Aquaculture

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More than 60 organizations, companies and agencies are committed to leading the Aquaculture Dialogues process. People on their staff volunteer to serve on the decision making bodies – usually called “steering committees” – and technical working groups for each Dialogue. Below, in their own words, these entities explain what compelled them to get involved in the Dialogues and what inspires them to stay engaged in the process. Additional profiles will be added to this site routinely. You can click here, too, to read about the individual stakeholders who are involved.

What is the mission/purpose of your entity?
Anova Seafood is a leading seafood supplier for the European retail and food service sectors. As a pivotal player in our sector, we bring seafood solutions in fresh as well as in frozen seafood.

Why is your entity interested in aquaculture?
We believe that aquaculture is the best answer to the yearly growth in demand for seafood of over 10 percent. We also believe that aquaculture products can give the best guarantees in terms of traceability and food safety.

Why is your entity interested in addressing the negative impacts associated with aquaculture?
We want to make sure that, for the next generations, there won’t be issues related to the diversity in and availability of seafood products. Aquaculture is a fast growing industry that might have negative impacts. Ignoring these impacts would be a shame towards the next generations.

Which Dialogue(s) are you participating in?
The Pangasius Aquaculture Dialogue, as a member of one of the technical working groups.

Why are you participating in this Dialogue(s)?
We believe that the pangasius industry will need the tools to become a worldwide acknowledged food safe, environmental and social farming business.

What are the 3-4 standards you are helping to develop that you think will be the most effective in minimizing aquaculture’s impact on the environment and/or society?
Standards related to Water pollution and waste management; health management, veterinary medicines and chemicals; social responsibility; and user conflict.

What do you think are the most important elements of the Dialogue process (e.g., transparency, multi-stakeholder, metrics-based standards)?
The multi-stakeholder approach, the transparency, and the WWF support will make sure the standards will be widely acknowledged and backed up by all the stakeholders involved.

What is the mission/purpose of your entity?
FishWise’s mission is to provide businesses that buy and sell seafood with cutting edge tools to support sustainable seafood practices enhancing the health of ocean ecosystems.

Why is your entity interested in aquaculture?
FishWise partners with members at all levels of the seafood supply line, who in turn depend on products from aquaculture to serve their clients. Increasing demand for seafood, the growth of the aquaculture sector and its fundamental ties to global fisheries resources mean that achieving healthy oceans will necessitate building mechanism to foster sustainable aquaculture.

Why is your entity interested in addressing the negative impacts associated with aquaculture?
FishWise partners with members at all levels of the seafood supply line, who in turn depend on products from aquaculture to serve their clients. Increasing demand for seafood, the growth of the aquaculture sector and its fundamental ties to global fisheries resources mean that achieving healthy oceans will necessitate building mechanism to foster sustainable aquaculture.

Which Dialogue(s) are you participating in?
The Pangasius Aquaculture Dialogue (as a technical working group member) and the shrimp and freshwater trout Dialogues (as a steering committee member).

Why are you participating in this Dialogue(s)?
FishWise sees strong environmental and social eco-labels as a fundamental tool that allows our partners in the supply line to confer market support for responsible use of marine resources.

What are the 3-4 standards you are helping to develop that you think will be the most effective in minimizing aquaculture’s impact on the environment and/or society?
FishWise participates in the Aquaculture Dialogues through the involvement of its director of science, Dr. Sian Morgan. Particular contributions surround the biodiversity impacts of siting operations, the ecosystem impacts of using forage fisheries in aquaculture feed and community inputs to social standards.

What do you think are the most important elements of the Dialogue process (e.g., transparency, multi-stakeholder, metrics-based standards)?
Elements of the Dialogue process that distinguish it from other existing certifications for aquaculture, and that have made it a FishWise priority include the commitment to regular and continuous improvement, the use of transparent science-based methods, the appropriate involvement of marginalized stakeholders, and the use of quantifiable, non-subjective standards.

