The Aquamed project and the Mediterranean Aquaculture Multi-stakeholder Platform

Jean Paul BLANCHETON

Coordinator of AQUAMED: THE FUTURE OF RESEARCH ON AQUACULTURE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION

Aquaredpot meeting, Szarvas, November 24, 2014

GENERAL FISHERIES COMMISSION FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN

COMMISSION GÉNÉRALE DES PÊCHES POUR LA MÉDITERRANÉE

AQUAMED: www.aquamedproject.net

20/04/23

• Programme: FP7, KBBE, Coordination and Support Action • EC contribution: €995,854; Duration: June 2010 – May 2013• Coordination: IFREMER, on behalf of EFARO

INRHUniversity of Annaba INSTM NIOF

SUMAE SFRI

IFREMER

ISPRA

CNRS-LAMETA

IEO

AquaTTIMARES

HCMR

ARO-VC

IOP

IOR

KDM

NOFIMANOFIMA

IPIMAR

IUCNIUCN

CAQCAQ

FEAP, EASFEAP, EAS

DFMR

Project Objectives

Inventory of all existing research means,

Aggregation of the countries with similar situations,

Suggestions to improve the Mediterranean research activity.

Objective 1: Improve coordination of National and European aquaculture

research activities in the Mediterranean

Objective 2:

Identify future research needs and streamline programming, based on the principle of “mutual benefit”

Create a Mediterranean multi-stakeholder platform,

Ensure the activity of the platform after the end of AQUAMED,

Assess the sustainability of research and sector developments.

Aquamed expected impacts

• Development of a sustainable aquaculture in the Mediterranean region (all species)

• Enhanced involvement of the EU aquaculture industry and RTD performers in the development of a sustainable Med. aquaculture

• Better coordinated Mediterranean research / technology activity

Collect and process information

Create a sustainability monitoring tool

Create / sustain a Mediterranean multi-stakeholder platform

Collect and process information

Create a database (Fish &Shellfish, Marine&Freshwater)

Collect the information and create a database, through partner contacts, on-line surveys and platform meetings

- National production and socio-economic context, - Research (institutions, teams, tools, projects), - Sustainability indicators (sector and research).

Research project SHs: Farmers, feed, consumers, government, others.

• Smart and sustainable increase of aquaculture production by 1 to 4% per year,

• Aquaculture industry will meet the consumer demand, which will increase by 1 to 2% per year,

• Diversification with few new species as meager, tuna, turbot, herbivorous species and seaweeds,

• Culture systems will adapt to environmental and social challenges: off-shore fish and molluscs productions, recirculation systems, integrated multitrophic aquaculture and restocking.

Perception on Mediterranean aquaculture by 2030

In line with EATiP EU strategic agenda (2012)

Perception on the main constraints

50% 60% 70%

Knowledge Management

Efficient use of research outputs and knowledge transfer

77%

Development of networks including research industry and stakeholders

72%

Improve communication on aquaculture sustainability and product quality 70%

Enhance interdisciplinary research projects, scientist mobility and training of professionals 70%

Socio-economics & Governance

Develop policy for national aquaculture 75%Reduce conflicts on space use (territorial

planning)70%

Integrate the aquaculture activities and management policy into the National and

European legislative frameworks69%

TOP research priorities (Fish & Shellfish, Marine &Freshwater)

Product Quality & Consumer

Guarantee products with high quality standards to maximize human health benefits

74%

Guarantee the safety of extractive aquaculture products (molluscs)

71%

Health & Welfare Enhance health and resistance to pathogens 69%

TOP research priorities (Fish & Shellfish, Marine &Freshwater)

Mediterranean research needs are not on:

Technology & systems

Management of lifecycles

System-environment

45%

Biology25%

Society23%

Shellfish7%

• Innovative communication methods between research & industry • Communication and marketing strategies in relation to consumer and market demand

• Simplification of administrative processes and harmonization of laws and procedures between EU & Mediterranean countries• Identification of allocated zones for aquaculture (AZA) and of criteria for site selection• Harmonized methods to guarantee high quality and safe shellfish productions• Development of early diagnosis of pathogens

