APPENDIX 4. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats Table

Medium and long term economic viability of the industry

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

OPPORTUNITIES

THREATS

Production trends

Growing trout production
Owner operated businesses
Farmers’ technical skills
Capacity for production increase without investment in new facilities (trout)
Low production costs (extensive systems, low level trophic chain)

Competition from marine fish
Unpredictable production output due to climatic influence (carp)
Difficult economic conditions for development (carp)
Missing coherent policies (both at national and Community level)
Insufficient communication between farmers, associations and policy makers

Local markets
Development of on-farm activities (angling, eco-tourism etc)
Multi-species production (pond farming)

Competition from marine fish
Competition for water resource
Lack of coherent policies (both at national and Community level)
Protected predators (birds etc)

New technologies

Ongoing research for intensive technology

Very low technical level (pond farming)

Under-utilised species

Technical background available for many species

High cost of marketing

Potential high demand at least for carnivorous species
Some are low level trophic chain species

Environment

Positive environmental contribution (carp pond farming)
Sustainable industry
Potential for an environment friendly intensive production

Investment needed to meet environmental standards (Central & East Europe countries)
Differences in national legislation

Co-operation with environmental groups/authorities

Public image

Quality

Good products and processes quality

Lack of information and awareness for farmers

Promote quality of controlled production

Hygiene standards

Safe products
Easy control on safety of production

Poor HACCP implementation

Safe product image
HACCP can further improve consumers’ confidence

Lack of information on HACCP (small businesses)

Labelling

Easy traceability

Lack of information and awareness for farmers

Promote quality of properly managed production

Incorrect species identification at point of sale
Competition from wild fish

Organic products

Market already exists and it is growing
Low cost of conversion to organic farming (pond farms)
Premium price
Consumer information already existing

Organic certification not for highly intensive systems
Rejection from (part of) the farmers
Certification cost

Increase supply to satisfy growing demand

Lack of minimum common standards for organic aquaculture

Current market trends

Slowly increasing demand
Continuous availability of raw material (trout)

Absence of coherent marketing
Lack of concentration of the offer
Difficulties to diversify species demand
Poor organisation of the producers

Poor fish consumption in Central & East Europe countries
Organic product development (as a potential new market)
Capture fisheries decreasing yield

Organic product development (if it gives a poor image to the “normal” product)
Cheap imports from overseas

Consumer behaviour

Image of the farmer

Lack of knowledge on the industry
Poor image of the industry/farmer
Consumer uneasy with new species/products
In Europe fish is an expensive food for poor economies

Clarify (by legislation) difference between aquaculture and capture fisheries

Failure in the communication strategy towards the consumer

Changes in demand

Lack of investment in product development

Product development

Attitude of the public towards food “Fast food” competition

Distribution channels

Potential for direct marketing (family businesses)

Further development of direct sales at farm
Development of supermarkets in regions where fish consumption is low
Many different (potential) outlets

New products

Need for raw material for the processing of new products

Production cost of highly processed new products

Enlargement of number of farmed species
Demand for diversified species by the processors, in order to offer a large range of products

Irregularity of the supply (extensive aquaculture)

New markets

Enlargement of product variety

Competitors

Increased demand in Asia

Incorrect species identification at point of sale
Development of Asian production

	STRENGTHS	WEAKNESSES	OPPORTUNITIES	THREATS
Production trends	Growing trout production Owner operated businesses Farmers’ technical skills Capacity for production increase without investment in new facilities (trout) Low production costs (extensive systems, low level trophic chain)	Competition from marine fish Unpredictable production output due to climatic influence (carp) Difficult economic conditions for development (carp) Missing coherent policies (both at national and Community level) Insufficient communication between farmers, associations and policy makers	Local markets Development of on-farm activities (angling, eco-tourism etc) Multi-species production (pond farming)	Competition from marine fish Competition for water resource Lack of coherent policies (both at national and Community level) Protected predators (birds etc)
New technologies	Ongoing research for intensive technology	Very low technical level (pond farming)
Under-utilised species	Technical background available for many species	High cost of marketing	Potential high demand at least for carnivorous species Some are low level trophic chain species
Environment	Positive environmental contribution (carp pond farming) Sustainable industry Potential for an environment friendly intensive production	Investment needed to meet environmental standards (Central & East Europe countries) Differences in national legislation	Co-operation with environmental groups/authorities	Public image
Quality	Good products and processes quality	Lack of information and awareness for farmers	Promote quality of controlled production
Hygiene standards	Safe products Easy control on safety of production	Poor HACCP implementation	Safe product image HACCP can further improve consumers’ confidence	Lack of information on HACCP (small businesses)
Labelling	Easy traceability	Lack of information and awareness for farmers	Promote quality of properly managed production	Incorrect species identification at point of sale Competition from wild fish
Organic products	Market already exists and it is growing Low cost of conversion to organic farming (pond farms) Premium price Consumer information already existing	Organic certification not for highly intensive systems Rejection from (part of) the farmers Certification cost	Increase supply to satisfy growing demand	Lack of minimum common standards for organic aquaculture
Current market trends	Slowly increasing demand Continuous availability of raw material (trout)	Absence of coherent marketing Lack of concentration of the offer Difficulties to diversify species demand Poor organisation of the producers	Poor fish consumption in Central & East Europe countries Organic product development (as a potential new market) Capture fisheries decreasing yield	Organic product development (if it gives a poor image to the “normal” product) Cheap imports from overseas
Consumer behaviour	Image of the farmer	Lack of knowledge on the industry Poor image of the industry/farmer Consumer uneasy with new species/products In Europe fish is an expensive food for poor economies	Clarify (by legislation) difference between aquaculture and capture fisheries	Failure in the communication strategy towards the consumer
Changes in demand		Lack of investment in product development	Product development	Attitude of the public towards food “Fast food” competition
Distribution channels	Potential for direct marketing (family businesses)		Further development of direct sales at farm Development of supermarkets in regions where fish consumption is low Many different (potential) outlets
New products	Need for raw material for the processing of new products	Production cost of highly processed new products	Enlargement of number of farmed species Demand for diversified species by the processors, in order to offer a large range of products	Irregularity of the supply (extensive aquaculture)
New markets			Enlargement of product variety
Competitors			Increased demand in Asia	Incorrect species identification at point of sale Development of Asian production