small pelagics during the Christmas period, when seafood consumption is traditionally higher, an exception is made for vessels less than 12 m, which are allowed to fish from 16 to 24 December. Fishing targeting small pelagics in the Pomo Pit area is banned from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2021. In addition to the temporal measures, fishing effort is reduced to a limit of 100 tonnes of catch per vessel per month. This measure is in line with GFCM emergency management measures under which Croatia implemented a progressive 5 reduction in catches each year, starting from 2014.

Croatian measures result in healthier stocks These various measures on the Croatian side of the Adriatic have resulted, not only in the recovery and increase of fish stocks, but also in the higher average weight of each fish caught, which is one of the key indicators for stock recovery. The fish size in boxes is closely related to the final profitability of the catch. “In the past 10-15 years, we had 60 to 65 fish in one kilogram, which was an indication of excess pressure on the stock, says Mr Mišlov. Such small fish are not profitable

The fish is pumped from the nets into tubs on board the vessel to ensure a high quality product.

anymore because they are too small for industrial processing.

However, as a result of the management measures implemented, the situation began to improve several years ago, as “Pecatura” (the number of fish per kilogram) decreased on average by 10. This is the key indicator that things are going in the right direction, both in terms of the state of fish stocks and for the fishermen, as bigger fish fetch a better price. Today, says Mr Mišlov, we catch the first-class “Premium quality” fish which is 35-40 fish per kilogram (starting March-April), to the lowest class which is from 55 or more fish per kilograms (mainly at the beginning of the year in winter).

Fish are categorised as premium based not only on their size, but also on how they have been

handled. Once the fishing operation is completed, the catch is pumped onboard using submersible pumps and conveyed into the 500 litre tubs using a mixture of ice and sea water to maximize the quality of the fish. The fish is then delivered to the production facility, where it is packed and distributed to customers. Our goal is to fish less, emphasises Mr Mišlov, but to deliver the highest possible quality, as this benefits both stocks and the fisherman’s economy. This is the main reason why I support the national management measures and strongly advocate certification — it is a win-win situation for both fish and us, the fishermen.

Toni Bartulin, Eurofish, toni.bartulin @eurofish.dk EVSPlTI Magazine 3 / 2020

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Improving the economic and environmental sustainability of a small island community

Sustainable ďŹ shing in a nature park Stakeholders including the ďŹ sheries administration, ďŹ shermen, nature park authorities, and an NGO come together in a project that allows the sustainable exploitation of ďŹ sh resources in the nature park.

Ivica LeĹĄiĂź and his wife Helena have successfully diversified into fishing tourism, which in 2019 accounted for three fifths of his income.

Fishing in nature park is permitted subject to strict rules

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he island of Lastovo is the most remote of Croatia’s inhabited islands in the Adriatic Sea. The Lastovo archipelago comprises 46 islands that were declared a Croatian Nature Park in 2006, making it the eleventh and youngest nature park in Croatia.

WWF, an environmental NGO, calls the nature park one of the ten last treasuries of biodiversity in the Mediterranean Sea thanks to its variety of marine habitats and taxa.

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Lastovo’s population is less than 800 people, of whom about 40 are full-time small-scale fishermen.

Small coastal fishers have vessels less than 12 m and use different static gears (nets, hooks and long lines, traps) and shore seines which are a traditional, relatively small sized fishing gear.

The nature park is managed under the Nature Protection Act of the Republic of Croatia. In 2009, three years after the creation of Lastovo Nature Park, legislation was enacted giving the exclusive right to inhabitants of Lastovo to commercially exploit fish in four different zones of the marine protected area, which extends 500 meters around the archipelago. Park rangers were responsible for enforcing the

rules, i.e. deciding on concession and licences for commercial fisheries. This was strongly supported by the local fishermen, who said they had managed the island’s marine resources sustainably.

But in 2013, after an appeal from fishermen from the neighbouring islands who had traditionally fished in the Lastovo archipelago, the Croatian Constitutional Court overruled that decision and permitted other vessels to fish in the

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Lastovo area. “Since then, everyone has access to our resources again, which are today heavily overexploited”, says Ivica Lešiü from Ubli. Mr Lešiü owns a fishing company, Lastovo Survival, and is a member of the small islands’ fishermen’s community. In 2019 he was a representative of the Lastovo fishermen’s association.

Coastal fishers use a variety of gears depending on season and target species Ivica Lešiü owns a 11.6 m vessel, which is the biggest and best equipped fishing vessel on the island. The vessel catches a mix of species throughout the year using different gear as specified in the rules governing fishing in the park. In winter, gillnets (single netting) and a trammel net (triple netting) limited to a maximum of 2,000 meters in length are set to catch mainly forkbeard (Phycis phycis), brown wrasse (Labrus merula), surmullet (Mullus surmuletus), red mullet (Mullus barbatus), and black seabream (Spondyliosoma cantharus), while during the summer period, the key targeted species is the valuable European spiny lobster (Palinurus elephas), which is caught by a special trammel net called “Jastogara” (mesh size of 120 mm) and crab traps. Annually, about 300 kg of spiny lobster are landed, and they fetch a price of up to 60-70 EUR/kg. Other species caught with nets include scorpionfish (Scorpaena scrofa).

Apart from gillnets, longlines are used to catch other species such as red porgy (Pagrus pagrus), common dentex (Dentex dentex), conger (Conger conger) and gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata).

On average Mr Lešiü has 200 fishing days (one-day trips) in the year. He rotates fishing gears

The European spiny lobster is caught in a special trammel net. It is a high value species fetching EUR60-70 per kg.

throughout the year not only in accordance with the rules, but also to optimise yields, using his knowledge of the behaviour and catchability of target species. He depends heavily on the fishing grounds’ proximity to his home port and on the heterogeneity of the habitat. He used to sell the fish to intermediaries, but during the pandemic switched to direct sales from the vessels or online as the market has changed drastically.

The method used for online sales is simple but effective. WhatsApp is used to post a photo of the daily catch with the price to a group of all potential customers. Those who want to buy fish reply with the amount they need, which is then delivered. Everything is done with the support of the whole family.

Eco-tourism as a way of diversifying sources of income Mr Lešiü says he is always ready to explore new opportunities, which is why, in addition to the boat trips

he offers tourists in summer, he decided to collaborate with WWF Adria in a project to transform small scale fisheries in the Mediterranean, The project is testing an idea of co-management in fisheries but also identifying alternative sources of income for fishers.

Developing fishing tourism, for example, would support the local community, preserve its identity, culture and traditions, and protect natural resources. Mr Lešiü‘s role in the project was to diversify his fishing activities by partly switching to fishing tourism. This worked well as he increased the number of fishing trips thanks to assistance from WWF in networking and getting tourists on board. In 2019, he had about 40 fishing tours, which generated 60 of his total income including fishing activities. Other fishermen have not been involved in this kind of activity for now, as their vessels cannot accommodate tourists on board.

Mr Lešiü is satisfied with efforts

by Ante Mišura, Assistant Minister and by the directorate, in solving various administrative issues in their jurisdiction. But there are other areas, he feels, where improvements could be made, for instance, in communications between the nature park and the fishermen. WWF Adria, he says, played an important role in this respect by bringing together all stakeholders and managing the interaction. Employment opportunities on Lastovo are largely limited to fisheries and tourism and it is critical that these are managed in ways that are economically and environmentally sustainable. Ensuring this is only possible with the involvement of all stakeholders including the fishermen, says Mr Lešiü.

For without their commitment, measures to secure the long-term availability of resources will be largely futile.

The Ministry of Agriculture has supported the project and

Toni Bartulin, Eurofish, toni.bartulin @eurofish.dk EVSPlTI Magazine 3 / 2020

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High quality from a small-scale sustainable Norway lobster ďŹ shery fetches a good price

Fishing with creels in the Velebit channel Small-scale coastal ďŹ shing is widespread in Croatia. In the Velebit channel a eet of about 50 vessels up to 12 meters in length targets the high-value Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus), one of the most important crustacean species in the Adriatic Sea in terms of landings and commercial value.

Creels, a kind of basket, are used to trap Nephrops using a bait of horse mackerel or mackerel.

Nephrops catches increase thanks to good management and environmental changes

T

he Velebit channel is in the northern Adriatic just beneath Velebit, the highest mountain range in Croatia, and is a rich Norway lobster fishing ground. Trawl fishing in the channel has been prohibited since 1997 under the regulation on special habitats for fish and marine organisms.

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In 2017, 200 tonnes of Norway lobster were landed, according to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. The species is targeted by two fleet segments: bottom trawlers and

the artisanal fleet using baited creels. Over the last three to four years, landed volumes have been increasing, says DraĹžen BaĂžLĂź, a small-scale fisher who has been fishing in the Velebit channel for 20 years in an 8-meter vessel. He believes that several factors have influenced the positive development in catches: firstly, the

prohibition on bottom trawling; secondly, the creation of a fisheries restricted area in the Jabuka/ Pomo Pit which banned demersal fisheries. This is an important nursery area that hosts a resident population of Norway lobster.

Finally, he thinks that environmental changes may also be contributing to bigger catches.

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He mainly targets Norway lobster using 300 special traps, called creels, a passive gear baited with small pelagic species (sardine, horse mackerel). Bottom trawls’ selectivity (mesh size) with respect to this species is poor; the gear produces large quantities of discards, both demersal fish and undersized Nephrops, in contrast creels are considered more sustainable due to lower discard levels. Creels are used by a multitarget artisanal fleet, fishing only in areas unavailable to trawlers and, when catching Nephrops, set specifically to target this species.

Nephrops caught with creels are generally large and in good condition (mainly live specimens), and thus fetch higher unit prices.

Creels keep the captured Nephrops alive The most intense Nephrops fishery occurs in spring. The number of fishing days registered peaks during this period and catches are at their highest, says Mr Baþiü.

The fishing activity starts by placing about 40 baited creels, which are fixed to a rope at 20 m intervals, in a fishing ground with a muddy seabed at depths that range from 30 metres to over 100 meters, which is the maximum depth of the Velebit channel. The creels are placed in different fishing grounds marked with buoys at the two ends of the rope, near the first and the last creel. Once all the creels have been laid the first phase of the fishing is over and now everything relies on the species’ abundance — and a bit of luck. The crustaceans are trapped when they emerge to feed, which usually happens twice a day, often at dawn and dusk. Every morning or so, the creels are checked, depending on the weather which can be severe because of the “bora” wind. This is well known as the strongest in the Velebit

channel with gusts reaching over 200 km/h. If the creels stay longer than planned in the sea with live crustaceans trapped inside, then predators could be a concern.

Conger eels and octopus are two species often found in creels together with their prey.

Mr Baþiü is very satisfied with his catches and the stock situation today, although there is always scope for improvement. In particular he mentions the need to educate fishermen about sustainability and the importance of selectivity. Mr Baþiü releases egg-bearing females to ensure the future of the stock, but this is not universally practiced. The reason is usually a lack of knowledge, awareness, or various petty interests.

After the Nephrops season, creels are replaced with trammel nets Mr Baþiü¶s average catch per fishing trip is 10 kg. In a year he can reach up to 1 tonne, a result he has achieved in each of the past two years. On average, 1 kg consists of about 18 individuals.

His company earns about 20.000 EUR, annually. The lobsters are distributed and sold directly to local and regional hotels and restaurants. The modest volumes and superior quality mean there is no shortage of demand, and the price of Nephrops is high and stable at EUR25 to 35 per kg.

