World Wildlife Fund

Process of Creating Global Sustainability Standards for Pangasius Aquaculture Enters Final Stage

Salmon Aquaculture Dialogue to Meet in Norway

The Salmon Aquaculture Dialogue will meet in Bergen, Norway this week to present draft environmental indicators for the salmon farming industry. More than 90 people – including representatives from environmental organizations, salmon producers and scientists from the world’s most prominent salmon farming regions – are expected to attend and provide feedback on the draft indicators.

WWF Partners with Kroger on Sustainable Seafood

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) today announced a partnership with The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), one of the nation’s largest grocery retailers, to help develop a strategy for responsibly-sourced wild seafood.

Draft Standards for Sustainable Bivalve Aquaculture Completed

Draft standards for sustainable bivalve farming, created by the 300-plus participants of the Bivalve Aquaculture Dialogue, were posted for public comment today. This is the third set of draft standards produced through a series of roundtables, collectively called the Aquaculture Dialogues. All of the standards will be global, performance-based, and designed to minimize the key environmental and social impacts associated with aquaculture.

Freshwater Trout Aquaculture Dialogue to Meet in November

The next meeting of the Freshwater Trout Aquaculture Dialogue will be November 5-6 in Barcelona, Spain. This will be the third meeting of the Dialogue, which is a group of trout producers, conservationists, scientists and others who began meeting in November 2008 to develop global standards for responsible Rainbow Trout aquaculture.

Feedback on Draft Standards for Pangasius Aquaculture to be Focus of August Dialogue Meeting

Feedback on draft global standards for pangasius aquaculture that was received during the first public comment period for the standards will be reviewed at the next meeting of the Pangasius Aquaculture Dialogue, to be held August 5-6 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

World Wildlife Fund and GLOBALGAP Partner on Aquaculture Dialogue Standards

WASHINGTON, DC and KOELN, GERMANY: GLOBALGAP will offer an expansion to its program so aquaculture producers can be certified in one step for implementing practices that help ensure the production of safe food in conjunction with environmentally and socially responsible farming.

Abalone Aquaculture Dialogue to Meet in Thailand in July

The Abalone Aquaculture Dialogue will convene its next meeting in Pattaya, Thailand to encourage producers, conservationists, scientists and others to provide input on the development of global standards for the abalone farming industry – an industry that produces almost 70 percent of the abalone consumed worldwide.

Process of Creating Standards for Tilapia Farming Enters Final Stage

The final step in the process of creating global standards for tilapia farming began today, when the Tilapia Aquaculture Dialogue kicked off the last public comment period for the draft standards.

Freshwater Trout Aquaculture Dialogue to Meet in May

The process of creating global standards for responsible trout aquaculture will move forward when the Freshwater Trout Aquaculture Dialogue meets next month in the Faroe Islands, one of the top regions in the world for producing farmed trout.

Draft Standards for Responsible Pangasius Aquaculture Completed

Draft standards for responsible pangasius farming, created by the 250-plus participants of the Pangasius Aquaculture Dialogue (PAD), were posted for public comment today.

WWF Partners With Sysco On Sustainable Seafood

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) today announced a partnership agreement with SYSCO, the nation’s largest foodservice distributor, to develop a strategy for responsibly-sourced seafood.  Under the agreement, WWF will assess the sourcing of SYSCO’s top 10 branded seafood species and work with the company to develop strategies that build on its efforts to move towards sustainable seafood sourcing.  Implementation of the strategy will be addressed during the second phase of the partnership.  SYSCO is also a supporter of the multi-stakeholder roundtables, called Aquaculture Dialogues, which WWF coordinates and will provide financial support for the shrimp and salmon Dialogues.

Disease-Related Impacts of Salmon Aquaculture Top Agenda at Dialogue Meeting

Significant progress has been made in the Salmon Aquaculture Dialogue with the presentation and discussion of the Technical Working Group reports on diseases and parasites at a meeting on March 12-13, 2009. Top experts in the field were asked to assess the environmental impact of diseases and parasites and pull together current knowledge on preventing and mitigating these effects on farms and on the environment.

WWF To Help Fund Creation Of Aquaculture Stewardship Council

Global standards for responsible seafood farming, which are under development by the Aquaculture Dialogue roundtables, will be managed by a new entity to be co-founded by World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Abalone Aquaculture Dialogue to Meet in South Africa in February

The development of global standards for certifying farmed abalone will be the focus of the next meeting of the Abalone Aquaculture Dialogue, to be held February 16-17 in Cape Town, South Africa. The standards will help minimize the eight key environmental and social impacts associated with abalone production.

