This report summarizes the presentations, discussions and recommendations of the Ad Hoc Working Party on Market Perspectives for European Freshwater Aquaculture, Brussels, Belgium, 14-16 May 2001, which was jointly sponsored by the European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission and the European Commission.
European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission. Report of the Ad Hoc EIFAC/EC Working Party on Market Perspectives for European Freshwater Aquaculture. Brussels, Belgium, 14-16 May 2001. EIFAC Occasional Paper. No. 35. Rome, FAO. 2001. 142p.
ABSTRACT The Ad Hoc EIFAC/EC Working Party on Market Perspectives of
European Freshwater Aquaculture met to address the current situation
of the freshwater aquaculture sector in the EIFAC region with particular
focus on problems in marketing. The outcome of the workshop aims to
provide key information and strategic advice on how to fulfil the
production potential of the sector to (i) policy makers, administrators
and legislators; (ii) future investors; (iii) consumers, and,
particularly, (iv) producers. Trout and carp (about 94 percent) dominate
European aquaculture, whereas there are other promising candidates for
culture that have not been profitably exploited. The freshwater
aquaculture industry in Europe is product or producer driven along
traditional lines and suffers particularly from a lack of vertical
integration, linking producers to consumers through the marketing chain.
The producers will remain at a disadvantage unless they develop better
links through association or cooperation. While the preparation and
implementation of marketing plans is a responsibility of the industry, and
must be financed from this source, additional progress and great benefit
could be derived from a comprehensive policy framework. Aquaculture as a
food producing system in some cases has been perceived as being in
conflict with other parts of the eco-system. This can best be addressed by
the development and dissemination of codes of good aquaculture practice.
While the demand for organically produced aquaculture products is growing,
certification is still largely based on the standards of private
certification bodies. |
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