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GCA +20 Adopts Shanghai Declaration

EATiP is delighted to have been engaged in the drafting of the Shanghai Declaration – adopted by the participants of the Conference on Aquaculture Millennium + 20 on 24 September 2021.

The Shanghai Declaration, a key output from the GCA +20, represents a road map to optimize the role that aquaculture can play in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  As part of that road map, the multi stakeholder platform approach is strongly endorsed as a method for ensuring sustainable development of the sector, including in the development of strategic research and innovation agendas and collaborative joint working.

What is the Shanghai Declaration?   The Shanghai Declaration was drafted by a small group of globally recognized aquaculture experts, followed by consultations with a wider group with appropriate technical, regional and gender balance, including members of the International Organizing Committee and International Programme Committee of the GCA +20 Conference. The subsequent draft was opened for comment by all registered participants at the event, with comments incorporated to the extent possible.

The full text of the Declaration is available here.

Commenting on behalf of the Board of Directors in a public expression of support for the Shanghai Declaration, EATiP General Secretary David Bassett stated:

“EATiP welcomes the publication of the Shanghai Declaration: Aquaculture for food and sustainable development.  The Declaration clearly conveys the vital role aquaculture has to play in contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals and towards the sustainable development of aquatic foods within an environmentally responsible, sustainable and climate smart food system.  EATiP particularly welcome the commitments within the vision towards:

  • Strengthening partnerships to generate and share knowledge, information and technology
  • Investing in aquaculture innovation, research and development
  • Creating open and transparent communication about sustainable aquaculture

We believe it is key that we improve the image and social license of the sector to improve knowledge, perceptions and acceptability of aquaculture and its products.  We endorse the commitment given to fostering an enabling environment and strengthening partnerships through multi stakeholder innovation platforms, including the reinvigoration of global development, cooperation and networking. The modernising and development of traditional aquaculture through technology, innovative approaches and encompassing digital technologies, capacity development programmes, education and extension activities will be central to the aims of objectives of delivering and fulfilling the stated intentions within the Declaration.  We support the promotion of programmes for knowledge transfer, the development or local, regional or national strategic research and innovation agendas and the scope for multi stakeholder platforms to assist in the development and delivery of democratic and objective aquaculture governance models.

EATiP welcomes the Call for Action contained within Annex 1 of the Declaration and points A – J contained therein.  Within expanding the contribution of aquaculture to sustainable food systems and the integration of aquaculture with the natural environment, other sectors, and within food systems for increased resilience, we particularly welcome the stated commitment to, “encouraging and promoting the development of regional and national multi stakeholder platforms to instigate collaborative joint working amongst industry, research, academic and other stakeholders to develop strategic research and innovation agendas for local, regional and national aquaculture development.”

We believe EATiP is a working example of the successful application of this methodology and we pledge to work alongside other partners in the Declaration and FAO in the promotion and development of this approach.

Furthermore, we encourage commitments towards stimulating demand-led and relevant research and innovations through strengthening partnerships, centres of excellence, academia, state and non state actors and encouraging public-private partnerships and investment.  We further encourage embracing broad stakeholder involvement through consultation and active participation to build consensus around sustainable development goals and objectives.”

Developing sustainable aquaculture in the south Atlantic

All Atlantic Conference Side Event – 03 June 2021 – “Developing Sustainable Aquaculture in the south Atlantic”

EATiP, with the support of Innovation Norway and BluEcoNet, has been selected to undertake a Joint Action (JA) within the EU Horizon 2020 funded AANChOR(All Atlantic Cooperation for Ocean Research) Coordination and Support Action, considering the establishment and viability of a multi stakeholder platform for aquaculture.  The JA will use Brazil as a case study, but with the clear intention for  application to other south Atlantic nations, including South Africa.  This JA has been selected in part to complement European Union objectives with regard to Belém Statement partners and additional accords with Argentina and Cape Verde.   The JA seeks to scope the potential for self-sustaining Atlantic aquaculture multi stakeholder platform(s) in the development of national or regional Strategic Research & Innovation agenda for sustainable industry development.

By way of introducing and launching the Joint Action, EATiP is collaborating in a side event at the forthcoming All Atlantic Conference with two other Horizon 2020 aquaculture projects focusing on Atlantic aquaculture: ASTRAL and AquaVitae.

EATiP, collaborating with ASTRAL & AquaVitae to address sustainable aquaculture in the south Atlantic

ASTRAL focuses on integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) farming, aiming to define, support, and promote this type of sustainable aquaculture production across the Atlantic area.

AquaVitae aims to increase aquaculture production in and around the Atlantic Ocean by developing new species, processes and products, focusing on low trophic species.

During this side event we will be considering what are the challenges and opportunities in trans-Atlantic research collaboration and the development of a sustainable Atlantic aquaculture industry.  AquaVitae and Astral will share experiences and best practices based on their research toward more sustainable aquaculture activities in the Belém Statement areas. Both projects will offer examples and opportunities of innovation, stakeholder participation, social awareness, and capacity building.
The event aims to bring together representatives from research institutions, industry as well as policymakers to respond to the challenges of the Mission Starfish 2030, EU Blue growth strategy and UN’s SDGs and to complement the other themes under consideration at the All Atlantic Conference.

To register for the side event, please click on this link.

Practical Details:

  • 03 June 2021
  • 13:30 – 15:30 CET
  • Registration Required – see link above.

EATiP in Government Europa: How to approach aquaculture innovation

European aquaculture encompasses the cultivation of a wide range of fish and shellfish species and is a truly pan-European production activity, which has grown rapidly from a cottage industry in the 1960s into an industrial sector that is composed of multinational companies, SMEs and family firms.

A common thread to each of aquaculture’s components is the knowledge base that has been developed through innovative research and development activities, led by universities and institutes throughout Europe, which have contributed to globally recognised levels of excellence in innovation.

Aquaculture in Europe has created a dynamic and effective knowledge-based sector. While most of the products of European aquaculture are destined for the European consumer, the sector’s service and knowledge activities have set international standards for global aquaculture innovation and development.

The European Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Platform (EATiP) has been designed to include all members of the European aquaculture value chain, from suppliers through producers to processors within the profession, as well as leading research groups and key representative organisations.

Goverment Europa this week had a chat with EATiP general secretary Alexandra Neyts about the importance of a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to aquaculture innovation. Among the things that were discussed, was the strategic research and innovation agenda (SRIA) and EATiPs involvement in different aquaculture projects.

(Retrieved from governmenteuropea.eu)

Read the article here! 

SRIA and projects

You can read the Review of the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda document here. Also, make sure to read about the projects EATiP is involved with.