What holds back European fish farming Issues

1
What holds backEuropean fish farming?Issues
explanations

• Courtney Hough
• General Secretary
• Federation of European Aquaculture Producers

2
TRENDS IN EUROPEAN FISH FARMING
3
PRODUCTION TRENDS IN EUROPEAN FISH FARMING

• Reduced salmon production (UK Ireland)
• Trout diminished throughout Europe
• Carp relatively stable
• Main growth seen for seabass and seabream
• Limited growth for minor species (turbot,
  catfish, sturgeon caviar)
• Question of tuna

4
VALUE TRENDS IN EUROPEAN FISH FARMING

• Mainstream products (salmon, trout, seabass,
  seabream, carps) were all affected in early part
  of decade (not even following inflation)
• Trade competition positions
• Increasing dominance of Multiple Retail Stores
• Switch from market supply to demand dominance
• Ever increasing import levels
• Moves towards added-value processed products

5
OBSERVATIONS

• Legislative Regulatory demands on SMEs continue
  to increase
• Rigorous environmental health legislation
• Fall-out from dioxins/BSE crises means
• Food production is a very serious business
• Moving production/marketing skills to
  accountability, traceability and paperwork
• Market conditions and increased competition
  account for depressed prices
• Not all SMEs can adapt to these demands

6
OBSERVATIONS

• Notable restructuring in salmon
  seabass/seabream sectors
• Consolidation of leading companies , accompanied
  by SMEs leaving the sector
• Financing through traditional mechanisms became
  difficult
• New expansion/Growth increasingly hampered by
  licensing requirements and site allocation and a
  range of legislative requirements

7
OBSERVATIONS

• Enabling environment for growth disappeared
• Political will of Commission Strategy was not
  complemented by National Policies or Strategies
• Absence of foresight
• Weak planning
• Too much precautionary principle
• Concerns overweigh Opportunities
• National planning beginning to emerge

8
EFFECTS ON THE SECTOR

• Growth needs Investment
• Price crisis confidence crisis for operators,
  financiers and regulators
• All aquaculture needs maintenance/renewal of
  investment (particularly marine) on a regular
  basis
• Effects are not immediate and recovery periods
  are necessary (much aquaculture runs over 2 years
  or more)
• Confidence for the future is primordial

9
WHAT DO WE NEED?

• Clarity in policies and planning
• Recognition of the position and contribution of
  European aquaculture
• Foresight and planning at Member State level
• What do you want from aquaculture?
• Do you want aquaculture development?
• Where do you want aquaculture to be in 2017?
• Stronger coordination within the sector (e.g.
  interprofessional actions)

10
ACTIONS FROM THE SECTOR

• FEAP promotes good governance
• Revised Code of Conduct Consensus
• Cooperation with IUCN (environment/planning)
• Cooperation with FAO (certification European
  Committees)
• Supporting research
• EU Projects range of important issues
• European Aquaculture Technology Platform
• Vision document to be presented in November 2007
• Supporting Marketing through Trans-National
  Promotion efforts

11
The position of European aquaculture

• Providing the European consumer with desirable
  products of the highest quality and at an
  affordable price
• Assuring that aquacultures impact on the
  environment is minimal
• Respecting the conditions of optimal livestock
  welfare
• Guaranteeing the training and skill development
  of the professionals working in the sector
• Developing and integrating new technologies
  within the entire value chain
• Improving economic performance at each level of
  the value chain

12
CONCLUSIONS

• Assuring Development is the key issue
• Development needs guidance , foresight,
  confidence and investment
• Planning and achieving aquacultures place in
  European society are the highest priorities to be
  addressed
• www.feap.info for further information