When the Nephrops season is low, the creels are removed from the water, washed and repaired if necessary. In this period Mr Baþiü, like many of his fellow fishermen, switches to trammel nets, where the most commonly caught species are European hake, gilthead seabream, and cuttlefish. Annually he manages some 160 fishing days, of which

Modest catch volumes and high quality of the captured Nephrops combine to give a market price of EUR25-35 per kilo

about 100 are spent fishing with creels, and the rest fishing with nets.

Mr Baþiü is a member of the Lika-Senj County Fishermen’s Guild, an association within the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts, which represents fishermen and their interests. The chamber is a professional business organization to promote, coordinate and represent the joint interests of tradesmen and craftsmen at the national level.

Mr Baþiü feels that management of the fishing area is under control and that cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Directorate of Fisheries is very good. Fisheries control and inspection of activities at sea and on land at fish markets, for instance, are frequent – three to four times annually, “and I have nothing against that,” he says.

Mr Baþiü applies every year to state aid schemes, one for compensation for damage caused by mammals (dolphins and birds) and the second for small amounts of support. This aid amounts to such small sums that they are unlikely to have any significant impact on competition.

Collaboration between all stakeholders will lead to economic and environmental sustainability The dissemination of knowledge on fisheries-related research, innovative practices to diversify fishing activities, and collaboration, are very important issues. Mr Baþiü acknowledges WWF Adria as an organisation that has improved communication between stakeholders in the channel, bringing together scientists, fishermen, policy makers, interest groups and civil society organisations, including the media. Improving or eliminating bad practices and convincing older generations are among the main challenges to achieving any positive changes, and here “the water is sometimes too deep for the people in WWF Adria,” he says. He is categorical, however, that collaboration between all the stakeholders in the fisheries is the right way forward and will ultimately bear the fruit from which future generations will benefit.

Toni Bartulin, Eurofish, toni. bartulin@eurofish.dk EVSPlTI Magazine 3 / 2020

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[ SPECIES ] Demand for cephalopods increasing steadily worldwide

Octopus aquaculture close to a breakthrough?

Some people only know octopods from seafood salads at the Greek restaurant, others from seafaring stories that describe how the animals use their strong eshy suckers to pull ships down into the depths. But they don’t frighten us anymore today: in fact, they rather stimulate our appetites, for they are now a popular marine delicacy. Demand for them is so great that some stocks are regionally overused. That is why great hopes now rest on aquaculture, although breeding technology is not yet fully developed.

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ephalopods (from the Greek ‘kephale’ for head and ‘pod’ for foot) belong to the group of molluscs (mollusca) like snails and mussels.

The evolutionary development of this species group which began 700 million years ago has led to a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colours. Today, the cephalopod class comprises nearly 1,000 species, including not only squid and cuttlefish but also approximately 170 octopus species, some of which differ quite considerably in appearance and lifestyle. For example, in the case of the octopus species Octopus horridus the head is relatively small and the arms conspicuously elongated, whereas the musky octopus O. moschata has a large head and short arms connected by an umbrella-like membrane. In contrast to many related species of molluscs (such as snails or mussels) the octopus’ body is not protected by any outer shell or carapace – with the exception of female pearl or paper nautiluses (Argonauta).

Most octopods live near the bottom (benthic) of shallow waters down to about 200 metres off the coasts of warm, temperate seas where they hide in underwater rock caves, thickets of seagrass beds, or in tropical coral reefs.

However, some species have 40

penetrated into the depths of the ocean where they swim freely in the abyssopelagic zone. The body tissue of deep-sea octopods contains a lot of incompressible fluid, which is why the animals are hardly affected by the enormous pressure at great depths.

An octopus’s life is comparatively short, with the animals rarely living longer than two years. However, since octopods grow very quickly (some species gain 1 to 2 per cent body weight in a day), they can still reach considerable sizes during this period. The size spectrum of octopods ranges from a few centimetres to seven metres arm span in the case of Enteroctopus dofleini (giant Pacific octopus) which is probably the largest octopus species in the world. The current size record is said to be 71 kg. The legendary Architheutis is even bigger, but in fact it is not an octopod at all and belongs to the subgroup of squids. Probably the most obvious difference between octopods and the two other cephalopod groups is the number of their arms, which are also called tentacles. While squid and cuttlefish always have ten arms, octopods have eight (from the Greek ‘októ’ for eight), which can be moved extremely flexibly in all directions. In the course of

Depiction of an octopus attack on a sailing ship according to a votive picture in the chapel of St. Thomas of Saint-Malo, taken from Denys-Montfort’s manual of molluscs from 1805.

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[ SPECIES ] evolution, the muscular foot typical of molluscs has developed into highly flexible arms with suckers, which serve as sensitive tactile organs for gripping things and are more versatile than an elephant’s trunk.

There are hardly any tasks at which an octopus will baulk. Their arms can fulfil a wide range of purposes. Octopuses use their arms for locomotion, for tracking, and for examining and holding prey.

Some octopods sneak up to their prey, stalking carefully on the tips of their arms in order to grab it in a sudden attack. Others crawl over their prey with outstretched tentacles between which a thin membrane is stretched like an umbrella. An octopus uses its arms to rummage in rock crevices for food, which it holds in position with its suckers and then carries to its mouth. Some species can even use their arms to move nimbly and skilfully on land. The tentacles are also an effective tool for warding off competitors and predators. For a sudden escape the octopus can by means of a jet of water shoot swiftly backward with outstretched arms.

When danger threatens it uses its muscular skin mantle to squirt a powerful jet of water out of a movable funnel within its body.

Since octopuses have no solid body structures (apart from their bird beak-like horny mouth parts) they are very malleable and can even force themselves through narrow gaps and openings. There are one or two rows of sessile suckers on their muscular arms, which are usually much longer than the body. The arms and suckers are well equipped with nerves and ganglia, and this makes their movements “autonomous” and independent of central control by the brain. It is still not known how this control works in detail. Almost all octopuses

have a “favourite arm” which they use more often than their other tentacles. In the males of a large number of octopus species the third right arm (less often the left) develops into the so-called hectocotylus with which the spermatophore is transferred to the female during mating.

Ability to change body colour enables perfect camouflage Octopuses have three hearts which are as it were “connected in series” and together drive the animal’s blood circulation. The two hearts at the base of the gills (branchial hearts) pump oxygen-enriched blood to the main heart which is positioned in the visceral sac in the middle of the body and has two outlets for arterial blood. One of these main arteries leads to the head, the other supplies the internal organs. Pulsating veins additionally support the blood circulation. This effort is necessary to supply the internal organs and the long tentacles of the octopus with oxygen right down to the tips. Unlike fish, the blood of the octopus contains blue haemocyanin, which cannot transport as much oxygen as the haemoglobin of red blood. In contrast to many other molluscs, octopuses have very good eyes with lenses in a liquid-filled casing (“camera eyes”). Furthermore, octopuses can perceive certain differences in brightness with their body surface. Their skin contains lightsensitive proteins (opsins) which are also found in the visual pigment of the eyes. Although octopods are not able to recognise sharp images or contours with their skin, their sensitivity is sufficient to adapt the skin surface to the respective environment.

This process is controlled autonomously without any detour via

With about 400 species squids are the largest group within the cephalopods. In contrast to octopuses they always have ten arms.

the brain, which enables particularly rapid colour changes.

This ability makes octopuses real masters of camouflage: their skin not only emulates colouring and pattern but also the surface structures of their surroundings in a deceptively realistic manner. Because the colour change is much faster than in a chameleon the animals can also use it for intra-species communication. By changing colour they can signal their current mood to their fellow octopuses, or indicate their willingness to mate.

They colour themselves as dark as possible, for example, when competing for territory. Inferior males sometimes disguise themselves as females. This remarkable imitation talent results from the unique structure of the skin which consists of several layers.

The uppermost layer contains innumerable differently coloured pigment cells (chromatophores) which can be reshaped and connected with fine muscle and nerve fibres so that each individual cell can be specifically targeted. Depending on the state of tension in the muscles the pigment cells are stretched (their colour is then visible from outside) or compressed so that only

the second skin layer underneath is visible. This layer contains cells that function as special filters and amplify or absorb the proportion of light reflected by the chromatophores depending on the angle of incidence. The third and lowest layer consists of white skin cells which, like a canvas, provide a high-contrast background. Complex colour patterns are created by the interaction of several pigment cells, comparable to a flat-screen TV, whose colour spectrum is also produced by combining a few basic colours.

The Southeast Asian octopus species Thaumoctopus mimicus is rated the most outstanding master of camouflage and deception, and can even imitate dangerous marine animals to protect itself from predators.

Octopuses spawn only once in a lifetime and die shortly afterwards Octopods feed mainly on crustaceans, crabs, snails and occasionally fish. Large species devour almost whatever crosses their path as they hunt. They grab their prey with their tentacles, bite out mouth-sized pieces with their sharp parrot beak-like jaws or chop them up with a rasping

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[ SPECIES ] tongue. Some octopuses lurk hidden for unsuspecting prey, others hunt actively and sometimes even leave the water to search for crabs, snails and other animals in tidal pools.

Stories about octopuses strangling people with their tentacles or even pulling ships down to the sea bed are an expression of our subliminal fears and belong in the realm of legend. Such stories culminate in the fantasy figure of Davy Jones, that hybrid creature of man and octopus, whose face has tentacles instead of whiskers – as Hollywood’s “Pirates of the Caribbean 2� cleverly visualized. Most octopods are neither dangerous nor aggressive. A bite by the parrot-like beak can be painful but is usually harmless, although recent research shows that probably all species produce a toxin in their

salivary glands. However, only the bite of the blue ringed octopus Hapalochlaena maculosa and H. lunulata, whose deadly toxin maculotoxin is chemically very similar to the tetrodotoxin of puffer fish, is life-threatening for humans.

Within two hours it causes severe nausea with vomiting, paralysis and respiratory arrest. An antidote is not known. However, accidents caused by poisonous octopuses are extremely rare. Between 1950 and 1995 only eleven cases were documented, two of which were fatal.

Octopuses reproduce only once in a lifetime. They usually reach sexual maturity at the age of two or three years and after mating lay up to 400,000 eggs depending on their species. From then on they devote their efforts to taking care of their young.

The breeding season lasts on

average 30-65 days and the octopuses die soon after. For mating, the male inserts his third tentacle arm (which has developed into the hectocotylus) into the mantle cavity of the female and transfers a capsule filled with sperm (spermatophores). As soon as it bursts, the sperm are released and fertilise the eggs. In some species of octopus, the spermatophores can be quite large; in Octopus dofleini, for example, about one metre long. After hatching, the larvae drift freely in the open sea for one or two months before settling on the bottom and trying to occupy their own territories.

Octopod meat tastes good and is a high-quality food People’s interest in octopuses is due not only to their fascinating

biology but at least as much to their culinary qualities. In the Mediterranean region and in Asia, but increasingly also in other regions of the world, some squid or octopus species are among the most sought-after marine delicacies. Octopus meat is firmly elastic when raw, has a pleasant smell of the sea and – if prepared correctly – is extremely tender. It contains a lot of protein, omega-3 fatty acids and iodine, and its flavour is reminiscent of veal. As a rule, only the eight tentacles are eaten because although the head is edible it usually remains quite hard. The tough, rubbery consistency that discourages some people from eating molluscs – whether octopus, squid or cuttlefish – is the result of incorrect preparation. Octopods have very fine muscle fibres which lie on top of each other in several layers

Not only the tentacles and body (tubes) of the cuttlefish, the third cephalopod group, are used as food, but also the brown-black coloured ink.

