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CONSENSUS - Multi-Stakeholder Platform for Sustainable Aquaculture in Europe

Objective

Europe has a strategy for sustainable development, a position that now includes the development and promotion of sustainable European aquaculture. To assist the implementation of this strategy, it is proposed to create a Platform for Sustainable European Aquaculture, whose strategic objective is to provide consumers with, and demonstrate the benefits of, high quality, safe and nutritious farmed fish and shellfish products, grown under sustainable conditions.

More information

The actions proposed to achieve this objective are based on the development and implementation of sustainable aquaculture protocols based on low environmental impact, high competitiveness and ethical responsibility with regard to biodiversity and animal welfare. These protocols will be developed through stakeholder participation and will lead to the establishment of sustainability standards, agreed by the European aquaculture sector and accepted by consumers. The protocols will provide consumers with balanced information showing the benefits of sustainable European aquaculture and its products. The platform will also focus on the transfer of existing knowledge to SMEs. This Co-ordination Action will be steered by the principal European stakeholders - the European Consumers' Organisation, the European Bureau for Conservation Development, the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers, the European Mollusc Producers Association, the European Feed Manufacturers Federation and the European Aquaculture Society (EAS). Newly generated results from the 6FP Integrated Project SEAFOOD plus will provide valuable input. Under the co-ordination of EAS, specialised working groups comprised of experts in the areas that influence the sustainability of the sector will produce draft protocols. Through a wider consultation phase, these drafts will be adapted and collated to provide a set of protocols that are fully representative and fully European.

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For more information about this project, please visit the <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/research/biosociety/food_quality/projects/040_en.ht…; target="_blank">European Commission Food Quality and Safety in Europe</a> Web site.

Investigators
Lane, Alistair
Institution
European Aquaculture Society
Start date
2005
End date
2008
Funding Source
Project number
513998