What is the mission/purpose of your entity?
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is the United Kingdom charity dedicated to caring for our seas, shores and wildlife. MCS campaigns for clean seas and beaches, sustainable fisheries and protection for all marine life.

Why is your entity interested in aquaculture?
MCS is interested in aquaculture because nearly half of the seafood we now eat is farmed and, as a consequence, the aquaculture industry can have a significant impact on the environment in which it operates and relies upon.

Why is your entity interested in addressing the negative impacts associated with aquaculture?
MCS believes that, for the aquaculture industry to continue to supply the growing demand for seafood it needs to do so in a healthy, diverse and productive environment. Addressing the impacts of the industry can achieve that aim for the good of the industry and the environment on which it relies.

Which Dialogue(s) are you participating in?
We are represented on the Freshwater Trout Aquaculture Dialogue Steering Committee and participate in the Salmon Aquaculture Dialogue.

Why are you participating in this Dialogue(s)?
The UK is a producer and a consumer of trout and salmon, with salmon being one of the top 3 UK seafood choices. Participation in these Dialogues allows MCS to influence the development of robust standards, which incentivize and promote the industry to address environmental impacts of concern to MCS.

What are the 3-4 standards you are helping to develop that you think will be the most effective in minimizing aquaculture’s impact on the environment and/or society?
The most important standard to develop is that of resource use. The most popular farmed species consumed in the UK are all carnivorous, and therefore rely on marine protein and oil as part of their feed requirements. This reliance on marine ingredients places a burden on the oceans to supply it, and many feed fisheries are not managed in a way to ensure their long-term sustainability or to account for the ecosystem effects of their removal.

Escapes of farmed species is another essential standard to develop that will be effective in minimizing aquaculture’s impact. Advances have been made in recent years to improve containment and technology to achieve this is constantly being developed. MCS would like to see the standards reflect and promote the use of this technology.

Siting of farms can mitigate many of the impacts of aquaculture, such as pollution, interaction with sensitive species and biodiversity impacts.

What do you think are the most important elements of the Dialogue process (e.g., transparency, multi-stakeholder, metrics-based standards)?
I believe that the most important element of the Dialogue process is the fact that it is multi-stakeholder. There are a wealth of experiences, expertise and perspectives that can and do add value to the discussions and development of standards and I am delighted to part of that. Not only do we develop standards but we also learn from each other, which in turn can serve to improve and enrich our own way of working.

What is the mission/purpose of your entity?
Our mission is to protect the diversity of nature and our quality of life. We work with government, business and individuals to conserve our environment by providing science-based education, advocacy and policy work, and acting as a catalyst for the social change that today's situation demands.

Why is your entity interested in aquaculture?
Aquaculture, in general, is of interest because of both its negative impacts and its positive opportunities. Practiced well aquaculture can provide high quality food, local jobs and potential relief for overstressed wild fisheries. Unfortunately, current practices often cause harm to the ecosystems that support them and to the wild species they are farmed near.

Why is your entity interested in addressing the negative impacts associated with aquaculture?
The David Suzuki Foundation is interested in the negative impacts of aquaculture species for a variety of reasons, such as increasing scientific evidence that open net salmon farming has a negative effect on local wild salmon stocks in Pacific Canada. We want Canadians to be able to make healthy food choices that are supportive of diverse and resilient natural ecosystems, human systems in balance with nature and justice in access to and use of natural resources.

Which Dialogue(s) are you participating in?
The bivalve and salmon Dialogues (as a steering committee member), the pangasius Dialogue (as a technical working group and Process Facilitation Group member), and the tilapia and shrimp Dialogues.

Why are you participating in this Dialogue(s)?
The David Suzuki Foundation is involved in the Dialogues because they provide a transparent, multi-stakeholder and science-based approach to defining ecologically and socially responsible aquaculture. The Dialogues’ commitment to measurable standards ensures we can track progress in actual conditions where aquaculture is practiced and make credible sustainable seafood recommendations to our retail partners.

