1. Good practises according to European Consumer Guides ~ Fresh water ~
Margreet van Vilsteren
North Sea Foundation

2. Overview Background consumer / fish guide
What are good practises according to consumer guide
Challenges for EU aquaculture

3. Working towards a sustainable use of the
North Sea Foundation
Working towards a sustainable use of the
North Sea
Dutch environmental NGO
Constructive dialog / Cooperation with stakeholders
Solutions driven
Knowledge driven
Member of Seas At Risk

4. Strategy fisheries
First  Policy

5. Then  Market Pull-Strategy…
Strategy fisheries
Then  Market Pull-Strategy…

6. Consumer guides/Fish Guides

7. Enlarge awareness consumers & change sourcing policy companies
Fish Guide
Enlarge awareness consumers & change sourcing policy companies
Target:
Enlarge market for sustainable seafood products (aquaculture & fisheries)
Promote independent certified products
Make change possible within fisheries and producers
Protect the Oceans
Strategy:
Positive Communication
Support front runners & marketing companies
How? --> ‘Fish Guides’ or 'Consumer Guides'

8. In 2004 start of the ‘Joint Methodology’
Now: Common Database North Sea Foundation & WWF
Seafood Choices Alliance
Joint methodology

9. Method Two questionaires: Aquaculture and Fisheries
For aquaculture looking at:
Production method
Effect on environment
Feed
Management

10. Consumer guides
Several WWF offices in Europe, Singapore, South Africa and Russia work with the Fish Guide
Marine Conservation Society uses the same questionaire and communicates via their website in English (!)
Greenpeace focus: species red listed
WWF, NSF & MCS focus: species listed green and ASC&MSC

11. Fish Guide Promote MSC & ASC in seperate column
If a consumer would like to eat fish, he/she should go for the most sustainable option
Go for ASC, MSC and organic. If not available, use the Fish Guide

12. Working with companies
Help companies with the CSR policy for fish
 “From red to green, towards certified products”
Analyse present stock
Suggestions: alternatives and improvements
Plan per species , for example:
Light red and orange  process of improvement
Amount of certified species
Communication and info on products
Inform/teach personal

13. Marketing with companies

14. Impact of the consumer guides
WWF, NSF and MCS are helping the largest supermarkets in Europe with their sourcing policy
MSC is a succesfull label
ASC has been created recently
GSSI has been set up. An initiatief by the Ahold to benchmark the sustainability labels

15. Advice fish guides EU aquaculture
- fresh water -
Species
WWF/NSF
Fish Guide
MCS Fishonline
Greenpeace
Eel*
Red 5
Trout
Green, orange & red
2&3
Pike perch
Green
1&2
Carp 2
Catfish 1
Sturgeon/
caviar P
Orange

16. What is green (in EU)?
Organic farming (mainly because of feed and limited use of antibiotics/drugs)
Production of species with effluent treatment and effective policy about effluent and minimising it's environmental impact
ASC (trout!) as has measurable sustainability indicators, Environmental Carrying Capacity, etc

17. Is water treatment enough?
Effluent treatment does not take all the nutrients
Nitrogen in Recirculation Systems
On Dutch farms, 60 till 80% of the total quantity of nitrogen that enters via the feed is not recorded in farmed fish. Much of this nitrogen production, 50-80%, is already converted to nitrogen gas on the fish farms. Of the total rest nitrogen production on average about 15% were excreted through the fixed fraction and about 85% through the liquid fraction of the rest flow.

18. Is water treatment enough?
Phospor in RAS
On Dutch fish farms, 40 till 80% of the total quantity of phospor that enters via the feed is not recorded in farmed fish. Of the total rest phospor production on average about 70% were excreted through the fixed fraction and about 30% through the liquid fraction of the rest flow.

19. Is water treatment enough?
Organic material
On Dutch fish farms, 50 till70% of the total quantity of organic that enters via the feed is not recorded in farmed fish. Much of this organic material, 80-90%, is already converted to carbondioxide on the fish farms. Of the total rest organic material production on average about 7% were excreted through the fixed fraction and about 23% through the liquid fraction of the rest flow.

20. Commission
Strategic Guidelines for the Sustainable Development of EU Aquaculture -->
Commission intends to boost EU aquaculture -->
Priority areas that are addressed:
*Reduce administrative procedures
*Set-up coordinated spatial planning
*Increase competitiveness of EU aquaculture products worldwide

21. Opinion NGOs There are limits to growth Don't boost it till it bursts!
Consider why, what, how, when and where and measure!!

22. Key NGO asks WFD Address gaps in data and knowledge effect aquaculture
Measure and discuss results also with ENGOs
Assess the environmental implications - SEA, EIA
Ensure transparent and participatory governance

23. NGO key asks: minimising impacts
Ensure sustainable sourcing of feed
Adopt technical standards for aquaculture facilities and carry out staff training
Minimise negative impacts on biodiversity
Reduce the impact of chemicals use
Support the development of multi trophic aquaculture and aquaponics

24. NGO key asks: funding and global trade
Use public funds to support public goods, e.g. data collection, research, balanced stakeholder engagement, monitoring.
Do not use public funds to support the expansion of aquaculture methods that lead to negative environmental impacts.
Promote environmentally sustainable trade at the global level

25. How will consumer be informed?
The EU aquaculture industry – subsidised by the EU say:
EU aquaculture is sustainable
Don't eat fish from outside EU
The NGOs tell consumers:
Not all EU aquaculture industry is sustainable.
Go for ASC & MSC & Organic or for fish listed green on the fish guide

26. How will consumer be informed?
The EU aquaculture industry – subsidised by the EU says:
All EU aquaculture is sustainable
Don't eat fish from outside EU
The NGOs tell consumers:
Not all EU aquaculture industry is sustainable.
Go for ASC & MSC & Organic or for fish listed green on the fish guide
--> Sourcing policy retails = advice NGOs
--> NGOs rely more on ecolabels less on policy

27. How will consumer be informed
Consumer will hear 2 messages →
Consumer will not believe anything said about sustainability
Subsidy paid by EU has to promote EU aqua --> no effect
Solution?
Let the industry do good marketing about food safety but work together with NGOs on the sustainability message
Involve ENGOs in policy and research projects