FLF, Alm.del - 2008-09 - Bilag 245: Det danske positionspapir om akvakultur, fra Fødevareministeriet

The global aquaculture production is growing fast. It has surpassed the production ofcatch fisheries, and it is still increasing at a great pace.Aquaculture in the European Union has demonstrated its productive capacity and itsgreat potential. Its expertise, the quality and benefits of its products (safety for health,availability, freshness, etc.) are well-known factors. In addition, European aquacultureuses production methods ever more protective of the environment.Aquaculture production in the EU on the other hand is stagnating while it is the fastestgrowing food production globally. The result is that import of fish to the community isincreasing, EU competitiveness on the global market for fish is being challenged,employment and economic perspectives in a number of less favourable regions areunder pressure, the European citizens access to healthy locally produced fish products isdwindling, and European food policy is limited in its prospects.The main cause of this situation seems to be an inconsistent and non-transparent EUregulatory framework that leaves Member States with little knowledge on how to bringabout an increased aquaculture production.A coherent EU policy for aquaculture should be developed in order to obtain asimplified and uniform legislative framework for the sector, and the perspectives for anEU aquaculture should be broadly communicated. On the national level sufficientpolicy priority should be devoted to the sector.

The Community should target and plan for an increase in aquaculture production thatreduces the dependency of imported fish significantly. The development of productionvolume must take place in a “Green Growth” mode, where production accounts for itsenvironmental footprint.The strategy should be based on:1.Green Growthas the policy principle2.A coherent Community policyas driver for national development

3.Research and developmentfor a better future positionAnd it should be supported by a number of supporting initiatives aiming at enhancingthe performance of aquaculture within the EU and on the global market.2.1.“Green Growth” – a sustainable development of aquacultureGreen Growth shall bring the Community in the forefront with regard to a competitiveproduction with a continous reduced environmental impact.Traditional growth addresses the demand of the individual. The call for production toaccount for its environmental effects illuminates the need to integrate and render visiblethe environmental costs as part of the production and the setting of price. It is necessaryfor society to deal with these effects of production in a way that ensures thatThe environmental footprint is reflected in the cost of the production.The product cost related to environmental protection is made transparent and themarket’s appreciation of “green” products is supported

This will ensure that the environmental friendly production gets the benefit of its lowimpact on nature in the form of a more easy access to produce and an advantage on themarket. Green Growth should constitute an incentive mechanism for producers to obtainhigh value at low impact.Green Growth must be based on private investments. It is thus essential to ensure thatthe traditional basis for growth and competition is intact, that innovation andinvestments are high and that the accountability for the environmental impact isintroduced with a pace that takes global competition and market forces into account.The EU should facilitate this process.2.2.A coherent Community policy

Aquaculture is covered by numerous Community regulatory instruments not all ofwhich share identical objectives. They relate to inter alia the Water FrameworkDirective, the Strategy for the Marine Environment, the Natura 2000 Initiative,regulations on organic aquaculture, the introduction of exotic species, and so on.Products must also comply with Community hygiene and animal welfare provisions.Aquaculture is directly affected by horizontal initiatives such as the promotion ofIntegrated Management of Coastal Zones, the integrated marine policy and theframework programmes for research and development.The Commission points to aquaculture producers difficulties in obtaining nationallicenses for growth and to the need for spatial planning for the location of aquaculture.Community policies of relevance for aquaculture should be identified and qualified inrelation to their importance for the development of the sector and a Community set ofguidelines to help the national development of the industry should be established.

2.3. Research and development (R&D)R&D is crucial to aquaculture. Additional support should be made available under theFramework Research Programme. The use of the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) forinnovation and development in aquaculture should be given higher priority.The strategy should focus on profitable R&D. The sector needs results that can betransformed into increased production. R&D, industry needs and the solving of publicregulatory problems must work together.

