Planning for sustainable growth

Movement is finally afoot on a development plan for the English aquaculture industry, following publication of a consultation document by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on behalf of the English Aquaculture Plan Development Group (EAPDG). This group, which includes representatives from aquaculture, retail, academia and civil society, have been working together for the past year, looking at what is required to achieve sustainable growth.

The consultation looks at how the industry’s growth in England will be driven by key factors such as the need for food security, human health, environmental sustainability and socio-economic activity.

It takes into account current strategies by the UK government on issues such as healthy eating, for which the advice is to consume at least two portions of seafood per person per week. The EAPDG notes that current consumption falls well short of this target and estimates that if the advice were to be followed then the health of the population would be much improved. However, with a growing UK population, an extra 1 million tons of fish and 1.5 million tons of shellfish will soon be needed to match demand.

Currently, 80 percent of UK seafood consumption comes from imports. Given that international seafood supplies are under increasing pressure as fish consumption grows around the world and wild fish landings are stagnant, it could be difficult to meet a predicted UK shortfall by increasing imports further.

Sustainable accreditation is fast becoming a market entry requirement, as well as being a vital factor in ensuring the availability of future supplies. The EAPDG notes that 26 percent of current UK fish landings and an unknown proportion of imports are considered to be unsustainable, and the group believes that seafood produced by sustainable domestic aquaculture has the capacity to replace those unsustainable imports and landings.

There are around 60 million potential consumers in the UK — a figure that will rise to more than 70 million by 2030. Yet current aquaculture production in England is only around 10,000 tons of fish and shellfish per year. (Scotland is the UK’s main aquaculture producer). The majority of this output is accounted for by long established trout, mussel and oyster farms, with a small proportion being provided by more recently established carp and tilapia farms.

Despite this low production baseline, the EAPDG believes that significant growth is possible and has considered shellfish, marine finfish and freshwater fish in the consultation. It examines tank, pond and cage culture, extensive and intensive shellfish cultivation, and inshore, onshore and offshore technologies.

Aquaculture activities have the capacity to produce socio-economic returns as valuable as positive cash balance sheets. Income generation in remote areas with little other employment, economic diversification, new skills development, population stabilization and social well being are some of the proven social benefits that it can provide. These are recognized within the consultation as additional benefits to the economic returns that can be provided by export and tax revenues and replacement of imports.

The document also examines potential barriers to development such as planning and environmental issues, feed availability, fish and shellfish diseases, water quality, technology, training, research and development, access to finance, markets and consumer perceptions. EAPDG considers that none of these are insurmountable, but the combination of all of them together presents a major hurdle that will require a concerted effort by all relevant sectors to overcome.  

UK Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon writes in his forward to the consultation that “the UK government considers that aquaculture has a vital role to play in meeting the needs of consumers for a sustainable supply of seafood and are keen to encourage the development of efficient, competitive and sustainable aquaculture industries.” He strongly welcomes the consultation and urges interested parties to respond to the questions, as their responses will be used by the EAPDG to finalize the English Aquaculture Plan.

The consultation refers specifically to the English Aquaculture Industry, but responses are invited from all who have an informed interest in the subject.

Click here to access the full consultation document and explanatory letter >

Subscribe

Want seafood news sent to your inbox?

You may unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time. Diversified Communications | 121 Free Street, Portland, ME 04101 | +1 207-842-5500
None