• Efficient policies and best practices for a better use of natural resources• Alternative sources of raw material and feeding methods

Plan of Action

Aquamed Plan of Action

The action plan had 4 elements:• Identifying specific tasks: what will be done and by whom • Time horizon: when will it be done 2015, 2020, 2030, and time to

complete the action• Resource allocation: estimate costs and what specific funds are

available for specific activities• Expected impact: who will benefit and how

Create and sustain a Mediterranean multi-stakeholder platform

AQUAMED platform structure and evolution

GFCM countriesMed. and black sea

Aquamed platform group

Aquamed platform group

AQUAMEDcore groupAQUAMEDcore group

Equilibrated representation of stakeholders and countries

3 Aquamed platform meetings organized during the project

Aquamed platform recognised as a subsidiary body of the GFCM – CAQ in May 2013 (new TORs and scale, dedicated budget)

Aquamed database be hosted in SIPAM - CAQ – GFCM

First plenary meeting in December 2014

Allocated zones for aquaculture and spatial planning

Aquaculture and environment interactions

Disease management and aquatic animal health

Governance and regulatory frameworks

Quality and safety of products - markets and consumers

Research, knowledge and technology sharing

Sustainable feed production and management

Technology innovation and diversification

Social responsibility of aquaculture companies

Empowerment of aquaculture farmers organizations

Ten Strategic Areas according to regional aquaculture priorities:

Med. AMSHP strategic areas

H2020 EU calls

Five main forums (cross-cutting issues) to translate the strategic areas into plans of actions:

Forum 1: Regulatory framework (Allocated zones for aquaculture, spatial planning and governance)

Forum 2: Environment and disease management (Aquaculture - environment interactions, disease management and health)

Forum 3: Quality and market of aquaculture products(Quality and safety of products, markets and consumers, social responsibility and empowerment of farmers / organizations)

Forum 4: Research and innovation(Research, knowledge and technology sharing, sustainable feed, innovation and diversification)

Forum 5: Communication strategies and capacity-building (Transversal issues to be tackled within each of the ten strategic areas)

Mediterranean AMSHP forums

Activities of the Mediterranean MSHP

Expert panels

- Enabling good governance in aquaculture

(guidelines to simplify administrative processes and support sustainable aquaculture development in the region)

- A healthy environment, a stronger aquaculture industry(best management of interactions between aquaculture activities andthe environment)

- Boosting markets for aquaculture

(how to develop domestic and international markets and improve the public image and perception)

- Advancing aquaculture innovations

(innovative approaches and emerging technologies for a sustainable regional aquaculture development)

Next step

• Development of a sustainable aquaculture in the Mediterranean region (all species)

• Enhance the involvement of the EU aquaculture industry and RTD performers in the development of a sustainable Med. aquaculture

• Coordinated Mediterranean research and technology

Linking the GFCM Mediterranean multi-stakeholder platform

with EATiP

Mediterranean platform evolution

Strengthening the links betweenEU and Med.aquaculture industry and research

EUEU CAQ CAQ Aquamed MSHP

Aquamed MSHP

Dynamization of the EU and Med. aquacultures

The Mediterranean platform becoming the EATiP Med. Platform?

The Aquamed objectives were achieved:- Database hosted and kept alive by SIPAM/CAQ/GFCM,

- Plan of ations to improve the research sector,

- Multi-stakeholder platform created and continues operation

through GFCM/CAQ.

Main lessons:- Challenging to reach a common understanding when very different

backgrounds (National cultures, researcher and stakeholder diversity),

- Difficult access to data (mainly financial),

- Impact of religious / political situations / events (meeting location),

- Key role of dissemination / facilitation specialists.

Next steps:- Strengthen the links of the Mediterranean platform with

- National multi-stakeholder platforms (each country)- European platforms (EATiP, Oraqua…)

Conclusions

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Thank you for your attention

GENERAL FISHERIES COMMISSION FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN

COMMISSION GÉNÉRALE DES PÊCHES POUR LA MÉDITERRANÉE