What are the 3-4 standards you are helping to develop that you think will be the most effective in minimizing aquaculture’s impact on the environment and/or society?
Standards on parasite and disease interactions between farmed and wild fish; cumulative impacts; feed and the use of marine proteins and lipids; and escapes to the wild environment.

What do you think are the most important elements of the Dialogue process (e.g., transparency, multi-stakeholder, metrics-based standards)?
The key elements that make the Dialogue attractive are multi-stakeholder participation, science-based assessment of the negative impacts, transparency of the process and the commitment to metrics-based standards.

What is the mission/purpose of your entity?
Doing food business, especially seafood imported from Asian developed countries.

Why is your entity interested in aquaculture?
This is one of our key investments to stabilize the supply as well as to praise our product quality.

Why is your entity interested in addressing the negative impacts associated with aquaculture?
Our entity is ISO14001 (environment) and SA 8000 (Social Accountability) certified. As a result of this, negative impacts are addressed and controlled. So we need our whole supply chain, in which aquaculture is considered as our key investment, to be compliant with these certifications.

Which Dialogue(s) are you participating in?
The Pangasius Aquaculture Dialogue, as a Process Facilitation Group and technical working group member.

Why are you participating in this Dialogue(s)?
To promote more people working in the same direction as what we are doing; to learn more know-hows from involved people; and to develop our business in the long run.

What are the 3-4 standards you are helping to develop that you think will be the most effective in minimizing aquaculture’s impact on the environment and/or society?
Standards related to land and water use, eFCR, analysis control plans, labor contracts and health/accident insurance.

What do you think are the most important elements of the Dialogue process (e.g., transparency, multi-stakeholder, metrics-based standards)?
Most important are that the standards will be metrics-based and that the process is transparent and relies on consensus.

What is the mission/purpose of your entity?
Skretting delivers outstanding nutrition and services to fish farmers worldwide for the sustainable production of healthy and delicious fish.

Why is your entity interested in aquaculture?
As a feed supplier, we are part of the aquaculture value chain.

Why is your entity interested in addressing the negative impacts associated with aquaculture?
Skretting is interested in addressing the negative impacts associated with aquaculture to ensure that future growth of the industry is accepted by the wider society. We also anticipate that, in the future, consumers will not accept products that are perceived to have negative environmental and social impacts.

Which Dialogue(s) are you participating in?
The salmon Dialogue, as a member of the Dialogue’s steering committee.

Why are you participating in this Dialogue(s)?
To support and influence the development of measurable, performance-based standards that minimize or eliminate the key environmental and social impacts of salmon farming, while permitting the industry to remain economically viable.

What are the 3-4 standards you are helping to develop that you think will be the most effective in minimizing aquaculture’s impact on the environment and/or society?
I think that standards relating to the main principles of protecting the health and genetic integrity of wild populations, the use of resources in an environmentally efficient and responsible manner, and the management of diseases and parasites in an environmentally responsible manner will have the greatest environmental impact.

What do you think are the most important elements of the Dialogue process (e.g., transparency, multi-stakeholder, metrics-based standards)?
The most important element is that it is a multi stakeholder process.

What is the mission/purpose of your entity?
At the Bangladesh Agricultural University Department of Aquaculture, we serve the nation through the development of aquaculture towards enhancing nutritional supports and overall national development.

Why is your entity interested in aquaculture?
Aquaculture is the fastest growing food production sector in the world. Much of aquaculture development has been occurred in Asian countries with the greatest variety of cultured species and systems. Globally, Bangladesh is one of the leading aquaculture producing countries and it is increasingly contributing to the domestic consumption of fish as well as to export markets. Expansions of aquaculture systems have several positive impacts, with implications of production technologies, social and environmental issues. However, there are no guidelines or codes of conduct for aquaculture in Bangladesh. Realizing such potential and drawback of aquaculture, we are interested in the contributory process for the development of sustainable aquaculture.