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Pieces of spicy marinated cuttlefish (left) and octopus (2nd from left) are popular snacks that are enjoyed with soups or rice dishes in many Asian countries.

and are embedded in connective tissue. The collagen contained in them is relatively hard and only softens under long-lasting mild heat. Strong heat causes the tissue to contract irreversibly, which makes the meat unpleasantly tough. That is why patience is necessary when preparing octopus: the cooking water must not boil! Octopus cooks perfectly when simmered over slight heat (as a rule of thumb, one kilogram of octopus should cook for about one hour). Alternatively, it can also be braised slowly in the oven at medium heat. “Alla Luciana” or “en vinagreta”, octopus is a special, and in some regions also rare, pleasure.

Due to strong demand, octopod stocks are overfished in some areas. The global catch has almost halved in the last three decades.

Great effort is needed to catch the solitary creatures, either in shallow water by hand or in deeper water by divers with spears and harpoons. Probably the principle method used for catching octopuses is, however, with traps, mostly earthen pots, which serve as hiding places for the octopuses.

Baits are unnecessary because

the octopuses are actually searching for protection more than food.

If they like the new home they are offered they will inhabit the traps quite quickly after they have been set.

Fry production is a bottleneck in commercial aquaculture Fishing alone can hardly meet the growing demand and so interest in octopod aquaculture is growing. In recent times the suitability of some octopus species, including Octopus maya, O. bimaculoides, O. ocellatus and O. mimus, but especially the common octopus Octopus vulgaris, has been investigated. Technically speaking, nearly all of the species proved to be quite suitable. They can cope with cultivation conditions without any major problems, they grow rapidly (growth rate of 5 body weight per day is possible), and convert 30 to 60 of the food they eat into their own body weight. Nevertheless, the breakthrough in octopod aquaculture has been delayed because the animal’s life cycle has not yet been completely closed. It seems to be very difficult to reproduce

the animals successfully and to achieve high survival rates of the paralarvae. Although it was possible to establish some octopus aquaculture projects in the past they were mostly based on wild stocking which does not relieve the natural stocks but increases the risk of overfishing even more.

However, at the end of 2018, scientists from the Spanish Marine Research Institute (IEO) reported that after 20 years of research they had succeeded in breeding common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) in captivity for the first time and had managed to bring about half of the hatched paralarvae through the problematic first phase of life.

It is possible that the long hopedfor breakthrough has finally been achieved...

But is what now seems biologically feasible also ethically and morally justifiable? Already voices are emerging that warn against “mass breeding of highly intelligent beings”, of which the octopods are indeed one. In fact, octopuses – like all cephalopods – are unusual exceptions among invertebrates in terms of their mental abilities. Octopods plan their actions and use tools, they

deceive their hunting victims, memorize their territories and imitate the behaviour of other sea creatures in order to protect themselves from enemies. Their brain is capable of amazing feats.

And we can’t even say exactly where their capabilities begin or end because the 500 million or so neurons of their nervous system are not only located in the head, but two thirds of them are distributed in the outer extremities and function like the body’s own internet. Each arm has, so to speak, its own sensors and controls, and around 10,000 nerve cells are attached to each sucker.

Octopus vulgaris has an amazing spatial memory and a good sense of orientation. This is why it solves many maze problems more efficiently than most mammals.

It’s no wonder that octopuses are considered the “smartest” molluscs, whose intelligence is said to be comparable to that of rats.

One of their special and often described abilities is the opening of screw caps, which becomes faster and faster the more often the animals perform this exercise.

Their social behaviour is highly complex and largely based on individual learning. Since most octopus species are solitary creatures and die after reproduction they cannot establish parentchild relationships like birds or mammals to pass on the painstakingly learned skills to the next generation. Their offspring must always acquire everything anew themselves. Allegedly, the clever creatures can even distinguish human beings from each other and occasionally develop special sympathies for some. Most popular are those who regularly feed them… which does not, however, stop an octopus from spraying a jet of water at a keeper out of disappointment if they come empty-handed. mk

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ALBANIA

Capacity building for Blue Growth, and curriculum development for marine ďŹ sheries in Albania

Albanian ďŹ shers can soon earn international qualiďŹ cations at home A project consortium with partners from Albania and Croatia intends to improve the skills of ďŹ shermen by developing a master’s degree in marine ďŹ sheries and by upgrading vocational training to provide Albanian ďŹ shermen with internationally recognized skills.

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he agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors are the main employers in Albania with a share of more than 40.

With regards to fisheries, Albania, as an EU candidate country, is obliged to conduct reforms before it can implement the EU Common Fisheries Policy. At the same time, there is a trend to expand the Albanian fishing fleet with more trawlers and purse seiners.

Compared to other Mediterranean fishing fleets, however, Albania’s fleet is small, accounting for less than 1 of the total.

Steep growth in fishing sector Fishing has been one of the most rapidly growing sectors in recent years, mainly due to policies on subsidies that the Albanian government has implemented recently, and the growing demand from the fish processing industry. However, the continued growth of the sector is hampered by a gap in human resources. In Albania, except for the secondary fishing school established in Durres in 2003, there are no other training institutions to meet the needs of the sector for qualified personnel. The limited knowledge and experience of fishers in the use of modern practices and technology is one of the major barriers to the development 44

The ALMARS Erasmus+ project aims to build capacity in the Albanian fishing sector. The project kick-off meeting was held last year in Split, Croatia.

of the Albanian fishery sector.

Moreover, in blue growth sectors (aquaculture, fisheries and navigation) no efforts have been made to offer Vocational Educational Training (VETs) or create Higher Education Institutions (HEI). The ALMARS project will respond to the demand for skilled personnel in the growing commercial fishing industry in Albania by introducing a professional master’s programme in the field of marine fisheries.

Enhancing collaboration and knowledge The ALMARS Erasmus+ project was approved and started in 2019. It will last for three years and aims to enhance the marine fishery industry in Albania by: − Developing a new professional master’s degree in marine fishery that will meet market needs; − Enhancing collaboration among blue growth stakeholders

through the development of a networking platform; − Improving maritime training centres that provide professional training to seafarers on fishing vessels.

The new master’s curriculum in marine fishery will be developed by scientific experts from the fields of marine biology, aquaculture, and fisheries in collaboration with marine industry stakeholders. The curriculum

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will provide students with theoretical knowledge and practical skills, which is expected to have a positive impact on their ability to find employment. Other activities are also planned for example, the creation of a networking platform which will unite stakeholders active in the field of marine fisheries, including educational institutions and their alumni, private industry, and organizations. The platform will provide stakeholders with opportunities for new partnerships, the exchange of know-how, access to the most recent market information, trends in the sector, qualified staff and/or employment opportunities.

Improving the maritime training centre for professional marine fishermen is a logical activity of this project. Courses offered by the training centre do not currently comply with IMO standards or the requirements of EU legislation.

Trained seafarers therefore do not possess the competencies and skills which are recognized internationally and/or satisfy safety needs, environmental concerns, or overall maritime security standards. Developing new basic and advanced courses for professional seafarers that are aligned with IMO standards will have a positive impact on environment protection, and on pollution and safety hazards, and will improve fishing efficiency and create opportunities for international collaboration.

Wide range of stakeholders will contribute The project consortium is composed of different stakeholders

Commercial fishers in Albania will soon be able to upgrade their skills to fish more sustainably yet more efficiently by attending newly introduced courses at the vocational training centre or by taking a master’s degree in marine fishing.

that are actively contributing to the marine fishery industry. Local partners range from universities that already offer marine-related study programs, through private companies whose core business is in the fishing industry, to the Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the fishing sector’s highest authority. The project has nine partners: the University of Split in Croatia (project coordinator), Agricultural University of Tirana, University of Vlora “Ismail Qemali”, Aleksandër Moisiu University of Durrës, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Fisheries and Aquaculture Services Directorate, Tirana, AlbAdriatico2013

Ltd., Albamar and EUROFISH. The involvement of such a variety of stakeholders will assure the quality of the project’s results and its sustainability.

Development of master’s degree well under way The project’s first step was an analysis of the current status of the fishing industry in Albania. This provided a detailed overview of the existing educational opportunities and resources in Albania and the structure of the fishing industry, the number of stakeholders and their needs in terms of human resources.

This analysis provided insights that were used in the development of a curriculum for the new professional master’s degree in marine fishery. After designing a curriculum based on the experience of the University of Split, which organizes

undergraduate, graduate and doctoral courses in marine fishery, and on the competencies at three Albanian universities, the curriculum was approved by departments, faculties as well as the senates of three universities. That was a prerequisite for sending the curriculum to the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth for final approval, which was done in mid-February 2020. Study tours were planned for Albanian participants to Italy and Denmark in 2020 but they have, so far, been postponed because of the current situation with the coronavirus.

For more information: Prof. Alen Soldo, PhD in Marine Fisheries Project Coordinator Department of Marine Studies University of Split soldo@unist.hr http://almars-project.eu

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A prominent stakeholder in the Albanian inland ďŹ sheries displays its dynamism

New ďŹ sh market should bring several beneďŹ ts The Fisheries Management Organisation (FMO) Shkodra Lake was established on 23 March 2003. It is a non-proďŹ t organisation whose members are licensed artisanal ďŹ shermen operating on Shkodra Lake.

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hortly, after being created the Fisheries Management Organisation Shkodra Lake was recognised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. With the recognition of the FMO, the Albanian part of Shkodra Lake and the Buna River, which flows from the lake and joins the Drini River, up to the estuary at the mouth of the Buna, legally became the FMO’s co-management area.

FMOs are responsible for the sustainable management of resources The FMO’s mission is the management of the lake’s fishery resources based on a co-management plan prepared by the FMO in cooperation with the staff of the Fishery Directorate. In order to further strengthen the role of FMOs and to extend the positive results from the responsible management

of fishing activities, in 2012 the Federation of Fisheries Management Organisations of Albanian Trans Boundary Inland Waters was established. This joined the Shkodra FMO with the FMOs of other natural and artificial transboundary lakes in a communitybased management body with a total membership of about 1,000 artisanal fishermen.

The Shkodra Lake FMO (as well as the other FMOs) is a strong partner of the fisheries administration as well as of environmental organisations that protect the resources and the environmental values of Shkodra Lake. In addition to sustainably managing stocks in the lake, the FMO has carried out several projects funded by different agencies including the Global Environment Facility, Deutsche Gesellschaft fĂźr Internationale Zusammenarbeit, and the International

The latest initiative from the FMO Shkodra Lake has been to construct a market for all the fish caught in the area of the lake that it manages.

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Labour Organization. The projects have typically focused on environmental issue such as conservation, biodiversity, and ecosystem management. The FMO/ Federation applies regularly for projects that not only have a fishing component but include broader environmental objectives. It looks for other forms of fishing that could generate additional income for the fishermen without increasing the pressure on fishing resources and it also tries to identify alternate sources of income. Since the end of 2019, the FMO has been implementing a project on ecotourism fishing and in the second half of 2020 it will start another project to restore the breeding grounds of bleak (Alburnus alburnus) in Shkodra Lake.

