Proposal /Contract no: 044290

OATP

Evaluation of the promotion of Offshore Aquaculture Through a

Technology Platform.

SPECIFIC SUPPORT ACTION SSP 8

PRIORITY (FP6-2005-SSP-5-A)

Interim Report

From Jan 07- Dec 07 Date of preparation:

Start Date of project: 01/01/07 Duration: 14 months

Project coordinator name: Dave Jackson Revision (draft, 1,2)

Organisation name: Marine Institute

Evaluation of the Promotion of Offshore Aquaculture Through a Technology Platform

The Objective is “To investigate the opportunity and usefulness for the aquaculture industry of promoting offshore aquaculture through a technological platform”. The general methodology of the approach is to form a consortium of service providers, manufacturers, aquaculture practitioners with offshore experience, research and development organisations and agencies from the sector which will pool the available knowledge and experience by the most efficient and practical methods available. The goal is to ensure that the stated objective above is addressed accurately, comprehensively and efficiently. This will be achieved by:

  • A survey by way of a bespoke questionnaire, administered by direct interview. Survey to cover all members of consortium and additional stakeholders in EU/EETA region.
  • Informal seminars in key regions to identify key areas for future discussions.
  • An interim report for circulation in advance of international workshop.
  • International Workshop over two days for partners and stakeholders.
  • A final report, with recommendations and roadmap of way forward. Report to reflect the proceedings of the workshop and the considered views of the partners on the functions of a technology platform is achieving goals set out above.

Objectives of OATP

The objective of OATP is “To investigate the opportunity and usefulness for the aquaculture industry of promoting offshore aquaculture through a technological platform”. Achieving this objective requires the collection, validation and collation of information, both data and opinions, from a diverse range of sources on the opportunities and requirements of offshore aquaculture, in the European context, and it’s evaluation to assess the appropriateness of a technological platform as a suitable promotional vehicle.

This will be achieved by:

  • Developing an up to date sector profile across the EU and EAA of offshore aquaculture
  • Agreeing a common vision of offshore aquaculture in Europe and the role of RTDI in achieving that vision.
  • Carrying out a Gap analysis to identify gap areas, areas of strength and areas requiring strengthening.
  • Identifying the role(s) of a technology platform approach in bringing increased synergies and added value to offshore aquaculture RTD to boost competitiveness to a world leading position.
  • Preparing a final report for the Commission.

Three main participants:

Marine Institute (lead participant)

CETMAR, Galicia, Spain.

SINTEF, Norway.

13 other make up the consultative committee:

Ireland (5)

Norway (2)

Spain (2)

Malta (1)

Italy (1)

Scotland (1)

Belgium (1)

Total budget € 201,300.

Questionnaires and Regional Workshops

1Executive Summary – Ireland & United Kingdom

Some 100 stakeholders were consulted through questionnaires and regional workshops for the Irish and UK OATP participant region. These included finfish & shellfish producers, suppliers, processors and professional service providers (associated with the aquaculture industry), environmental & community development NGO’s and policy representatives.

Questionnaires / Workshop
Kind of agent / No. of
answers / Percentage / Kind of agent / No. of
answers / Percentage
Companies / 16 / 36.3% / Companies / 10 / 23.3%
NGO’s / 6 / 13.6% / NGO’s / 9 / 20.9%
Suppliers / 5 / 11.3% / Suppliers / 4 / 9.3%
Professional / 6 / 13.6% / Professional / 3 / 7.0%
Administration / 11 / 25% / Administration / 17 / 39.5%

The most important concerns of participants focused on environmental issues and the technology developments needed to support an offshore industry. Safety concerns, relating to personnel and navigational aspects, were considered of crucial importance.

Environmental aspects and bio-security

Although environmental issues were considered a challenge, participants agreed that moving offshore would mitigate many of the environmental concerns associated with aquaculture. The ethical issue of sustainability of feed sources for aquaculture species was still a concern for many participants, particularly NGO’s. The other environmental concerns highlighted were enrichment/nutrient loading in production locations and bio-security issues such as escapees and fish health. The need to improve the knowledge gap in the context of technological developments (such as seabed mapping, oceanographic modelling & improved sensor development) and through national monitoring programmes, was highlighted.

Technology

From a technology perspective, containment systems such as cages, moorings and fishnets were identified as areas in need of greatest development. Development of suitable boats to access and service offshore locations were also high on the priority list. From a farm management and self-monitoring perspective, the important development areas also focused around environmental parameters and remote monitoring (and communication in real time) of fish behaviour. Emphasis was placed on the importance of further characterisation of the proposed offshore finfish sites and shellfish

sites. Current sites in operation in more exposed regions could provide valuable feedback in the short tem.

It is possible that the development of technologies for offshore aquaculture has not advanced much due to a reliance on small companies which do not have the resources, capital or technical expertise to develop the technologies required for aquaculture in these areas.

