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20/03/14: GLOBALG.A.P. Capacity Building & Farm Assurer Workshop - Aquaculture
Farm Assurers are independent, GLOBALG.A.P. trained and approved consultants who provide expertise to help producers implement Good Agricultural Practices. With first-hand knowledge about the GLOBALG.A.P. System and the latest industry developments, they make the standard easier to understand and help simplify audit preparations.
- Location: Brussels, Belgium, Best Western Country House of Brussels
- When:
- Start: 7th of May 2014
- End: 9th of May 2014
- Course Content
- Detailed review of the General Regulations, the rules of GLOBALG.A.P. certification system
- Detailed review of the Control points for the All Farm, Aquaculture Base (Finfish, Molluscs, Crustaceans) scopes. These control points are the actual audit checklists used by Certification Bodies during a GLOBALG.A.P. audit.
- Focused classroom discussions, case studies, and detailed question and answer sessions to understand how the GLOBALG.A.P. system applies in practice.
- Practical case studies specialized for Farm Assurer applicants on day 3.
- Contact Details:
- Contact:Daniela Fabiszisky
- Contact Address: GLOBALG.A.P., Spichernstr.55, 50672, Cologne, Germany
- Contact Telephone Number: +4922157993 33
- Contact Fax Numbers: +4922157993 89
- Contact Email: academy@globalgap.org
- Website: www.globalgap.org
18/03/14: Farmed salmon industry puts sustainability before competition to meet record consumer demand.
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| English: Atlantic salmon. Salmo salar. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The US is the largest consumer by country of farmed salmon worldwide, consuming more than 282,000 tons in 2013. In fact, consumer demand for farmed salmon has increased by over 14 percent in the last 5 years in the US alone, and is showing no signs of slowing down. Global demand for salmon has increased even quicker, doubling in the last decade, and is set to double again by 2020.
The Pathways to Sustainability Seminar intends to set an example of how cooperation among seafood industry members can lead to sustainable development and can be replicated across other industries. Many business leaders believe a significant change in current business practices is the only way for the industry to meet its market potential and future global consumer demand for salmon. GSI executives meeting in Boston with global sustainability leaders are today announcing their commitment to put sustainability before competition, in order to pursue a unique model of environmental cooperation as a driver for their industry’s success.
“It is extremely rare to see CEOs -- who are usually competing fiercely for market share -- joining together to address challenges around sustainability,” said Jason Clay, senior vice president of market transformation for WWF. “This type of bold, collective action in the farmed salmon sector is what’s needed across all food commodities if we ever hope to feed nine billion people while preserving biodiversity.”
During the seminar on March 18, leaders from GSI and the expert panel will review the initial results of the GSI cooperation model, and discuss how industry collaboration can translate into industry improvements. In turn, providing a sustainable solution, both economically and environmentally, to the world’s growing demand for high protein foods.
At the forefront of change in the aquaculture industry, GSI was formed to help change current business practices and has focused on a model of environmental cooperation as a driver for industry success.
“The companies active in GSI recognize that sustainability is commercially sensible, and by making a public commitment to sustainable practices, they are helping to embed sustainability as a strategic driver of long-term success,” said Jeroen Leffelaar, Rabobank Global Animal Protein Co-head.
GSI has chosen three priority areas where it intends to translate the workings of the model into significant industry improvements. GSI’s specific priorities include:
• Having all member companies certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Salmon Standard by 2020. To date, GSI members have had their first three farms certified – a testament to the success of this unique model
• Focusing on biosecurity – primarily sea lice and disease management – where member companies are using knowledge transfer as a means of generating improved management practices
• Working with industry partners to secure sustainable sources of feed to meet growing demand
“As individual companies we can work as hard as we want at improving our operations to support sustainable growth, but due to the nature of our business we are inherently affected by the actions of neighbors and fellow companies,” said Jon Hindar, Co-chair of GSI and CEO of Cermaq. ”By focusing instead on cooperation and collaboration we are seeing that progress can be made on a much wider scale, and at a much quicker rate.”
ABOUT GSI
The Global Salmon Initiative (GSI) is a leadership initiative established in 2013 by global farmed salmon producers focused on making significant progress on industry sustainability. GSI is committed to fully realizing a shared goal of providing a highly sustainable source of healthy food to feed a growing global population, whilst minimizing our environmental footprint, and continuing to improve our social contribution.
GSI member companies include Bakkafrost; Blumar; Cermaq; Compañía Pesquera Camanchaca; Empresas AquaChile; Grieg Seafood; Lerøy Seafood Group; Los Fiordos; Marine Harvest; Norway Royal Salmon; SalMar; Multiexport Foods SA; The Scottish Salmon Company; and Scottish Sea Farms. GSI companies have a presence in Chile, Canada, Norway, the Faroe Islands, Ireland and Scotland, and make significant contributions to the economies of these respective countries.
Further information may be received by contacting the GSI secretariat, AXON, at GSI@axon-com.com or by visiting www.globalsalmoninitiative.org. Follow GSI on Twitter @GSI_Salmon.