Fish market contributes to food hygiene, traceability, data collection The FMO’s ambitions also extend to the sales and marketing of the fish its members catch. The idea is to increase the returns to the fishermen by adding value to the products and to create a sales structure that would eliminate middlemen and allow the FMO to sell directly to buyers. It has therefore established a fish market which will trade all the fish caught by the fishers operating

Arjan Cinari, Manager, Fisheries Management Organisation Shkodra Lake and the main driver behind the organisation’s development (archive photo).

in Shkodra Lake and by those fishing in the rivers Drini and Buna. This fish market is the first in Albania for the inland capture fisheries sector to be built to EU standards, equipped, and to start operations — though the later

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The Shkodra Lake is a trans- boundary lake shared with Montenegro. Fisheries in the Albanian part of the lake are managed by a fisheries management organisation in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

has been delayed by the pandemic. It has 180 cubic metres of refrigerated storage, an auction area, and staff rooms. The market will be the point of first sale for fish caught in the lake and the rivers and the quality of the production is ensured by a HACCP system that the FMO has implemented.

The new market introduces several noteworthy elements to the first sale of inland capture fishery products in Albania. All the fish caught in the region will be subject to the highest food safety and hygiene standards and will be traceable back to the individual fisherman with records maintained of the fishing area, date, and time of catch. The

traceability system will guarantee at the same time that the product is from a legitimate fishery and not from IUU. Moreover, the market will collect useful data on the structure of catches, quantities, and prices. Sales of fish from other points that fail to meet the hygiene standards of the market are liable to be discouraged. The market will thus positively influence several aspects of the trade in inland fisheries products in the area and should encourage other FMOs to also set up markets.

For more information contact Mimoza Cobani, Fisheries and Aquaculture Expert, and advisor to the FMO Shkodra Lake. cobanimimi@yahoo.com.

Mimoza Cobani, Fisheries and Aquaculture Expert, is using her years of experience to advise the FMO Shkodra Lake on ways to make the fishery more economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable.

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[ TECHNOLOGY ] Fishing methods inuence the sustainability of ďŹ sheries

More selective ďŹ shing protects stocks and marine ecosystems When evaluating the ďŹ shing gear used in ďŹ sheries a lot of criteria have to be taken into account. The focus today is not only on efďŹ ciency and catchability but also on sustainability and environmental impact, for example on selectivity and avoidance of by-catch or possible damage to the environment. Social pressures and economic constraints are the drivers behind improvements to ďŹ shing gear and technology.

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he increasing efficiency of fishing gear and fish detection systems and the larger size of fishing fleets have heightened the pressure on fish and seafood resources. There are already obvious signs of overfishing and the resultant negative consequences for marine ecosystems in many regions of the world. In the interests of future generations more and more people are thus demanding that marine resources should only be used on a scientific basis and that fishing practices should be changed accordingly. When developing new fishing technologies the focus must not only be on increasing catch productivity but also on making the gear more selective, more environmentally friendly

and more sustainable. There has been a significant increase in social awareness of the need for responsible fishing, sustainable and climate-friendly use of resources, and protection of biodiversity and the environment. And this has led to conflicts because so far there are no fishing techniques or gears that do not in some way impact the environment. The effects can be anything from unwanted bycatches and undersized fish in the net to physical damage to aquatic habitats, mainly the seabed, and the unavoidable climate effects of fishing.

New, technically advanced technologies are not always immediately adopted by fishermen.

Bottom trawls are particularly vulnerable to damage and loss if they get caught on rocks or other sharp-edged structures on the seabed.

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They will only assert themselves if they meet certain requirements of the potential user. In most cases, the focus is on economic aspects: any improvements made to a fishing gear should not reduce the user’s income too much, so the purchase price must not be too high. Furthermore, the gear should not be too complicated and its use not be too labourintensive. The fishermen are, of course, the main stakeholders with regard to acceptance of any technical improvements to the gear, but their acceptance alone is often not enough today because many other players and interest groups, from government authorities to environmental NGOs, want to have their say in

such matters, too. Some of them are concerned about diving birds that occasionally get caught in the nets or on the hooks of longlines.

Others want to protect dolphins, whales and other marine mammals, sea turtles or, more generally, aquatic ecosystems from damage. The wide range of varied demands makes it considerably more difficult to develop and implement innovative ideas.

The advantages and disadvantages of any fishing gear also always depend on the local conditions of use. Gillnets are very size-selective, energy-efficient and climate-friendly. However, despite additional warning and signalling devices, it cannot be

Fishing gear and net materials of all kinds are part of the basic equipment of almost all fishing and aquaculture enterprises worldwide.

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Cast nets, which are mainly employed for the user’s own needs, hardly offer worthwhile starting points for constructive improvements.

ruled out that other animals than the desired target fish species will be caught in them, too. This also applies to pelagic trawls, which are species-selective because swarm fish are usually found among their own species, but are less size-selective because juvenile fish have little chance of escaping from the narrow meshes in the codend. Although sorting grids and exit windows can effectively release small fishes they are rarely used in practice and are also rarely recommended because pelagic species often lose scales during their escape from the gear and this can lead to secondary infections, osmotic damage and, ultimately, the fish’s death.

Too little recognition of the progress made in fisheries People who look only at individual aspects during the use of fishing gear and take them out of context often come to the wrong conclusions. Hand lines and trolling lines, for example, provide optimum fish quality, since each animal is taken on board individually and slaughtered separately. However, this method is not very efficient and consumes a lot of energy, which is reflected in its unfavourable carbon footprint. Public perception of fishing methods and gear

is strongly influenced by allegations, rumours and prejudices.

Purse seines, which account for approximately 65 of global tuna catches, are said to be responsible for by-catches of thousands of dolphins, for example. These allegations date back to the 1980s, however, and are now long outdated. According to studies by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), the annual dolphin by-catch in purse seines during fishing for free swimming tuna schools is now less than 0.1!

When caught using FADs (fish aggregating devices) by-catch levels vary from 1 in the East Pacific to almost 9.5 in the Atlantic.

Purse seine fishing also has the advantage of relatively low fuel consumption, with only 368 litres required per tonne of tuna landed.

By-catches are significantly higher when tuna is caught with longlines and gillnets. Longlines enable a particularly high catch quality which is then suitable for sashimi markets. However, on every fifth hook is not the hoped for albacore, yellowfin or bigeye but a shark, sea turtle or seabird.

In addition, this fishing method is relatively harmful to the climate: an average of 1,070 litres of fuel are required for every tonne of tuna. Gillnets, which according to the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) dominate tuna

fishing in the Indian Ocean, account for as much as 64 per cent of the shark catches registered by the IOTC. Occasionally, sharks, turtles and other marine creatures also get caught in pole-andline fisheries, but they can usually be put back into the sea undamaged, which makes this fishing technique particularly speciesfriendly. On the other hand, their CO2 footprint is not good at 1,485 litres of fuel per tonne of tuna.

So summing up there is no such thing as the undisputedly “best”, solely recommendable method of tuna fishing. Each technique has certain advantages, but also has starting points for improvement.

When evaluating gear, recent improvements are often not taken into account sufficiently or sometimes not at all. Hardly anyone knows, for example, that sorting grids are now compulsory in bottom trawling for cod and other demersal species in the Barents Sea. While escape windows are usually dispensed with for pelagic species, they make perfect sense for cod, saithe and haddock because these robust species usually survive their escape from the net. Seabed damages have also been reduced. Rubber wheels, known as “rock hoppers”, on the lower front edges of the bottom trawls ensure that the heavy gear literally “jumps” over uneven bottoms, reducing the number and duration of unavoidable ground contacts. And who knows that more and more shrimp trawls (hat resemble bottom trawls) are being fitted with “turtle excluder devices” (TEDs) to prevent bycatches of turtles.

Improvements to fishing gear serve several objectives Fishermen collaborate with fishing technicians to improve their

fishing gear or to develop alternative methods for catching fish as gently as possible and with the highest quality. As required by the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries they place particular emphasis on greater selectivity, environmental friendliness and energy efficiency of fishing gear and practices. By-catches of non-target species, protected species and juveniles should be reduced and the environmental impact of fishing gear minimised.

These objectives are also in the fisherman’s self-interests because they affect the profitability of his operation and the relationship between costs, benefits and yields. With more selective fishing gear, for example, it is possible to catch exactly the species and sizes of fish that are in demand on the market and that are better paid, with the same or even less effort.

This saves unnecessary storage costs and prevents “high grading”, which often causes additional damage to fish stocks.

Developments in fishing gear can be seen in its design, material and functioning but fishing itself is also changing, for example in relation to when, how and where fishing takes place. Greater selectivity in trawl nets can be achieved, for example, by increasing mesh sizes, escape windows or sorting grids, which allow smaller animals and unwanted species to escape. However, it can be just as effective to avoid fishing in growth areas of juvenile fish at certain times, because there is a much higher probability that undersized animals will get into the net then. It would be helpful to identify ecologically sensitive areas with particularly valuable aquatic communities or biotopes that could be affected negatively by fishing activities, and close them temporarily or in individual cases even to put them

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[ TECHNOLOGY ] pulse trawling affected other fish species and benthic communities.

“Ghost nets� are becoming a global environmental problem

Lift nets are used in many areas of Asia. Thermal stress and mechanical strain often result in heavy wear.

under complete protection. The effectiveness of such measures can be seen in the example of the MSC-certified New Zealand hoki fishery which is no longer permitted to use bottom trawls during the species’ spawning season. In 2007, New Zealand also closed almost a third of its waters (1.1 million square kilometres) completely to bottom trawling. Thanks to strict controls and the sustainable management of the fish stocks living there the biomass has more than doubled since that time. The MSC-certified Norwegian Barents Sea fishery also deliberately avoids areas with sensitive habitats, and fishing close to the bottom is only permitted in predefined corridors.

An even greater challenge will be to increase the energy efficiency of fisheries, which is usually measured as fuel consumption per unit of catch landed. It can vary depending on fishing gear, fishing method and fishing area, and can sometimes exceed one litre of fuel per kilogram of catch landed, which is difficult to avoid in distant water fisheries at sea, however. Of course, this also impacts the climate and pollution effects of these fisheries because more combustion gases are emitted.

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Despite the ongoing need for innovative ideas and cost-efficient fishing technology, not every new development is successful, not every interesting idea is taken up. A sad example of this is the high-performance Sumwing net that was developed in the Netherlands to replace the traditional beam trawl in flatfish and shrimp fisheries. Instead of the heavy cross beam, which keeps the trawl open at the sides as it ploughs through the seabed, the SumWing net is supported by a “wing�, which is modelled on the wing of an aeroplane. This makes the net literally hover above the seabed, reducing ground contact by over 80 per cent and fuel consumption by about one fifth. The gear’s downfall was the electrical pulse system that shoos flatfish up out of the seabed and into the net opening. This was an ingenious technical innovation in that it rendered the heavy, bottomdamaging tickler chains that had been previously used superfluous. Ultimately, however, pulse trawling was prohibited because the use of electric current in fishing in EU waters has been banned since 1988. Environmental associations and other SumWing opponents justified their position with the argument that it was not known exactly how

A further issue that is just as important as improvements to fishing gear is the incidence of “ghost nets�, i.e. nets that are lost at sea, severely damaged and then “disposed of free of charge�, or once lost are no longer found.

Since nets, baskets and other fishing gear are today mostly made of resistant, durable plastics, it usually takes several hundred years for the material to decompose into micro-plastic particles (which are themselves also harmful to the environment). And until that time the ghost nets can continue to fish. Fish and crabs that get caught in the meshes die a senseless death. Their carcasses are bait that attract further victims. Over longer periods of time, ghost fishing can therefore be a hidden reason behind fish mortality – and one that is difficult to take into account in stock assessments. One way to solve this problem is to use new types of net materials with a limited life span, which biodegrade or decompose relatively quickly after their period of use. Initial experiments suggest that biobased polymers such as polybutylene succinate could well meet these requirements. However, there is still a long way to go before they can be used in practice, which means that different solutions will have to be found for today’s fishing gear, much of which will eventually end up as ghost nets.