Why is your entity interested in addressing the negative impacts associated with aquaculture?
Aquaculture in Bangladesh has increasingly been growing over the last three decades. Along with small-scale aquaculture, pangasius aquaculture has been developed as a considerable enterprise in Bangladesh, which contributes to the livelihoods of a wide range of people. However, there are several negative impacts – including the use of agriculture land for pond construction, water use, and discharging wastewater into the other water bodies – which need to be addressed holistically for sustainable aquaculture development.

Which Dialogue(s) are you participating in?
The Pangasius Aquaculture Dialogue, as a member of a technical working group for land and water use.

Why are you participating in this Dialogue(s)?
Bangladesh is one of the important pangasius producing countries in Asia. Its total production is consumed domestically, not exported. However, there is a potential for export market of pangasius, as already there is an established shrimp export market from Bangladesh to the developed world. If the stakeholders from Bangladesh can take part in the emerging pangasius Dialogue by giving their thoughts and views, the standards will be more generalized to comply for the Bangladeshi farmers. And in the coming days, Bangladeshi farmers will be able to earn foreign currency.

What are the 3-4 standards you are helping to develop that you think will be the most effective in minimizing aquaculture’s impact on the environment and/or society?
Standards related to land and water use, water pollution and waste management, feed management, social responsibility and user conflict.

What do you think are the most important elements of the Dialogue process (e.g., transparency, multi-stakeholder, metrics-based standards)?
The process of the development of standards is transparent and a wide range of stakeholders – including pangasius farmers, non-farmers, businessmen, researchers and academics – are actively involved. People working in the technical working groups are widely knowledgeable and this helps make the process more effective.

What is the mission/purpose of your entity?
Rain Forest Aquaculture (RFA) is a vertically integrated aquaculture company. Its tilapia breeding, production and processing facilities are located in the country of Costa Rica, which operate under the corporate name of Grupo-ACI. Grupo-ACI exports tilapia products in the form of fresh, frozen and breaded fillets, as well as whole fish, to the USA, where RFA manages their sales and distribution within North America and abroad. Grupo-ACI also manufactures a tilapia fishmeal out of its processing wastes, and exports tilapia skins and scales for use in gelatin production.

Why is your entity interested in aquaculture?
RFA is an aquaculture producer.

Why is your entity interested in addressing the negative impacts associated with aquaculture?
RFA is keenly aware of the growing interest in environmentally and socially responsible food production on the part of the consuming public in North America and Europe, as well as in its own operating country, Costa Rica. Since its inception, RFA has adopted measures both in the form of growing system infrastructure and in its management of human resources that mitigate potential negative impacts associated with aquaculture. RFA wishes to further develop its level of responsibility with regard to these values.

Which Dialogue(s) are you participating in?
The Tilapia Aquaculture Dialogue, as a steering committee member.

Why are you participating in this Dialogue(s)?
RFA was invited to participate in the tilapia Dialogue. This offer was accepted in order to further the interests stated in item #3 above.

What are the 3-4 standards you are helping to develop that you think will be the most effective in minimizing aquaculture’s impact on the environment and/or society?
Site farms or expand existing farms to conserve natural habitat and local biodiversity; standard(s) governing the movement of tilapia; phosphorus utilization and release; Better Management Practices for the prevention of escapes from aquaculture facilities; and requiring the application of bio-security measures on tilapia farms.

What do you think are the most important elements of the Dialogue process (e.g., transparency, multi-stakeholder, metrics-based standards)?
The tilapia standards are concise, credible, durable, realistic, and open to revision and further development. They address the key issues facing tilapia aquaculture’s impact on the environment and society. This is because they were formed by a broad group of industry experts – growers, scientists, regulators and NGOs – and they are metrics- and science-based to the extent practical. Of equal importance is the Dialogue’s adherence to the ISEAL guidelines for standards development, and the policy of transparency throughout the development process.

