January 22, 2024 - The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) released, in 2021, the GFCM 2030 Strategy for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. In line with the GFCM 2030 Strategy the GFCM has published four aquaculture guidelines outlining how to tackle crucial topics in the aquaculture sector. Now the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) have adopted and promoted these guidelines and use them as a blueprint to further strengthen the strategic guidelines for European Union aquaculture.
FEAP and its members have joined the effort in implementing the GFCM aquaculture guidelines, with a clear and ambitious aim: to ensure the sustainable and resilient growth of the sector to its full potential.
The guidelines provide assistance on key issues such as restocking and stock enhancement, developing social acceptability, streamlining aquaculture licensing, leasing processes and mitigating potential impacts of non-indigenous farmed species. Aligned with FAO Guidelines for sustainable aquaculture, these guidelines provide interested parties with a useful toolkit to enhance the social, environmental and economic sustainability of their practices. FEAP is benefiting from the guidelines established by GFCM, as they offer stakeholders guidance, tools and resources. In turn, FEAP is bringing a vision, inspiration and practical assistance in improving the collective actions of aquaculture and fish farming professionals.
As a federation of national aquaculture farmers' organisations, FEAP brings into this cooperation with GFCM its expertise in strengthening collective actions and the role of associations in pushing forward productive, innovative and sustainable aquaculture policies. Policies that take into consideration the human, social and economic dimensions of this industry, while ensuring the most up-to-date, science-based and sustainable practices for delivering aquaculture products to a growing population.
FEAP will be an advocate of the GFCM's efforts for sustainable aquaculture, promoting GFCM aquaculture guidelines to its members and producers, while supporting the GFCM with knowledge transfer and capacity building in collective action amongst aquaculture professionals in the Mediterranean and Black Sea.
Example of joint actions of FEAP and the GFCM
Aquaculture Guidelines
FEAP actively supports the GFCM aquaculture guidelines and wishes to disseminate and promote the application of its guidelines widely. These guidelines address:
- Streamlining aquaculture licensing and leasing processes.
- Assessing and minimising possible impacts from the use of non-indigenous species in aquaculture.
- Aquaculture restocking and stock enhancement.
- Support the social acceptability for sustainable aquaculture development.
Empowering women towards sustainable aquaculture development
FEAP co-organised from 11 to 18 June 2023, with its Greek member the Hellenic Aquaculture Producers Organisation (HAPO), an empowerment programme to drive women's leadership in sustainable aquaculture.
Collaborative capacity building workshops: opening to non-European Union Mediterranean countries
On 18 January 2024, FEAP organised a workshop in Rome in partnership with the GFCM and the Italian Association of Aquaculture Producers (API). This workshop provided a unique knowledge and experience exchange opportunity to 30 representatives from European Aquaculture companies, farmers associations, as well as GFCM members and delegates of Mediterranean and Black Sea countries including Croatia, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Romania, Spain, Portugal and Tunisia. Among the invited aquaculture experts and professionals, the event highlighted aquaculture initiatives in line with the GFCM 2030 Strategy, with several national fish farmers associations sharing their experience such as:
The HAPO in Greece, represented by Yannis Pelekanakis, Senior Advisor who shared their experience in improving social acceptability for aquaculture in Greece and promoting sustainable aquaculture activities with emphasis on the establishment of allocated zones for aquaculture.
The Portuguese Aquaculture Association (Aquacultores.pt), represented the creation and development of a collective brand for Spanish farmed fish which has helped consumers to identify and support aquaculture finish and the development of coastal and rural communities.
The Spanish Producer's Association (APROMAR) represented by Garazi Rodriguez, responsible for production and marketing plans, who presented the creation and development of a collective brand for Spanish farmed fish which has helped consumers to identify and support aquaculture finfish and the development of coastal and rural communities.
The Croatian Aquaculture Association (Croatian Chamber of Economy) represented by Zoran Radan, Secretary General, who explained the strategy of multi-year marketing campaign 'Fish from Croatia - Eat what is worth eating'. In his presentation he showed how the project contributes to efforts to increase the consumption of aquaculture products in Croatia, raises awareness on aquaculture, contributes to better public perception and acceptability of aquaculture and enhances valuation of local aquaculture products.
The Italian Association of Aquaculture Producers (API) represented by its director Andrea Fabris presented their work on good management practices in fish health and welfare in the Mediterranean.
The workshop, introduced by Mr Marco Rossitto Aquaculture Officer in the General Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture at the Italian Ministry of Agriculture (MASAF), is organised in partnership wit the Association of Italian Fish Farmers (API) the professional organisation aiming at the protection, development and consolidation of all fish farming and aquaculture activities both in inland and marine waters. Aquaculture companies members of API represent freshwater and brackish and marine fish farming, in land or open sea systems, extensive systems (valliculture) and cover approximately 90 percent of the aquaculture companies present in Italy.
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