Time is pressing: the EU Commission estimates that abandoned, lost and illegally disposed of fishing gear accounts for more than 11,000 tonnes a year in the

European seas alone, which is equivalent to about a third of all marine litter. Worldwide, as much as 640,000 tonnes of trawls, gillnets, stake nets, baskets and traps are reportedly lost every year due to accidents, storms, abrasion, breakage or careless dumping.

Only 1.5 per cent of the nets that are worn out are recycled correctly! This contributes to the littering and chemical pollution of the seas. Almost half of the Great Garbage Patch in the Pacific is said to consist of net material.

Old nets are not only a nuisance but also cause quite considerable costs because they get caught in ship propellers and pollute the beaches. In the EU alone, around EUR 630 million is spent annually on cleaning beaches.

More recycling of worn out fishing gear needed Organisations and associations in many regions of the world are now tackling this problem.

The Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI) of the NGO World Animal Protection demands, among other things, that governments promote the recycling of nets through government incentives.

In the Maldives, the International Pole and Line Foundation IPNLF supports a project that rewards fishermen who search for nets lost at sea and bring them back to shore. In the EU, Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 requires fishermen to individually mark their fishing gear and report any lost gear.

However, many ports still lack facilities for collecting, recycling or exchanging old nets. It is often easier and cheaper for fishermen to simply throw worn gear overboard. The EU Fisheries Fund is therefore supporting projects to improve infrastructure on ships and in ports to capture and recycle old nets more thoroughly.

EUR 53 million is available for

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[ TECHNOLOGY ] this purpose during the period 2014 to 2020.

In 2018 the European Commission put forward a further proposal to combat marine litter by encouraging the recycling of old fishing gear. Under the EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) systems, which are already mandatory for some industries, the responsibility for the correct disposal of plastic waste from fishing equipment will in future lie with the manufacturers of the fishing gear. They will therefore have to ensure that all fishing gear that is brought back to shore and returned is properly collected and recycled. The extended responsibility of the manufacturer relieves fishermen of the cost of disposal in port and should speed up the development of a special waste stream for worn or damaged fishing gear.

What might at present seem more like an additional burden for net and gear manufactur-

ers may prove to be a welcome source of income in the near future because worn out nets are not “waste” but valuable raw materials. Nets, ropes and other materials are usually made of high-quality plastics which – with creativity and the right technologies – can be transformed into quite useful things. In the USA, for example, around 1,300 t of old nets have been collected and recycled within a project since 2008 to generate electricity. Although this variant does not do justice to the material’s full potential it is certainly better than simply leaving the nets in the sea. However, a search on the internet reveals more creative forms of recycling for worn fishing gear. ‘Net-works’ uses this material to produce durable carpet tiles in the Philippines and Cameroon, for example.

‘Bureo’ uses old plastic nets to make sustainable skateboards, frisbees and the popular stacking game Jenga. With a portion of the proceeds, Bureo sponsors local

The dredges that are mostly used for collecting mussels on the seabed are very susceptible to damage despite the robust materials they are made of.

NGOs that work to collect the nets. And there are more ideas: ‘Girlfriend’ spins fine microfibers from old nets for fashionable leggings and tops. ‘Healthy Seas’ uses net plastic for the production of the nylon yarn Econyl, which is used for swimsuits, carpets and socks. and ‘Planetlovelife’ makes decorative bracelets out of old nets and ropes.

At present, such forms of recycling are little more than the proverbial drop in the ocean but they are an encouraging start.

With every new collection point offered for old nets in a port and with every company that includes functioning recycling systems in its CSR and purchasing policy we get a little closer to finding a solution for this problem. mk

Chemical fish egg disinfection in Europe

Product approval — a long and expensive process The path to official recognition for disinfectant products is so demanding that it has deterred many manufacturers leading to an uncompetitive market, according to Evans Vanodine.

F

or many years the fish production industry has used chemical fish egg disinfectants at the hatchery stage. The objective has been to improve hatchability through the destruction of disease-causing microorganisms on the outer coating of the egg, without damaging the egg itself.

Disinfectants are not designed to target only specific cells This is a tall order since all disinfectants are designed to kill living cells, and the mode of action is unlike medicinal treatments which are targeted. Disinfectants have general modes

of action and cannot be focused specifically on problem-causing viruses or bacteria. Many are designed to kill extremely tough and resistant organisms and consequently are not environmentally friendly. The selection of the correct disinfectant active material in aquaculture and the formulation of the product is

therefore critical if high mortality and poor biodegradability are to be avoided.

In the 1970’s, buffered iodine disinfectants, such as UK manufacturer Evans Vanodine’s ‘Buffodine’, were invented. These were specifically designed to halt vertical transmission of viruses such

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[ TECHNOLOGY ] as IPN on the outer membrane of the eggs of salmonid species, without penetration or damage to the eggs. Buffodine was the first of this disinfectant type to be developed and was patented, and since then this class of product has been largely used for egg disinfection by salmonid and other marine species producers around the world. The product can be used on a wide range of marine species, including shellfish, to prevent infection.

European legislation governing disinfectants is in place However, the use of these disinfectants has, with a few exceptions, not been controlled by regulation and although very effective in providing low levels of mortality in brood stock and high hatchability, these products have largely escaped regulatory oversight. This has now changed.

In Europe the use of all disinfectants is now controlled by the EU Biocidal Products Regulation (EU 528/2012). This regulation,

Fish egg disinfectants increase hatching rates by killing bacteria and viruses that can infect the eggs.

52

Evans Vanodine, a UK company, manufactures one of the few iodine-based fish egg disinfectants currently on sale in Europe.

which applies to all EU member states – and to other countries like Norway which have adopted the regulation – first evaluates the disinfectant’s active ingredients which are the core of the disinfectant and authorises them — or not. Out of an original 550 actives, only 128 have been accepted for submission, the remainder failing on safety or environmental grounds.

Following authorisation, any manufacturer who uses this active material in their products has a limited time to submit a product dossier to a EU authority for authorisation as a finished disinfectant product. If this finished product authorisation is given, the manufacturer must then apply for Mutual Recognition of the authorisation in any Member States in which they wish to sell the product. It is a long, complicated, and very expensive process, with the objective of standardising the use and effectiveness of disinfectants across Europe and thereby preventing hazardous or environmentally unsafe compounds from

being used. It has proved however to be highly anticompetitive in its consequences.

Only few European manufacturers of iodine-based disinfectants Iodine-based disinfectants were the first active family to be authorised by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and disinfectant formulations based on this compound have now been submitted and authorised by the Member States. Unfortunately, the high cost and technical demands of submitting biocidal dossiers to the EU in support of a specialist egg disinfection product has caused most, if not all of the other European manufactures of this class of disinfectant to withdraw their products from use. It appears that Evans Vanodine’s product Buffodine, which has been submitted and authorised, is now the only Biocidal Products Regulation authorised iodine-based fish egg disinfectant on sale in Europe.

The cost of this authorisation to Evans Vanodine for this single product is in excess of â‚Ź100,000 and has taken 4 years to achieve regulated status.

Ovadine is a well-known and respected North American iodinebased fish egg disinfectant, imported into Europe and is still on sale at present, but this product has not been submitted to the EU BPR and therefore is now being sold illegally and will have to be withdrawn before the importers face fines from their local regulators. Evans Vanodine is developing a European multi-language label for its Buffodine product and is currently advertising heavily to make the industry aware of the continued availability of this proven, tried and tested aquaculture egg disinfectant in the event that a hatchery should suddenly find their usual product unavailable or removed from the market.

For further information and distribution opportunities please contact export@evansvanodine. co.uk.

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KAZAKHSTAN

The fisheries and aquaculture sector in Kazakhstan

Significant potential to be realised Capture fisheries production in Kazakhstan comes from the waters of the Caspian and Aral Seas, Balkhash, Zaysan lakes, Bukhtarma, Kapshagai, Shardara reservoirs, Alakol system of lakes and other ponds with a total area of over three million hectares. More than 70 fish species live here, including the most commercially valuable (zander, common carp, grass carp, silver carp, whitefish).

F

ishing in Kazakhstan is carried out in inland waters (lakes and reservoirs), the rivers Ural and Kigach, and the coastal zone of the Caspian Sea. Currently, marine fishing in the Caspian is practically non-existent. Large water bodies are divided into many fishing areas, each of which is assigned for a period of 10 to 49 years to a specific tenant (user), who enters an agreement with the state for the rental of a reservoir (site) on certain conditions. The user must catch fish within the limits defined by the state (annual limits) and carry out stocking and maintenance of the reservoir. There are 20 bodies of water of international and national significance. They are divided into 364 sites, of which 236 are assigned to 129 users. The remaining 128 sites are not fixed.

Of the 2,907 reservoirs of local importance, 1,410 reservoirs are assigned to 943 users, while 1,497 are not fixed.

Capture fisheries is entirely small scale The official catch in Kazakhstan is 40-45 thousand tonnes of a scientifically estimated total allowable catch of 60 thousand tonnes. The catch limit for 2019 is 51.8 thousand tonnes. In the middle of the last century up to 100 thousand tonnes were caught, and indirect estimates show that the actual catch, including IUU catch, currently exceeds this

Sturgeons are among the main species farmed in Kazakhstan. They are produced both for consumption and for restocking the Ural River and the Caspian Sea.

figure. The current commercial fishing system in Kazakhstan is artisanal coastal fisheries, in FAO’s terminology “small-scale coastal fisheries by local communities.” Industrial fisheries which dominated during Soviet rule collapsed with the fall of the planned economy and the termination of the state’s fish-

ing monopoly. The deterioration of fixed assets that had not been upgraded since Soviet times led to the disappearance of the fishing fleet and the closure of large fisheries. Specialised net fishing for commercially valuable species continues, but there has been a decrease in active fishing gear in all fisheries.

Dramatic increase in aquaculture production planned Commercial fish farming is currently relatively underdeveloped. The volume of commercial fish farming under the Soviet regime reached 10 thousand tonnes, mainly due to pond and EVSPlTI Magazine 3 / 2020

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KAZAKHSTAN

Capture ďŹ sheries production in Kazakhstan (tonnes, live weight) 50000

Capture ďŹ sheries production in Kazakhstan by species (tonnes, live weight)

46827

40000

34896

36939

37137

40461

41335

34692

31157

30000

32000

Species

2016

2017

2018

Freshwater bream

11776

12641

12990

20000

Pike-perch

4894

4994

5130

10000

Roaches nei

2295

2544

2610

0 2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

FAO. 2020. Fishery and Aquaculture Statistics

lake fish farming. In the 1990s, aquaculture production fell to almost zero. Currently, the state pays great attention to the development of aquaculture in the country. The state program for the development of the agroindustrial complex for 2017-2021 is projected to increase the production from aquaculture from 1.6 to 5 thousand tonnes by 2021.

Today, 179 fish farms are engaged in the cultivation of marketable fish. These are divided into 99 lake-commodity fish farms, 55 pond farms, 5 cage fish farms, and 20 closed water supply installations and basin farms. In 2018, about 1,600 tonnes of fish were produced, according to the FAO. This was a slight increase over 2017 though less than the record 1,878 tonnes produced in 2016. The main species are sturgeon, trout, and carp, for which there exist proven breeding technologies. For the development of fish farming, state support is provided in terms of reimbursement of 25 of expenses for investments in the acquisition of machinery and equipment for fish farms and reimbursement of 30 of the cost of feed for fish when growing sturgeon, salmon and carp. Reproductive fish farming is much more developed in the country. In hatcheries, larvae of valuable fish species are obtained and raised to the stage of viable fingerlings for stocking natural water bodies. Each year, these enterprises receive 54

200-300 million fry of carp, whitefish, grass carp, silver carp.