What is the mission/purpose of your entity?
The Shellfish Association of Great Britain (SAGB) is the United Kingdom’s (UK) shellfish industry’s trade body. The association provides support on various topics of interest to the UKs shellfish industry, which is the most valuable component of the country’s seafood industry. We provide technical advice and mediate in a range of environmental issues, ranging from coastal pollution, aggregate dredging and stock conservation. Furthermore, we maintain a working relationship with many important conservation agencies and government departments. Our aim is to assist and promote the sustainable development of the shellfish industry in the UK.

Why is your entity interested in aquaculture?
Cultivated shellfish form an important component of the UK’s shellfish industry. The total value of the shellfish cultivated in the UK in 2007 was estimated to be £23 million, from just over 27,400 tonnes. This is very similar to the level of production in 2006. In England, production of the main species (mussels and Pacific oysters) was very similar to that in the previous year. There was some revival in farmed production of clams, but this is at a very low level of activity. In Scotland, total production was dominated by mussels (4,850 tonnes) and Pacific oysters (2.6 million shells, 208 tonnes). Small volumes of queens (15 tonnes), scallops (2 tonnes) and native oysters (22 tonnes) were also produced. Mussel production increased by 14 percent from 2006 to 2007, showing a continued increasing trend.

Why is your entity interested in addressing the negative impacts associated with aquaculture?
The SAGB is committed to raising standards in our industry, enabling those within the seafood supply chain to demonstrate their commitment to the sustainable production of seafood.

Which Dialogue(s) are you participating in?
The Bivalve Aquaculture Dialogue, as a steering committee member.

Why are you participating in this Dialogue(s)?
The SAGB believes the value of shellfish landings could be enhanced if they were associated with sustainability and environmental credentials. The influence of accredited food products on the market is becoming significant. Opportunities to supply shellfish to major outlets are becoming constrained by lack of documented production criteria. To satisfy these markets, the standards of an international or nationally recognized accreditation scheme have to be met. To date, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is the only third-party, independent, internationally-recognized accreditation scheme that complies with United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization guidelines. However, the MSC does not accredit all forms of bivalve cultivation.

What are the 3-4 standards you are helping to develop that you think will be the most effective in minimizing aquaculture’s impact on the environment and/or society?
The standards related to the following principles are the most important:

• Principle 2 (Avoid, remedy or mitigate significant adverse effects on habitats, biodiversity, and ecological processes): Bivalve aquaculture can work in harmony with the marine environment and we believe that it is only right that all forms of seafood production should have an acceptable footprint.
• Principle 4 (Manage disease and pests in an environmentally responsible manner): It is well within our means to manage pests & disease in a responsible manner and we support the inclusion of this principle to ensure our high standards are maintained
• Principle 7 (Develop and operate farms in a socially and culturally responsible manner): Sustainability is a 3-legged stool and we welcome the inclusion of social sustainability issues which complement the more traditional environmental and economic sustainability concerns.

What do you think are the most important elements of the Dialogue process (e.g., transparency, multi-stakeholder, metrics-based standards)?
Discussion, communication and compromise, while striving for best practice.

What is the mission/purpose of your entity?
OSO is an integrated company specialized in organic shrimp farming. It has operations in Madagascar covering organic certified hatchery, organic certified growing ponds and organic certified processing plant. OSO is the first company worldwide to be certified under France Official Organic Regulation Standards (AB Label) under the latest EU Organic Regulation n°834-2007.

Why is your entity interested in aquaculture?
OSO is an organic aquaculture production and distribution company and brand.

Why is your entity interested in addressing the negative impacts associated with aquaculture?
OSO has been involved in developing the latest organic official regulations in France and the European Union. Being involved in organic aquaculture, OSO was invited by WWF to join initially the shrimp Dialogue’s Regional Steering Committee for Africa and, later, that Dialogue’s Global Steering Committee.

Which Dialogue(s) are you participating in?
The Shrimp Aquaculture Dialogue, as a steering committee member.

