[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Spain: Aquaculture organisations join forces The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) are joining forces to improve the aquaculture sector in Europe, which employs about 70 000 people across the continent according to the EU. At the Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona the organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding pledging to work together towards their shared vision of a responsible aquaculture sector providing the solution to growing food demand and to ensure aquaculture is better recognised at a political level. The collaboration comes at a time of growing recognition and importance of sustainable food systems. These issues are being looked at by the EU, and both ASC and FEAP have built up valuable knowledge and experience over many years that can help with these developments. FEAP members will
also benefit from greater access to ASC’s guidance on improving farm practices, which always bring economic as well as environmental benefits. Aquaculture’s importance to Europe cannot be overstated: homegrown seafood like salmon, shellfish and seabass are vital to economies across the continent and provide food security. A more effective, and better represented industry is better for all Europeans, Chris Ninnes, ASC CEO, said. From its inception the ASC programme has been about collaboration between diverse stakeholders and knowing how effective this can be at driving change across the industry. FEAP’s President Lara Barazi-Geroulanou pointed out that European aquaculture was a frontrunner on environmental and social sustainability, but is a small player in the market. The
By joining forces the two organisations will improve the aquaculture sector in Europe and ensure better representation at a political level.
European Union’s legal framework needs clear and sound technical screening criteria for sustainable aquaculture, she said. Our working experience as fish farmers together with the expertise of the ASC on responsible aquaculture standards will assure valuable results, she added.
The collaboration will be driven by a steering group co-chaired by Chris Ninnes and Javier Ojeda (FEAP’s General Secretary), which will identify opportunities and manage projects in line with the organisations’ shared objectives.
New teaching materials in Denmark focus on sustainable proteins from the sea The world’s population is expected to increase to 10 billion by the year 2050 and all these people need food - and not just any food, but good and nutritious food. A shift towards more ‘blue proteins’ in the form of food from the sea, reduces competition for both arable land and fresh water. Therefore, to solve the food crisis that a growing population will create, it is vital to source more protein from the sea. Danish Pelagic Producer Organization (DFPO) and the Fisheries and Maritime Museum, in collaboration with Marine Ingredients Denmark, Dansk Akvakultur, the WSP consultancy firm and Hedeselskabet, have with support from the EMFF, developed new teaching materials for schools that
focuses on future proteins from the sea and on the marine food industry’s ability to feed a growing population. When most people consider blue proteins and food from the sea, they usually think of fish. Fish is a great resource, but we can hardly get much more out of wild fish stocks in the sea, so we have to consider other alternatives. The sea offers many other raw materials like oysters, mussels and seaweed, which are high in protein. And maybe animals not thought about could potentially provide a meal. Denmark is the country in the Nordic region that eats the least seafood. We import almost all the fish we eat, while at the same time exporting
XXX FVSPl TINBHB[JOF DPN
Teaching materials for to let students know about the need for and potential of blue proteins can be found at madfrahavet.dk.
tonnes of fish and mussels that we fish and farm. So the sea stores lots of protein-rich and climate-friendly foods—we just need to get better at eating them. Esben Sverdrup-Jensen, CEO of the Danish Pelagic Producer
Organization, said, we want to give children and young people a solid background knowledge so that they have a better understanding of modern fishing and what food potential the sea holds.