Also, two sturgeon hatcheries receive up to seven million sturgeon fry for stocking the Ural River and the Caspian Sea.

Trade is mostly in small pelagic species The fisheries industry must ensure that its equipment for processing and transporting fish meets the necessary standards. The placement of fish processing facilities is traditionally tied to large fishing ponds. The bulk of fish processing occurs in the regions Atyrau, Almaty, East Kazakhstan and Kyzylorda. The capacity of 72 fish processing enterprises is 87 thousand tonnes per year, however, their workload does not exceed 43. Main products are pike perch fillet, fresh-frozen, dried and smoked fish. When exporting to third countries (states that are not members of the Eurasian Economic Union), an export permit is required. Currently, Kazakhstan is included in the list of EU countries that are entitled to export fishing products to the EU. Eleven Kazakhstani fish processing enterprises have an “EU number,â€? which confers the right to export to the EU. According to FAO data, the largest export volume was observed in 2016, when 1,402 tonnes of fish and fish products were delivered to foreign markets with a value of USD3.6 million. In 2017, the latest year for which data are

Cyprinids nei

2715

2466

2530

Caspian roach

1975

1925

1980

Crucian carp

1369

1710

1760

926

1089

1120 1120

Asp Wels catďŹ sh

1212

1087

Northern pike

807

790

810

European perch

672

695

710

Mullets nei Others Totals

552

694

710

12142

522

530

41335

31157

32000

FAO. 2020. Fishery and Aquaculture Statistics, (nei = not elsewhere included)

available, imports of fish and fishery products amounted to 3,917 tonnes valued at USD9.2 million, while exports were 1,145 tonnes worth USD3.1 million. The main exported products are prepared

or preserved small pelagics (sardines, sardinella, brisling, spat), while the same group of species as well as prepared or preserved herring and mackerel, dominate imports.

The Fisheries Research and Production Centre

Applied science for ďŹ sheries and aquaculture The Fisheries Research and Production Centre (formerly KazNIIRH) is the only specialised scientiďŹ c institute for ďŹ sheries and aquaculture in Kazakhstan. The head ofďŹ ce is in Almaty and it has six regional branches. The services it provides include: − Appraising reservoirs to determine their potential as ďŹ shing/aquaculture sites; − Developing recommendations and biological studies on stocking of reservoirs and acclimatisation of commercial species of ďŹ sh and organisms; − Biological studies to determine the total allowable catch of ďŹ sh; − Assessment of damage to ďŹ sheries from economic activity; − Advice on all matters related to hydrobiology, ichthyology, aquaculture and ďŹ sheries; − Elaborating ecological passports for ďŹ shing companies; − Design documentation for hatcheries of various types (lake, pond, cage farming, raceways, RAS); − Assistance in the preparation of business-plans for hatcheries and farms.

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KAZAKHSTAN

Zander is a high value species, the fillets of which are sought after in different countries including in Europe.

Consumption is higher than officially estimated According to the FAO, actual consumption in developing countries may be higher than stated as official statistics underestimate the contribution from fisheries for personal consumption and from some types of small-scale fisheries. Based on FAO data (production + imports – exports) Kazakhstan’s 18.2 million people consume about 1.9 kilograms per capita per year. However, actual fishing is significantly higher than official figures. In addition, Kazakhstan’s borders with other CIS countries are porous, so the actual extent of exports and imports are unknown.

The Statistics Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan when

measuring consumption of fish and seafood products at home, estimates the average national household consumption at 10-11 kg per capita, which is significantly lower than in developed countries.

A number of challenges to overcome The lack of a multiannual strategic plan prevents the systematic development of Kazakhstan’s fisheries and aquaculture sector. Currently, the Fisheries Development Programme 2020-2030 is being drafted. Apart from the lack of a strategy, the development of fisheries in Kazakhstan is hampered by a lack of investment, and a lack of large companies. Small fragmented fisheries are difficult to manage and

control. As in other countries, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in Kazakhstan is one of the main challenges facing the industry, the resolution of which will require time and considerable efforts. At the same time, there is no mechanism for the control and regulation of recreational fishing, an activity practised on a significant scale. Obsolete technologies in aquaculture and fish processing, a lack of marketing and technological support for the industry, and outdated management systems are among the other factors that hinder the industry’s development.

However, the scope for the sector’s development is also considerable thanks to the abundant water resources, variety of species

produced, a large domestic market where current fish consumption is low, and proximity to potential export markets. By cracking down on grey markets in production and processing, introducing a traceability system for fish products, investing in fish promotion and marketing efforts, and freeing up the import of fish and seafood to expand the domestic market, Kazakhstan could increase per capita consumption of fish, contribute to public health, and create jobs in the sector.

Authors: Y.V. Kulikov, Senior Researcher; S. Zh. Assylbekova, Deputy General Director Fisheries Research and Production Center, Republic of Kazakhstan EVSPlTI Magazine 3 / 2020

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[ TRADE AND MARKETS ] Corona pandemic changes markets and consumer behaviour

Globalisation will remain an indispensable part of the ďŹ sh industry The coronavirus has largely brought public life to a standstill. Stock markets have plunged into the red, freedom of movement has been severely restricted in some places, and the consequences for the global economy are not foreseeable. One thing is certain, however: the longer the standstill lasts, the more profound will be the disruption in the global ďŹ sh industry. Familiar market structures could change, raising fears and anxieties about the future for many of those affected.

W

ell-known epidemiologists had long prophesied that a Pandemic X was imminent. The presumed starting point of the global epidemic would probably be Asia which, due to its high population density and close contact with live animals, offers optimal conditions for the development of zoonotic viruses, i.e. viruses that can be transmitted to humans from animals. And that is where we are now: the ominous predictions have come true. Although not yet fully confirmed, most virologists assume that the origin of the coronavirus Covid-19 will be found at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan in China. It is a lively market with tightly packed stalls, one of thousands of its kind in Asia. Locals and visitors go there not only to buy fish, shrimp and other seafood, or for poultry, pork and beef, but also for bizarre offerings such as wild animals from fox and badger to bamboo rats, hedgehogs and snakes. Although trade in wild animals is officially prohibited in most places, live animal markets are not sufficiently controlled. Because the genetic code of the new coronavirus is 96 identical to the genetic 56

Hygiene conditions at Asian fresh markets often leave much to be desired. Meat and other perishable goods are presented unprotected without refrigeration.

material of bats, experts believe that they are the starting point for the pandemic. The virus was probably transmitted to humans via snake meat. The likelihood of this is high because the animals are usually skinned at the markets which leads to germ-contaminated blood and other body fluids being finely atomised as aerosols

in the air and then, through inhalation, entering the lungs of many people.

The closure of the Huanan market on January 1st and the ban on the sale and consumption of wild animals on February 24th came too late. The virus was already spreading rapidly with dire

consequences. No country has been spared, tens of thousands of people have already fallen ill, some of them will not survive the virus. Bad enough, but in addition to the health effects, Covid-19 is also taking its toll with economic effects and is spreading just as rapidly in that sector. Countries close their borders, global supply

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[ TRADE AND MARKETS ]

Trade with bamboo rats and other wild animals is officially prohibited, but they are still offered almost everywhere on the markets.

chains are disrupted, the flow of goods comes to a standstill. Festivals, conferences and concerts are cancelled, restaurants, hotels and everything that is not absolutely vital are closed, city centres are declared restricted zones.

Everyday life is changing, for some people beyond recognition.

Global financial and currency systems are tottering, share prices are collapsing, stock markets are reporting record losses, the global economy is facing a recession.

Severe restrictions for global seafood businesses It would be a miracle if the international fish industry were not affected by the corona crisis and its consequences. Everyone in the industry is feeling the effects, on the producer and supplier side as well as on the consumer side.

After all, hardly any other sector of the global economy is as interlinked and interdependent as the fish industry. Fish and seafood account for about half of world trade in animal proteins. Fisheries and aquaculture, production companies, freight forwarders, service providers, reefer and cargo providers all suffer when international supply chains are

disrupted. Seafood suppliers are left sitting on their goods, processors are short of raw materials, and a lot of customers have lost their appetite for the seafood delicacies they once loved since restaurants are now closed and consumption of fish would mean that they would have to prepare the meals themselves in their own kitchen. Holidays are being cancelled, tourists are no longer flooding the well-known resorts. Cruise ships and airlines, which are among the most loyal customers for lobster, caviar and scallops, have reduced or completely stopped operations.

This development has resulted in cascade effects with serious consequences, particularly since fisheries and aquaculture are already suffering from global climate change. Many seafood companies now face debts that are growing at the same rate as sales and revenues are falling. This has led to reduced working hours and layoffs, which are intensifying the recessionary dynamics.

And this is particularly fatal wherever the fish industry provides an important basis for a population’s food supply. Well-intentioned efforts by politicians to mitigate the economic consequences

through short-term financial help seem rather helpless in view of the scale of the crisis, which has long since taken on global dimensions.

Seafood demand and consumption is limited to an unavoidable minimum in many places. The trade war started by US President Donald Trump is now taking revenge on US and Chinese seafood companies. Many fish products, including frozen Pacific wild salmon and cod, are subject to tariffs of up to 25 per cent, something which is causing extreme problems for North American suppliers in particular. But for the rest of the global fish industry, too, the coronavirus epidemic came at the worst possible time: Chinese people consume particularly large quantities of fish and seafood during their traditional New Year celebrations, and prices rise then accordingly. However, demands

by the authorities on China’s population to stay at home and avoid mass gatherings led to slumps in out-of-home consumption.

Orders were drastically reduced or cancelled altogether and the Chinese food service market has in the meantime shrunk to a fraction of its former size. Alternative markets are saturated or blocked by import bans, and many products can only be sold at discounts, if at all.

World trade has largely come to a standstill Visible signs of the crisis are the postponements and cancellations of important trade fairs such as the major seafood shows in Boston and Brussels or the Hamburg Internorga, one of the leading trade fairs for the entire out-ofhome market. Trade fairs are

Snakes, which among other things are said to decimate mice and other pests in rice fields, are still very popular in Asian cuisine – despite the ban on catching them.

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[ TRADE AND MARKETS ] international meeting places and thus significant economic factors.

Medium-sized seafood companies, in particular, trust and rely on personal contacts to their customers, and they cannot yet be replaced by digital solutions. The globally networked fish industry with its complex purchasing and customer structures relies on personal contacts for building effective business relationships.

But it’s not only the internationally operating seafood companies that are hard hit by the corona pandemic for the virus often threatens the very existence of private fishermen and small family businesses. Just a few weeks ago, for example, fishermen in the Baltic Sea were complaining about the drastic cuts in fishing quotas. Now

they are finding it difficult to get rid of even their greatly reduced catches in a reasonably profitable way. Due to the absence of tourists and the closure of restaurants, hotels, hospitals, canteens and snack bars, first-sale prices at the fresh fish market have fallen to a record low, and some species of fish can hardly even be sold at all.

Their fellow fishermen in the UK are not doing any better: 2,500 fishing boats have to cope with the collapse in demand due to the corona pandemic: not only those who had specialised in catching high-quality species for the Chinese market, but also suppliers to local restaurants, where guests are now absent.