Why are you participating in this Dialogue(s)?
We do believe that the shrimp aquaculture industry, in order to reach its maturity level, has come across key environmental and social issues that must be addressed to avoid more sanitary, ecological or social disasters around the world. We do believe that the OSO organic farming approach has open new areas in the industry that have been recognized worldwide for their sustainability and ecological integration approach. OSO’s approach has been awarded by international NGOs and consumer groups, and recognized by the leading retailers in Europe, among them Marks & Spencer, AUCHAN, Carrefour and REYNAUD-Atlantys in France. OSO’s involvement in the Dialogue is justified primarily in the fact that we do believe that the aquaculture industry in a solution to feed the world, we do believe that Aquaculture Stewardship Council can create a momentum towards moving the aquaculture industry towards better or best practices, and we do believe that consumers deserve to have the choice by promoting sustainability and responsible approaches when they buy their food.

What are the 3-4 standards you are helping to develop that you think will be the most effective in minimizing aquaculture’s impact on the environment and/or society?
Standards related to defining the right size for the right instant meal to offer the best equilibrium in term of environmental and economic sustainability; and standards related to GMOs, chemicals and allopathic treatment use. These are critical issues on which consumers’ perceptions can jeopardize any eco-label, where know-how and experience is too low to make a sound decision and where other examples in other industry have shown that intensification and quest for always having the highest yields and fastest returns can be a deadly approach.

What do you think are the most important elements of the Dialogue process (e.g., transparency, multi-stakeholder, metrics-based standards)?
Transparency, creating metrics-based and progressive standards, and using a multi-stakeholder approach.

What is the mission/purpose of your entity?
FishChoice creates tools and relationships to make commercial procurement of sustainable seafood products easier and to expand the outreach and effectiveness of the sustainable seafood movement. FishChoice is a nonprofit, conservation minded, organization.

Why is your entity interested in aquaculture?
Aquaculture provides nearly half of the seafood consumed in North American, and is an important part of providing the public with the seafood they love. FishChoice seeks to connect seafood buyers with the most environmentally responsible fishing and aquaculture operations.

Why is your entity interested in addressing the negative impacts associated with aquaculture?
The seafood industry requires a large enough supply of environmentally preferable products in order to continue the removal of unsustainable items that are currently offered. Addressing the negative impacts of, and setting a course for improvement for the key species that the aquaculture dialogs are targeting is a key component to increasing the supply of more environmentally preferable species.

Which Dialogue(s) are you participating in?
FishChoice is only engaged in the Shrimp Aquaculture Dialogues, although our staff regularly check in with organizations and individuals who are actively engaged in the tilapia, Pangasius, salmon, trout and bivalve dialogues.

Why are you participating in this Dialogue(s)?
Shrimp is the most popular seafood in the United States, and the majority of it comes from farms. The environmental and social impacts of shrimp farming are well known and significant, but there remains strong potential for farmed shrimp to become an environmentally friendly source of seafood. By participating in the Dialogues, FishChoice can help create a mechanism to recognize the leaders in shrimp farming and create a path forward for the rest of the shrimp farming industry to reduce their environmental and social impacts, while still providing the shrimp that people love to eat.

What are the 3-4 standards you are helping to develop that you think will be the most effective in minimizing aquaculture’s impact on the environment and/or society?
Standards addressing the responsible sourcing of aquaculture feed, appropriate siting or farm operations and social responsibility are not only three of the most important standards we can develop, but also the three most complex standards. These three issues affect all aquaculture operations and impact people and ecosystems far beyond the boundaries of any farm. While we don’t anticipate that the Aquaculture Dialogues will identify solutions to these significant issues at this time, taking the first steps toward understanding and addressing these issues is a critical part of eventually overcoming these challenges.

What do you think are the most important elements of the Dialogue process (e.g., transparency, multi-stakeholder, metrics-based standards)?
The Aquaculture Dialogues are unique amongst aquaculture certification schemes because they bring together a diverse group of stakeholders to create standards. The multi-stakeholder approach means that a wide range of experiences, viewpoints and motivations are represented. The broader the number of perspectives that contribute to the standards the stronger, more comprehensive, and more realistic the standards will be.

What is the mission/purpose of your entity?
The mission of the Monterey Bay Aquarium is to inspire conservation of the oceans.

