Independent Dialogue
Geographical focus:
No borders
Discussion topic outcome
Discussion group 1: Product & Practice The group talked about developments in sustainable aquaculture practices, the challenges that inhibit their regional or international success, and the policies needed to reduce or remove these inhibitions. Factors that heavily influence the development and efficiency of sustainable aquaculture practices were noted as: type of species, type of feed, and financial and legislative incentives (or lack thereof) to pursue more sustainable means of production. The participants also discussed the need for policymakers to align legislation more closely with bo
... Read moreth innovator and industry demands in order to free up markets for sustainable alternatives to compete with current practices. Aligning these legislations with practical solutions would require more dialogue between the private sector and government. Additionally, the group highlighted the importance of alternative feed sourcing as a key factor for reducing environmental impacts. Promoting increased production of lower trophic or passive feeding species (e.g. bivalves or seaweed) through increased consumer awareness programmes or legislative incentives could shift focus away from more resource reliant fed species (e.g. finfish) and open space for ‘no-input’ alternatives. Overall, the group identified six possible solutions to promote the development and adoption of more sustainable aquaculture products and practices: 1. Explore restorative and multi-trophic integrated aquaculture (IMTA) systems: More financial and legislative incentives for researchers and innovators to explore scalable solutions in circular and restorative aquaculture practices. 2. Prioritise feed innovations: Alternative feeds and tighter regulation on sourcing of current feed options could offer significant reductions for the industry’s footprint. 3. Legislation must protect aquaculture investors, guaranteeing their use of allotted land or water for long periods: In many regions, there is a significant lack of aquaculture legislation which results in excessive delays for investors or prospective farmers to enter the industry. International assistance from industry experts could be useful to guide regional legislators to reduce entry barriers, and promote sustainability measures in early legislative frameworks around aquaculture. 4. Third-party sustainability reporting for the entire food system: Mandatory third-party sustainability reporting could dictate a particular producer’s available government subsidisation level and offer investors a standardised sustainability indicator prior to investment. 5. Create a market for innovation with legislation. Legislation that enforces industry adoption of sustainable alternatives could create a market for innovators to compete against each other rather than against more financially attractive, often cheaper and less sustainable options. 6. Increase support for cluster organisations for small-scale and artisanal farmers. Clusters of small-scale farmers allows artisanal producers to group and gain better deals on feed, resources (boats, nets, warehouses etc.) or technology, and would ensure individual producers are accountable to the same sustainability standards as other members of the cluster. Additionally, this would grant smallholders a more cohesive and powerful position as shapers of future policy or regulation within the industry. Read less
Action Track(s): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Keywords: Data & Evidence, Environment and Climate, Finance, Governance, Human rights, Innovation, Policy, Trade-offs