Self-employed fishermen thus find themselves in a dire situation

as their monthly fixed costs (wages, loan instalments for the vessel, insurance, contributions to the seamen’s fund and trade associations) continue to add up. Their vessels have to be fully operational and the berth in the port must be paid for. Given such existential needs it is hardly surprising that the tone of exchange is getting harsher. Irish fishermen prevented Spanish and French trawlers from landing their catches in the port of Dingle (County Kerry) in late March. Not for fishing reasons, but because their crews were entering Irish towns without prior health checks and were not subject to quarantine. In corona times foreign crews are considered a risk factor. This also makes longer fishing trips more difficult because before

leaving port, the captain must be absolutely certain that no one on board is infected with the Covid19 virus. This makes it even more difficult to put together crews since foreign crew members can face problems due to national travel restrictions and risk delays on their way to their trawlers.

Market shares of certain products are shifting Each individual sector of the fish industry has its own worries, fears and needs. Shrimp fishermen in the North Sea, who already suffered economic losses in 2019, hope that the EU will not close its external borders because it would cut them off from peeling capacity in Morocco. A stop would endanger the existence of

Medium-sized companies, in particular, value trade fairs for building up personal contacts to their customers.

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[ TRADE AND MARKETS ] many companies. Stocks are high and demand is weak because shrimp are usually eaten in restaurants that are now closed. Traditionally, catches pick up again in April and May, which gives rise to fears of additional price falls. Basically, the fish industry is in a better position than other industries because people have to eat even during the corona crisis. But that does not mean “business as usual”, or that there are no changes in actual demand behaviour. While demand for fresh fish with a relatively short shelf life tends to be lower, fish and seafood products with a high degree of convenience that can be prepared quickly and easily become more attractive. Instead of fresh fish, customers often

prefer frozen products. The lower sales rates of classic gastronomy products cannot be compensated for by increased offers for the food retailing industry, however, because in times of the corona crisis buyers are usually quick to adapt their product ranges.

Processing companies are often affected by the crisis in several different ways. Many of them have only a thin capital cover and so their very existence is threatened and they will probably only survive the pandemic if it doesn’t last too long. In addition, there is a shortage of raw materials because many fishing vessels are not leaving port, containers with imported goods are absent, and buyers can no

When entering retail stores customers are given specific rules of conduct on how they can guard against infection with the coronavirus.

Face masks are used widely in Asian cities – not only during the corona crisis. People wear them to protect themselves from dust, exhaust fumes and other dirt.

longer travel around to search for alternatives. Most companies only have stocks to cover a few days because in a globalised world “just in time” deliveries were deemed the order of the day. Suppliers who afforded themselves the luxury of expensive warehousing were often criticised by controllers and business consultants for wasting money and not keeping up with the times. Some fish and seafood products are still in demand, but others are not. Above all, the shutdown of the restaurant and food service sector, normally not only a safe and reliable but also a high-demand customer group, is a burden on business.

To avoid long-term stockpiling many companies are having to reduce their capacities and putting some of their employees on short-time or asking them to take holidays. Where work is still possible, it is often done in alternating shifts so that – if the Covid-19 pathogen is detected in an employee – there is still a replacement workforce.

Well-tried sales channels suddenly break away Those who employ foreign workers in their business on a seasonal or regular basis often have additional problems because the recommended or imposed travel restrictions affect the return of these employees. However, the core problem of all seafood suppliers is and will remain the sales and marketing sector, especially in the fresh food sector. Even the small amount that is still available on the market can only be sold with difficulty and financial losses, because almost all traditional distribution channels have broken away. This is true on a large scale as well as on a small scale.

The Italian market, otherwise a major buyer of fresh produce, has largely come to a standstill. Small coastal fishermen in the North Sea and the Baltic, who often live from the direct marketing of their catches, are suffering sales losses of 80 per cent and more in many locations. Mobile fishmongers

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[ TRADE AND MARKETS ] and stallholders who sell fish rolls, fried fish or fish and chips at weekly markets and funfairs now fear for their existence. Because many events were cancelled weeks in advance – Easter is, after all, a highlight in the fish business – they have no income at all.

A ray of hope in the face of changed consumer and buying behaviour is the increase in online business and delivery services. Both marketing channels are still considered rather unusual for fish and seafood sales, but in addition to delivery classics such as pizza, hamburgers or chop suey, products such as sushi, sashimi or seafood pokĂŠ can now benefit at least a little.

In some European countries, retail chains are also seeing an increase in sales of high-quality seafood products. Dutch retailers, for example, report that under the corona crisis shrimp sales have increased by a factor of 1.4 compared to “normal� times.

However, this is not enough to compensate for the decline in the restaurant business, partly because smaller assortments are preferred in the food retail sector, while restaurants usually offer large shrimps and prawns.

Despite isolated successes, customer preferences have also shifted within the supermarkets.

Because demand at the fresh fish counters is lower than usual, the British Sainsbury’s chain has decided to reduce its counter staff and deploy them elsewhere in the stores and to strengthen its own delivery services. Morrisons, Tesco and Waitrose have announced similar actions. In Austria, numerous food wholesalers and cash & carry stores have now opened their doors to private customers in order to sell their large stocks of perishable foods that would otherwise risk spoilage due to the loss of 60

Closed shops, deserted city centres. Instructions to stay at home and avoid personal social contacts are followed by many people.

customers from the hotel and restaurant sectors.

Lack of alternatives to global seafood trade In this difficult economic situation, which often threatens a company’s very existence and is not the fault of the companies themselves, politicians are increasingly called upon to take action. With rapid decisions and aid measures they can make a decisive contribution to ensuring that the economy can to some extent survive these enormous challenges.

Like a lot of others, companies in the fish industry urgently need non-repayable liquidity aid to cover current fixed costs, loans and other financial liabilities. In many cases, the only way to avoid insolvency is to reduce or defer taxes, fees and contributions. In the past, coastal fishermen who were temporarily unable to operate their businesses due to quota cuts were helped by compensation payments from the European

Marine and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). This should also be possible in the event of a pandemic.

The German Fisheries Association is demanding that the EU create the legal basis for this and provide the necessary funds.

Furthermore, because many fishing enterprises are currently under-utilising their fishing quotas due to a lack of sales opportunities, it should be examined whether the unused quotas can be carried over to the next year, at least proportionally. This would give businesses a slightly better chance of getting started again once the corona crisis has been overcome and the economy is hopefully picking up again. Critics and opponents of globalization are currently hoping that once the virus has died down, the international division of labour and worldwide economic networking will be turned back a bit and returned to the countries of origin. They are calling for a rigorous reassessment of the global

systems that have proven to be vulnerable and prone to disruption in the current crisis. The share of transcontinental freight transport in global economic output alone had recently risen to 25 per cent during the phase of “hyperglobalization�. Division of labour might be possible when manufacturing a car or a special machine but it is almost impossible in the case of fish and seafood if we want to maintain the diversity and breadth of the product range we have achieved.

Alaska Pollock cannot be caught everywhere, lobsters cannot be produced economically in every location, and not every body of water is suitable for salmon farming. So even if parts of the world economy are perhaps reorganised and restructured fish and seafood will continue to be traded globally after the corona crisis. And suppliers and buyers of these products will thus continue to share “a common destiny�. Even if they are currently being put to the test in no small way. mk

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[

EUROFISH

Copenhagen

GLOBEFISH Rome

INFOSAMAK

INFOPECHE Abidjan

Montevideo

INFOYU

Beijing

Casablanca

INFOPESCA

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Making ďŹ sh a regular part of school meals in Latin America An FAO TCP project to promote the inclusion of fish in school meals in three Latin American countries, Honduras, Peru, and Angola, concluded at the end of last year with the formulation of national strategies to ensure school meals include more fish.

The final workshop to discuss the results of the project was organized by FAO in collaboration with INFOPESCA in Punta del Este, Uruguay. Twenty-five people from nine Latin American countries, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, participated in this meeting, while Angola, which is part of the project, could not attend. The meeting was opened by the AndrĂŠs Domingo, Director of DINARA, Graciela Pereira, Executive Director of INFOPESCA and Jogeir Toppe, Reporting Officer, FAO.

Honduras reported that all the activities stipulated in the project had been completed and that a clear strategy on the inclusion of fish in school meals had been drawn up. Two pilot tests were carried out, one at a school in the interior, and the other at a school on the coast. Peru has a well-organized school meals programme (Qaliwarma), but fish is not frequently included in the school menu in some areas of the country. In the project, Peru developed its strategy to make sure every school in the country could include fish on its menu.

Two low cost fish products based on Peruvian anchovy were tested among school children, a salted/ dried product and canned product based on shredded whole gutted anchovy. Both products had a high level of acceptability. More than 90 indicated they liked

Representatives from nine Latin American countries discuss the results of a project to introduce fish into school meals for its health benefits and as a potential way to support small-scale fishers.

the whole shredded anchovy very much.

The remaining participating countries presented their school feeding programmes and proposed ideas as to how fish could become an essential part of these

diets. The importance of convincing parents was highlighted as part of the strategy. Buying locally and supporting small scale fishermen was also suggested as a means to support local economies and ensure long term solutions.

FAO brief: How COVID-19’s impact on ďŹ sheries and aquaculture can be mitigated As with other sectors of the global economy, fisheries and aquaculture are also affected by the spread of COVID-19. Producers, processors, traders, and consumers both directly and indirectly feel the impact of the virus, the consequences of which, particularly for populations that depend heavily on seafood for food security and nutrition, can be severe. FAO has therefore released a brief on how COVID-19 is affecting the fisheries and aquaculture sector and suggested measures to support the different players in the supply chain. Production, for instance, may suffer from the imposition

of sanitary measures on board that make fishing difficult, crews may not be able to join their vessels due to travel restrictions, and the necessary supplies of bait or ice may not be available.

In addition, demand in some countries has fallen as a result of unfounded perceptions about links between COVID-19 and seafood. Aquaculture production is affected by the closure of markets, the shutdown of the HORECA sector, and restrictions on flights and cargo movements.

In the processing sector issues with cross border transport, uncertain supply of raw materials, and market restriction are

among the challenges companies must face. COVID-19 is also likely to have an impact on fisheries management and policy as stock assessments, fisheries observer programmes, and science and management meetings may be postponed or cancelled.

Measures to support the different elements in the supply chain extend from expanding government purchases of seafood to maintain demand and prevent a slump in prices, through extending credit and microfinance facilities to fish farmers to ensuring smooth passage of goods at ports, rail terminals, and at border crossings. The complete

brief is available at http://www. fao.org/documents/card/en/c/ ca8637en

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How is COVID-19 affecting the fisheries and aquaculture food systems

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El NiĂąo is widely known as a climate pattern that begins over the Pacific Ocean but wreaks havoc on ecosystems in land and water far away from its origin. Its consequences include droughts and major harvest shortfalls in large swatches of Africa and Indonesia, forest fires in Australia, and serious flooding in South America. However, its impact on the fisheries and aquaculture sector is largely unknown. To remedy this FAO has published, in partnership with French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD France), the report El NiĂąo Southern Oscillation (ENSO) effects on fisheries and aquaculture. This report captures the current state of knowledge on the impacts of ENSO events across sectors, from food security to safety at sea, from fish biology and fishing operation to management measures.

While understanding of ENSOs has developed greatly since the 1950s, researchers have also been confounded as its incidences are rarely similar. Adding to the complexity is that the frequency and intensity of these events appear to have intensified in the past two decades, with some climate models suggesting these trends may continue as the climate changes.