Regulation and planning

Both Irish and UK participants were relatively unsure whether the legislative context existed for offshore aquaculture development. The current aquaculture regulatory framework will most likely apply to offshore locations, however. In terms of the licensing process, the length of time for processing was of particular concern. Participants would like to see development of more proactive approaches such as site designation or marine spatial planning, based on increased knowledge of the available resources. Major emphasis was also placed on navigation and public safety in the marine planning process. The extension of current management initiatives such as Area Management Agreements (AMA’s), Single Bay Management (S.B.M.) and Co-ordinated Local Aquaculture Management Systems (C.L.A.M.S.) to encompass offshore aquaculture was considered important in the conflict management and environmental management context.

2 Executive summary - Norway

The workshop “Sea-based fish farming in the future – Technological constrains and challenges” was arranged in co-operation between SITNEF Fisheries and Aquaculture and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, in relation to the two EU projects Evaluation of the promotion of Offshore Aquaculture through at Technology Platform (OATP) and DesignACT. The workshop was also supported financially by the Research Council of Norway. The aim of the workshop was to involve stakeholders from the fish farming industry, governmental administration, NGO and research in ongoing EU strategic processes. Results from the workshop will be used as background for plans for a European Aquaculture Centre of Technology and to the future European road map for technological research in aquaculture.

The workshop was organized as a mixture of presentations and round table discussions. The first part consisted of seven excellent talks presented by a mixture of industry and research stakeholders. After lunch the participants was divided into five groups, each discussion a specific topic. 26 people attended the workshop.

2.1 Trends in sea-based aquaculture

The industry is undergoing continuous changes with respect to operations with the aim to reduce production costs. As a result, the number of farms is decreasing, while the production capacity is increasing. In the salmon industry the average production in one farm per cycle is 2-300 tons, and it is expected that this will further increase to 5-7000 tons in a few years. Finding the optimal locations with respect to water quality and current flow will be very important.

In Denmark, sea-based fin fish aquaculture has been problematic, both due to available technical solutions suitable for local conditions and public regulations as a means of restrictions to nutrient release. But the development in recent years has been promising and it should be possible to make sea-based fish farming economically viable in Denmark also.

There is some competition with respect to access to areas at sea, but there are regional differences. It is more a coastal zone conflict in Sweden and Denmark than in Norway.

The sea-based fish farming industry are facing large challenges with potential new demands as a result of the introduction of EU water directive. The water directive can limit the allowed release of nutrient to the sea, limiting the possible volume of fish to be farmed at individual locations. It will be important with further investigation and research into the extent and consequence of nutrient release from existing farms, and to make future requirements based on scientific knowledge and not political demands.

Nutrient release from existing farms in Norway will most likely be negligible compared to the natural background levels.

It is expected that larger companies and larger farming units will reduce the probability for escaping of fish, since larger companies also has increased capability to use resources and set focus on escape prevention. Escaping of fish from the fish framing industry needs to be solved to allow for a sustainable growth of the industry.

Similarly, fish welfare is an increasingly important topic. Consumers demand ethical treatment and slaughtering of animals and proof that the animal has not experienced unnecessary harm.

3Executive summary – Spain

OAPT aims to make a prospective analysis about the challenges for technological research and development that affect off-shore aquaculture in Europe. Two main tools have been used, a questionnaire and the holding of a regional scale workshop with Spanish and Portuguese participation.

QuestionnaireWorkshop

Kind of agent / No. of answers / Percentage / Kind of agent / No. of answers / Percentage
Companies / 13 / 33,3% / Companies / 19 / 41,3%
Associations / 3 / 7,7% / Associations / 2 / 4,3%
Research / 19 / 48,7% / Research / 18 / 39,1%
Administration / 4 / 10,3% / Administration / 3 / 6,5%

Once the International Workshop planned for September in Dublin has been held, the challenge facing the Project will be to transform the information gathered into a prospective analysis that will enable a VISION of the future of offshore aquaculture in Europe for the next years to be obtained.

Offshore aquaculture is one of the possible alternative solutions to the advance and development of this industry for responding to the envisaged increase in fish demand in Europe. However, it is necessary to keep in mind that this kind of aquaculture must be compatible with other production systems. It is also necessary to be aware that this type of aquaculture is not exempt from impacts, although those impacts might differ in nature or importance and will in general be lower.

Some of the key facts that have marked the development of the European marine aquaculture and certainly the Spanish sector in the last years, not only have to do with the acquired experience, but also with the scientific and technological development and with an increasing level of industrialization of

the activity. The transition towards a scenario in which the offshore aquaculture is the predominantone, has to be progressive. There still exist important bottlenecks and not exclusively technological or scientific gaps (which of course exist and are relevant), but there are also relevant bottlenecks linked to the predominant small or medium dimension of companies, linked to legal and administrative aspects, linked to the need to encompass the growth of production with the complexity of the value chain in order to avoid market collapse, etc.