Why is your entity interested in aquaculture?
The Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program helps consumers and businesses make choices for healthy oceans. Seafood Watch raises consumer awareness through pocket guides, website, mobile applications and outreach efforts, and works with chefs, restaurants, seafood suppliers and other major buyers to shift their buying habits toward sustainable choices. Seafood Watch evaluates farmed and wild-caught seafood found in the U.S. market.

Why is your entity interested in addressing the negative impacts associated with aquaculture?
I think this is best explained by our mission to inspire conservation of the oceans.

Which Dialogue(s) are you participating in?
We are represented on the Shrimp Aquaculture Dialogue Steering Committee and participate in other dialogues through the public comments process.

Why are you participating in this Dialogue(s)?
In order for the Monterey Bay Aquarium to help consumers and businesses make choices for healthy oceans, we value the development of a robust farm-level certification process that will enable us, our partners and seafood consumers to identify sustainably farmed seafood. Our desire is that all Aquaculture Dialogue Standards will be set at a high enough level to ensure that certified seafood meets at least a ‘Good Alternative’ according to the Seafood Watch criteria.

What are the 3-4 standards you are helping to develop that you think will be the most effective in minimizing aquaculture’s impact on the environment and/or society?
Although the priorities vary to some extent with species and production method, the dialogue must produce robust standards for the sustainable and efficient use of marine resources (e.g. for feed and broodstock), for avoiding negative impacts from escaping farmed animals, for avoiding negative impacts from disease and parasite transfer from farmed to wild populations, and for suitable siting and effluent management. We also consider it essential that robust standards are effectively enforced through a rigorous inspection and audit process.

What do you think are the most important elements of the Dialogue process (e.g., transparency, multi-stakeholder, metrics-based standards)?
The Monterey Bay Aquarium values the multi-stakeholder approach and its application through open access dialogue meetings, the transparency of the standards setting process, and the science-based assessment of the negative impacts. The Aquaculture Dialogue’s greatest potential lies in robust metric-based standards.

What is the mission/purpose of your entity?
Aqua Star is an importer and distributor of seafood, established in North America and Europe.

Why is your entity interested in aquaculture?
We believe in aquaculture as a progressive means to produce sustainably a number of healthy seafood items that people love to have in their diet.

Why is your entity interested in addressing the negative impacts associated with aquaculture?
In our view, in order for aquaculture to be a valid alternative to fishing, it needs to be done in such a way that environmental and social impacts are controlled and, whenever possible, it results in positive changes. We have the opportunity with aquaculture to better manage the impacts of our activity than with fishing, and it is our duty as responsible citizens to do our best to meet stakeholders’ expectations both where our seafood is produced and where it is consumed.

Which Dialogue(s) are you participating in?
The Shrimp Aquaculture Dialogue, with a representative on the Global Steering Committee.

Why are you participating in this Dialogue(s)?
We are primarily, as a business and group of people, specialists of farmed shrimp. Our products are supplied by long-term partners involved in farming activities and we collaborate intensively with them to ensure that production conditions meet the expectations of our customers. We have a strong interest in ensuring that the outcome of the Shrimp Aquaculture Dialogue satisfies the needs of both our suppliers and customers.

What are the 3-4 standards you are helping to develop that you think will be the most effective in minimizing aquaculture’s impact on the environment and/or society?
We contribute to the complete set of standards based on our experience of managing shrimp farming operations and all environmental and social aspects in a holistic management style. However, we work more particularly on siting and water management standards that we think are the basis of aquaculture sustainability. If you develop your project on a good site and identify the right production methods and water management adapted to local conditions, then you are likely to establish a sustainable operation.

What do you think are the most important elements of the Dialogue process (e.g., transparency, multi-stakeholder, metrics-based standards)?
We think that involving all interested parties from a large spectrum of organizations and interests is the right way to go for defining credible standards. Another key element is that the work of steering committees is guided by science and the objective of setting ambitious, yet realistic, standards.