ABOUT ASC
ASC is the acronym for the Aquaculture Stewardship Council, an independent not-for-profit organization. The ASC was founded in 2010 by WWF and IDH (Dutch Sustainable Trade Initiative) to manage the global standards for responsible aquaculture, which are developed by the Aquaculture Dialogues, a program of roundtables initiated and coordinated by WWF. The ASC aims to be the world's leading certification and labeling program for responsibly farmed seafood. The ASC is a global organization working with aquaculture producers, seafood processors, retail and food service companies, scientists, conservation groups and the public to promote the best environmental and social choice in seafood. The ASC's aquaculture certification program and seafood label recognizes and rewards responsible aquaculture.
18/03/14: Could Social Licence Benefit the Aquaculture Industry?
To raise the profile of social licence in aquaculture, the topic is the feature of a special session at the forthcoming World Aquaculture Adelaide 2014 Conference to be held in Adelaide, South Australia, in June.
Social Licence to Operate: Nuture and Grow session, led by Dr Kate Brooks, Director of KAL Analysis and Program Manager at the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC); will also feature a range of international and local participants including the conference’s plenary speaker Jose Villalon.
Dr Brooks explained that social licence is generally agreed to be the level of acceptance or approval continually granted to an organisation’s operations or specific project by the local community and other stakeholders.
“Social licence can’t be bought and it can’t be sold – that’s what makes it so elusive,” she said. “It really is about all of us taking our corporate responsibility very seriously.
“Although the term may have been about for a number of years in some industry, it has only become spotlighted more generally in recent years and relates to the broader community seeing their own values reflected, or at the very least recognised, in a company’s operations.
“Aquaculture, if not already, can expect to receive attention in regards to what these industries are doing to secure and retain their social licence.”
Dr Brooks said that a company’s social licence can be affected by other businesses in your industry failing to fully appreciate the obligations and responsibilities in maintaining a social licence.
“To optimise a company’s social licence to operate with its broader community, it is in its, and every other company’s interest in the industry, to work together to optimise its social licence to operate,” she said. World Aquaculture Adelaide 2014 will take place at the Adelaide Convention Centre in Adelaide, South Australia from 7 to 11 June 2014.
World Aquaculture Adelaide 2014 is an opportunity for the international aquaculture community to present their research/work, exchange ideas and discuss a vision for the future of the aquaculture industry as they focus on the theme of ‘Create, Nurture, Grow’, reflecting the dynamic nature of aquaculture development in the region.
18/03/14: Fisheries, maritime security at the core of Kenya-Seychelles deal
More international co-operation to improve the livelihood of two nations.
18/03/14: Australian Aquaculture is Lagging
"There's not too many investors that'll wait 10 years to receive an approval that maybe largely unworkable," chief operations officer Dallas Donovan explained.
"The (Queensland Competition Authority) report and assessment is welcome... hopefully at the end of it we'll see some balance come back into the regulatory environment and it's when you've got that balance and certainty that you can help industries grow and reach their potential."
Prawn farming in Australia now produces approximately 4,000 tonnes annually, (note Indonesia just north of Australia produces over 300,000 tonnes), with a farm gate value estimated to be about $70 million.
Yet despite favourable economic conditions, huge global demand for protein and Australia's reputation for producing 'clean, green' seafood, Australian aquaculture is lagging. In fact, not a single prawn farm has been approved in the past two decades.
Meanwhile, Australian Prawn Farmers' Association president Matt West says the review by the Queensland Competition Authority is responding to long-held concern the largest sector of the Australian aquaculture industry is not realising its economic potential.
Mr. West points to a $60 million prawn farm development at Bowen which, after 12 years, is yet to get off the ground as an example of the 'costly and drawn out' approvals process. The owner is currently in dispute with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) over what it considers are unfair demands of an additional $2 million to be paid for offset remedial work.
Mr. West says it's become apparent the regulatory environment is stifling investment and confidence by setting the bar higher for aquaculture than any other industry or development and cites the recent federal approval of the offshore dumping of up to three million cubic metres of dredge spoil associated with the expansion of the Abbot Point coal terminal appears incongruent with the reluctance of bureaucracy to approve individual prawn farms.
Read more here ...
17/03/14: Screening Seafood
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An issue that was raised at both American Aquaculture and at FAO COFI meeting on Fish Trade recently was that of utilisation of drugs and antibiotics.Today there are several different types of veterinary drugs used in seafood cultivation to reduce mortality and improve aquatic animal health (production).
Within the meat livestock industry the various types of drugs include growth promoters and synthetic steroids to produce leaner meat, anthelmintics and coccidiostats to combat parasitic worms and flukes.
In both the meat and seafood industries, bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics. Within the aquaculture industry triphenylmethane dyes are used for the treatment of fungal and protozoal infections.
Of course residues of these drugs are highly are highly regulated in food production and they are no different from humans taking drugs for many reasons.
Harvesters have to ensure when their product goes to market that traces of antibiotics, etc. are within the regulations tolerances or their run the risk of rejection. It can be difficult for harvesters to determine that level and Randox Food Diagnostics is now offering to provide reliable and economical screening methods to monitor antimicrobials, growth promoting compounds, synthetic steroids, anthelmintics, coccidiostats and triphenylmethane dyes.
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