The sustainable development of the activity, particularly respect for the environment, is imperative for it’s mid and long term economic feasibility and compatibility with other social interests.

Environmental aspects and bio-security

The environmental impact is a factor that depends on the location of the aquaculture activities themselves and on the volume of production. In the case of offshore farming the location of the culture facilities would minimize the impacts caused by accumulation of detritus and other bio-depositions from culture by dispersion due to oceanic currents. For this reason other factors such as the management of the resources (mortality, fry supplies, waste management, etc.), the problem of escapees and sanitary/animal health aspects would appear to be of greater relevance for this system of culture mainly depending on production volumes.

Regulation and planning

Offshore aquaculture is not regulated by a specific framework, currently, so the first step for its distinction and to gain a special treatment would include the identification and description of feasible areas for spatial planning. Complimentarily, it would be important that a specific legal framework for offshore aquaculture be developed. There are a few critical aspects concerned with the licensing process; especially with the length of time they take; the criteria used for the evaluation of projects and; the need to foresee places for the siting of the facilities (marine spatial planning).

The increase in the competition for the space makes it especially advisably to attend to this need. For the identification of suitable zones/sites for the development of the activity, it is necessary to take multiple variables into account such as dealing with social, economic, administrative, biological and environmental aspects.

Technology

The order of importance assigned by the participants to the areas that would need a major degree of development is as follows: 1 º Equipment; 2 º More adapted species for culturing and research on pathologies; 3 º Technologies (communications, remote access capabilities; 4 º Maritime Services; 5 º Infrastructures.

Though highly advanced technologies exist in several of these fields, progress must continue to be made in most of the above areas in order to offer systems that make feasible and improve the transition towards a greater development of this specific activity.

4Executive summary – Eastern Mediterranean

The OATP Offshore Aquaculture project has many aims and objectives, but this specific report aims to address the issue of offshore aquaculture in the Eastern Mediterranean context, although many of the issues raised are common to all areas. The general conclusions derived from the surveys and discussions held with fish farmers can be summarised as follows: -

What is offshore aquaculture? There is a need to create a universal definition of what offshore aquaculture is. This will assist the industry in developing an identity and could assist in niche marketing or branding of the product. The creation of a clear definition could also lead towards the creation of standards. The aquaculture insurance industry is very much in favour of this and would like to become involved in the process at an early stage so as to better understand the risks and assist in mitigating them.

Lets not rush to move offshore! Rushing to move offshore would be a mistake as there are so many things we don’t know yet. Technology and operating methods need more research and better testing before being sold to farmers and turn-key solutions are still absent. Technology suppliers appear to be aware of the potential of offshore and are addressing the increasing demands.

The perception of aquaculture impacts! Public and government pressure could force an unnatural evolution in the move offshore that could seriously damage production capabilities. The industry as a whole needs to better promote its image and have a better understanding of what its impacts are in relation to other food producers – Are we really that polluting?

Is it commercially viable to move offshore? Moving offshore has its advantages and these appear to be understood by farmers, but what is not

clear is whether these benefits are significant enough to justify the massive increase in capital investment and operating costs.

Will the move offshore mean large farms only? There is a concern that the economies of scale required to move offshore are at such a high level that it would force the smaller fish farms to sell up, consolidate or close.

Offshore is already a reality for some! How can we learn from these existing operators and promote the creation of new pilot farms that are operated on a commercial basis, but with the view of collecting and disseminating data on offshore farming operations.

International Workshop on Offshore Aquaculture.

A major international workshop and foresight exercise – “Offshore Aquaculture in Europe-The ‘Next Steps’” ─ took place on Monday 24th September in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dublin, to coincide with the World Seafood Congress. It was opened by Sean O’Neachtain, MEP and attended by almost 70 delegates from all over the world.

The Workshop, which was funded under the EU 6th Framework Programme, was designed to provide anyone with an interest in Offshore Aquaculture the opportunity to submit their thoughts on the next steps for future development. This information will now be included in a comprehensive report outlining the way forward for the European aquaculture industry and submitted to the European Commission in February 2008.


Offshore Aquaculture in Europe:

‘Next Steps’

International Workshop

24th September 2007

Dublin, Ireland

Venue: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dublin Airport

The Offshore Aquaculture in Europe – ‘Next Steps’ International Workshop will provide stakeholders with an interest in Offshore Aquaculture to submit their thoughts on the Next Steps for the development of the offshore industry. The Workshop, is funded under the EU 6th Framework OATP project.

The output from this foresight exercise will be a comprehensive report outlining the way forward for the European aquaculture industry. This report will be submitted to the European Commission in February 2008.

Avail of this opportunity to have your thoughts and opinions included in the foresight planning for Offshore Aquaculture while attending the World Seafood Congress taking place in Dublin the same week!