Produced by international experts based in Chile, France and Peru the report identifies five broad types of ENSO: Extreme El NiĂąo, Moderate Eastern Pacific (EP) El NiĂąo, Moderate Central Pacific (CP) El NiĂąo, Coastal El NiĂąo, Strong La NiĂąa. The authors also recognize that these five types are not static. ENSO events generally worsen the effects of climate change on fish and fisheries, but 62

Puerto De Celeiro S.A.OPP 77

FAO and French institute produce report on El NiĂąo’s impact on ďŹ sheries and ďŹ sh farming

El Niùo’s influence on fisheries and aquaculture is the subject of a new report produced jointly by FAO and the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development.

the evidence is not yet conclusive enough. For marine fisheries, the volume as well as the dominant species in fish catches can change dramatically depending on the type of ENSO. While the bulk of the net change is on Eastern Pacific fisheries, there are notable impacts on some fish populations in the Atlantic Ocean and some impact on tuna fisheries in the Indian Ocean. Further analysis of fish populations and sizes could shed light on longer-term effects as ENSO events alter habitats and marine food webs long after they are over. An IFFO report from

2016 shows that of the 20m tonnes of raw material used for fishmeal and fish oil production globally, some 14m tonnes are whole fish and about half of this comes from Latin American fisheries. The impact of ENSO events on these fisheries thus has repercussions on fishmeal and fish oil production and, by extension on fish feed manufacturing and prices.

Fostering nimble fishing techniques can contribute to resilience, as Peruvian fishers showed when they adjusted to catch more shrimp that moved into warmer

waters and thus offset the missing anchoveta. At the same time, the authors note that El Niùo events do not necessarily favour productivity of alternate species such as sardine and mackerel but rather increase their susceptibility to capture — relevant information for fisheries management systems. Evidence also suggests that ENSO events can significantly impact aquaculture output, particularly for marine plants, molluscs and crustaceans.

The report can be downloaded from http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/ca8348en.

XXX eVSPlTINagazine DPN

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GUEST PAGES

EMSA strengthens Europe’s competitiveness, sustainable growth, and the blue economy

Contributing to all EU policy areas related to the sea The European Maritime Safety Agency is the body responsible for maritime safety and the prevention of pollution by ships in European Union waters. To achieve its goals, and to maximise synergies, the agency cooperates with a variety of European and international organisations. The Agency recently released its five-year strategy for 2020-2024, the implementation of which will fall to Maja Markovčic´ Kostelac, the head of the Agency since January 2019 and former State Secretary for Croatia’s Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, who describes here some of her priorities and visions for the organisation.

The agency was initially established to ensure a high level of maritime safety and prevent pollution by ships in the EC. Today, 18 years later, it is involved in all EU policy areas related to the sea which reflects a huge expansion in its area of operations. How can an overlap of responsibilities between the agency and other EU and international marine-related bodies be prevented to ensure an efficient implementation of policy?

EMSA has sailed now for nearly two decades into the EU maritime landscape helping the EU legislator and institutions to implement efficiently EU maritime policies.

Similarly, we have become a solid partner and provider of services for many national authorities around the EU and beyond. The division of labour between EU bodies is reflected in our founding regulation which defines what EMSA is responsible for.

On the contrary I see more and more synergies being created by working together with peer EU agencies: we cooperate now for several years with EFCA (European Fisheries Control Agency) and FX (Frontex, European Border and Coast Guard Agency) on the so-called EU Coastguard cooperation and we share information

Maja Markovčic‘ Kostelac, Executive Director, European Maritime Safety Agency

with EUNAVFOR (EU Naval Force) and Europol. On the international side, besides an intense dialogue with the main players (e.g. IMO, the International Maritime Organization), the role of EMSA has been that of “exporter of EU solutions” promoting the EU’s high standards worldwide.

The European Maritime Safety Agency, as the name suggests, has a core role to play in the safety of European shipping. In the five-year (2020-2024) strategic framework drawn up by EMSA, safety comes second in a list of five priorities. Is this critical function of the agency

being diluted due to the focus on other priorities?

Not at all. Safety is one of the most important topics at EMSA, as it has always been. On a daily basis, the Agency’s maritime experts study and give advice on technical proposals being discussed at IMO, giving support to Member States and the Commission. On a continuous basis accident report are being collected and analysed.

New safety concerns are being addressed — with studies, analysis and advice — like fire on board ro-ro (roll-on roll-off) passengers ships, safety concerns for large

passenger vessels, safety issues with large container vessels, issues with the manoeuvrability of ships and the development of unmanned vessels. We are always working on safety issues, which is no doubt a core task. I can reassure you and your readers, EMSA continues to be THE maritime safety agency!

Among the recommendations made by the independent evaluator in the 2017 assessment of the agency was one to increase awareness of EMSA among its stakeholders. What efforts have been made in this regard and would you say the agency has a higher profile today than it did three years ago?

EUROFISH Magazine 3 / 2020

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In 2017 EMSA revisited its mapping of stakeholders and targeted communication products for each category depending on the level of engagement and the specific needs. Over the last three years we also differentiated much more our communication channels and related products. We organise open days and participate in major maritime related events. It will not come as a surprise if I mention that our main increase was related to social media. Journalists are often in contact with us to understand the EMSA point of view on the most discussed topics in the maritime arena. Since I joined EMSA in 2019 I have personally taken care of raising the visibility and profile of the Agency in the EU and beyond.

In the past 12 months we have been visited by an increasing number of EU commissioners, national ministers and even the presidents of the republics of Croatia and Portugal (our host nation) paid a visit to our beautiful premises.

Decarbonising maritime transport is one of the paths to achieving the European goal of a circular, clean, resilient, and future-ready economy. How can the agency contribute to the greater use of cleaner fuels or renewable energy on board vessels? What are the instruments it has at its disposal to encourage these changes?

For several years now EMSA has been collecting data and providing studies on cleaner fuels or alternative sources of power for shipping. Moreover, we work very closely with the European Commission, the Member States, and the industry in relevant fora, such as the European Sustainable Shipping Forum (ESSF) and the IMO where the uptake of alternative fuels is under discussion. We act as facilitator: we offer a platform for technical discussions with experts, 64

and we support the Member States through guidance, training, and tools. For instance, our guidance on LNG bunkering to port authorities and administrations is considered a reference point by relevant stakeholders. Another concrete example of our contribution to decarbonisation is the THETIS-MRV (monitoring, reporting, verification) system, developed by EMSA in support of the EU MRV Regulation. Thanks to this tool the EU has now accurate information on the level of emissions from shipping. As EMSA we aim at facilitating discussions based on facts and at providing accurate analysis that can support new legislative initiatives, like the one that the European Commission has recently launched on this topic – the ReFuelEU Maritime Initiative (reducing emissions through the use of biofuels and electro-fuels).

New technologies such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and blockchain offer many exciting opportunities in the collection, analysis, and securing of data.

How is the agency using these tools to improve the services it offers EU Member States?

The use of new technologies and digital services remains a core priority for the Agency. A project of high priority for EMSA is support to the Commission and the Member States for the development of the new European Maritime Single Window environment and the exchange of relevant data through the Agency’s maritime information exchange platform SafeSeaNet. The Agency investigates how distributed technologies such as blockchain can be used to ensure the integrity of such data exchanges.

The analysis of data is also high on the Agency’s agenda. As an example, EMSA has been developing its Automated Behaviour Monitoring service which analyses ships

positions to detect specific behaviours. The service is being deployed to the cloud to allow the analysis of large amounts of data on ships positions as well as other data using artificial intelligence to detect new behaviour patterns. Regarding the Internet of Things (IoT) there is a potential to develop a framework for an IoT-based container tracking system but the discussions on the policy and international cooperation framework have not been concluded. EMSA will offer this service once the policy decisions are made and the Agency gets a mandate.

however we support both the Commission and its Member States in implementing relevant EU legislation and ensure harmonised enforcement.

Marine litter is a vast and growing problem that stems both from land and from vessels at sea. What sort of initiatives does the agency take to clean up existing litter and to encourage better behaviour among vessel crews?

Does the agency have the requisite powers to sanction erring vessels or their flag states?

As maritime safety, maritime security and protection of the marine environment is a common concern of the EU Member States and non-EU countries bordering the Black and Mediterranean Seas, EMSA is actively involved in both regions through the EU-funded BCSEA and SAFEMED IV projects, and offers technical assistance to beneficiary countries with the aim to raise the safety, security and protection of marine environment standards. This is a core task of EMSA and as such is included in its recently adopted 5-year strategy. The projects include training activities (regional and national), activities for building up national capacity (such as drafting legislation and studies) and provision of maritime services and applications (like satellite images for pollution monitoring, RuleCheck, SAT-AIS, eLearning). In addition, EMSA developed a state of the art information system, THETISMed, to support the members of the Mediterranean Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Med MoU), which marked the beginning of a new era on how ships are targeted for inspection, thus fostering harmonisation of standard and procedures in the Mediterranean region.

Marine litter is indeed a global environmental concern. If we look only at plastic, some estimates show that up to 20 of litter entering our oceans may come from seabased activities. We need however to highlight that there are still large gaps in knowledge and in mapping marine litter around European shores. Whilst EMSA does not engage in actual cleaning of marine litter, as a technical body, EMSA assists the European Commission in addressing this issue at the international level, i.e. the IMO in order to amend the relevant annex of MARPOL (the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships). At European level, the new Port Reception Facilities Directive, to be implemented by Member States in 2021 provides a framework to better collect waste from ships and ship-based activities. As you might be aware, EMSA does not have the power to sanction vessels or their flag states,

Mediterranean and Black Sea riparian states include several that are not members of the EU nor even part of Europe. How does EMSA foster a good working relationship with the shipping sector and shipping authorities in these countries which are often at a different stage of development than EU countries?

XXX eVSPlTINagazine DPN

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DIARY DATES 14-18 December 2020 World Aquaculture 2020 Singapore mario@marevent.com www.was.org

The Covid-19 pandemic may cause changes.

Readers are advised to check the event web sites for the latest information.

30 August – 2 September 2020 Aquaculture Canada and WAS North America Saint John’s, Newfoundland, Canada Tel.: +32 9 233 49 12 www.was.org

23-25 September 2020 Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition Reykjavik, Iceland Tel.: +44 1329 825 335 jmiller@mercatormedia.com www.icefish.is

6-8 October 2020 PolarFish Greenland Ilulissat, Greenland Tel.: +45 9935 5555 akkc@akkc.dk http://polar-fish.net/en/

12-15 April 2021 Aquaculture Europe 2020 Cork, Ireland mario@marevent.com www.marevent.com

18-20 November 2020 Seafood Expo Asia Singapore Tel.: +1 207 842 5517 sales-asia@seafoodexpo.com www.seafoodexpo.com

18-20 May 2021 Aquaculture UK Aviemore, Scotland Tel.: +44 7823 374568 info@aquacultureuk.com www.aquacultureuk.com 15-17 October 2020 Future Fish Eurasia Izmir, Turkey Tel.: +90 212 347 10 54 info@eurasiafairs.com www.eurasiafairs.com

23-24 September 2020 Seafood Expo North America Boston, USA Tel.: +1 207 842 5590 sales-na@seafoodexpo.com www.seafoodexpo.com

22-24 October 2020 REPROAQUA 2020 Trabzon, Turkey Tel.: +90 532 558 49 53 reproaqua2020@gmail.com www.ktu.edu.tr/reproaqua2020

27-29 April 2021 Seafood Expo Global, Seafood Processing Global Barcelona, Spain Tel.: +1 207 842 5590 sales-global@seafoodexpo.com www.seafoodexpo.com

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