2.4. Supporting initiativesA number of supporting initiatives can be added to the points mentioned above. Theseinitiatives should aim at enhancing the performance of aquaculture within the EU andon the global market.Education and good governance in the industryThe pace of the aquaculture development depends on the ability of the individualproducer to adapt and develop his industry. The EU should consider the EuropeanFisheries Fund (EFF) to include extended support for educational programmes andexchange of experience between Member States.Environment friendly aquaculture should furthermore be advanced by the aquacultureorganizations through good governance programmes based on best practices and bestavailable techniques (BAT). The Commission should support development andexchange of information on BAT.The development of programmes, standards and certification schemes, e.g. EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) should take place with the active involvement of allstakeholders, and it should contribute to the fulfilment of the Green Growth principle.

CertificationEU aquaculture industry produces with high costs and high standards with regard toenvironment. The qualities of a production based on these requirements must be madeunderstandable, visible and suitable for consumer’s appreciation if the products are tocompete on the EU and the global markets. The investments in environmental effectiveproduction must be followed by public support for documentation, traceability,certification schemes and marketing of “green” products. In the end it is the consumer’swillingness to pay for the cost of low environmental impact that sets the speed of thecontinuous restructuring of the production.

Financial supportThe development of aquaculture must be market driven and the products must competeon the global market. Strong indications suggest, that public support in the form ofoperational regulations and efficient administration and implementation of rules willcreate added value to the sector and society beyond the value that can be imagined bypouring subsidies into the sector. However the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) has animportant role to play in supporting a swift transition and building up of the sectorwithin the regulatory framework described above. That requires a design of the nationalEFF programmes that ensures that subsidies for aquaculture supports the principles ofGreen Growth, and that they are reserved for productions where national rules areimplemented to a degree that ensures the investments to be attractive on the commercialloan market. Subsidies within the EFF framework should primarily be directed towardsinnovation and development, investments in Green Growth and guarantee schemes inrelation to extinction of diseases. A more favourable support for young people enteringthe industry should be considered as well.Food safety and animal welfareEU legislation on hygiene of foodstuffs should remain a horizontal policy. Moreresearch on e.g. toxic algal blooms, which threaten public health and cause damage tofisheries and aquaculture, is necessary, as they represent serious limiting factors foraquaculture production. Research in relation to microbiological contamination inaquaculture establishments for bivalve molluscs could also be relevant as these can be alimiting factor for production. Animal health and animal welfare should address thespecific requirements of aquaculture.

Fair competitionThe European Union applies a number of requirements relating to food, environmentand livestock. These requirements must be uniformly applied in Member States toensure fair competition and to support the incentive mechanisms of Green Growth.Import of products from third countries must take place in full accordance with EUhygiene requirements. At the same time the EU has to ensure a cost effective importcontrol in order to ensure that EU producers and exporters can obtain the necessary rawmaterial without suffering from disfavouring logistic and bureaucratic circumstances.

critical to the development. A strong and coherent communication platform should beestablished on Community level in order to present facts and address criticism andmisconceptions about the industry.Acceptance of the sector by the public and by the authorities requires better knowledgeand recognition of the industry, its products, its role in the EU food strategy and theconditions in which the producers operate.On a global scale the communication should ensure a sound basis for the developmentof Green Growth on basis of a qualified consumer perception of sustainability, highquality and safe products.

The proposals made in this paper are intended to encourage the development ofEuropean aquaculture in a manner that contributes to Europe’s food strategy, that takesleadership in a competitive production promoted by a conceptual approach where thecost of the environmental impact is sought covered by enhanced production value andmarketing initiatives to support consumers choice for low impact products.Competitiveness is essential for a further development of the sector. Aquaculture is aneconomic activity in an open and globally competitive market and new investments inGreen Growth will only be possible if basic conditions to produce in a profitable wayare acceptable. Bringing about Green Growth is a gradual process based on producer’sincentive and ability to invest. The present situation suggests that a Community set ofguidelines to help the development of the industry could improve the situation.