End of the Line for Tuna Commission

The commission tasked with protecting Atlantic bluefin tuna has once again failed to save the species, according to World Wildlife Fund. The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) decided to ignore its own scientists’ recommendations, setting catch quotas well above sustainable levels and allowing industrial fishing fleets to capture tuna at the height of its spawning period. Other avenues, beyond ICCAT, must now be explored in order to protect bluefin tuna.

Draft Standards for Pangasius Aquaculture to be Rolled Out in December

The world’s first set of measurable, performance-based standards for responsible pangasius farming will be presented at the next meeting of the Pangasius Aquaculture Dialogue, to be held December 3-4 at Can Tho University in Vietnam. The standards, when adopted, will help minimize the main environmental and social issues associated with pangasius farming.

Tuna Commission To Decide The Future Of Mediterranean Bluefin

The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) will meet from November 17- 24 in Marrakech, Morocco to make decisions on measures to save Mediterranean bluefin tuna from collapse.

World’s Salmon Aquaculture Industry Leaders Meet to Develop Standards

More than 80 of the world’s salmon aquaculture industry stakeholders – including producers, NGO representatives, retailers, government representatives and scientists – met here this week to move forward with developing global standards for salmon aquaculture. The standards, when adopted, will help minimize or eliminate the salmon farming industry’s key impacts on the environment and society.

Seriola and Cobia Aquaculture Dialogue Kicks Off in February

The process of creating the world’s first set of credible standards for minimizing the key environmental and social impacts of the cobia and Seriola aquaculture industries will begin in February, when the inaugural meeting of the Seriola and Cobia Aquaculture Dialogue is held.

Feedback on Draft Standards for Tilapia Aquaculture to be Focus of December Dialogue Meeting

Feedback on draft standards for tilapia aquaculture that is received during the first public comment period for the standards will be reviewed at the next meeting of the Tilapia Aquaculture Dialogue. The meeting will be December 15-16 at the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) US headquarters in Washington, DC.

Trout Aquaculture Dialogue Kicks Off in November

The process of creating the world’s first set of credible standards for minimizing the key environmental and social impacts of the trout aquaculture industry will begin in November, when the inaugural meeting of the Trout Aquaculture Dialogue is held.

Salmon Aquaculture Dialogue to Meet in United Kingdom

The world’s salmon aquaculture industry leaders will meet in the United Kingdom in November to move forward with developing measurable standards for salmon farming. The standards will help minimize the industry’s key impacts on the environment and society.

Mollusc Aquaculture Dialogue Expands to Europe

The Mollusc Aquaculture Dialogue will broaden its reach to Europe in November to engage stakeholders from one of the world's most influential mollusc farming regions in the process of creating standards for responsible mollusc farming.

Draft Standards for Responsible Tilapia Aquaculture Available for Review

The first set of measurable, performance-based tilapia aquaculture standards created through a transparent and multi-stakeholder process was released for public comment today. They are the first draft standards from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-initiated Aquaculture Dialogues.

Shrimp Aquaculture Dialogue Expands its Reach

The world’s shrimp aquaculture industry leaders and other stakeholders will meet in South America and Southeast Asia this fall to develop standards for shrimp farming that has a minimal impact on the environment and society.

Who Will Save Pacific Tuna?

Faced with declining populations of bigeye and yellowfin tuna, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) concluded its annual meeting last week in Panama City and failed to produce a binding conservation agreement. This was the IATTC’s fourth attempt in the past year to adopt conservation measures to combat overfishing and launch the recovery of certain tuna populations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Once again negotiations failed.

Abalone Aquaculture Dialogue Begins

The process of creating standards for certifying farmed abalone is underway. The standards will help minimize the key environmental and social impacts associated with abalone production.

Businesses Seeking Expertise from the Conservation Community Now Have Clear Steps for Moving Ahead on Sustainable Seafood

World Wildlife Fund is one of more than a dozen U.S. and Canadian organizations that today released steps companies can take to develop and implement a comprehensive, corporate policy on sustainable, wild-caught and farmed seafood. The “Common Vision for Environmentally Sustainable Seafood” highlights a clear path for achieving sustainability in the seafood industry.

Development of Standards for Shrimp Farming in East Africa and Central America/Mexico Moving Forward

WASHINGTON, DC: Criteria and indicators that will be used to create standards for responsible shrimp farming are under development for the shrimp industries in East Africa and Central America/Mexico.

Development of Standards for Shrimp Farming in East Africa and Central America/Mexico Moving Forward

Criteria and indicators that will be used to create standards for responsible shrimp farming are under development for the shrimp industries in East Africa and Central America/Mexico.

Technical Working Groups to Develop Draft Standards for Pangasius Aquaculture

Nominations are due by April 30th for the Technical Working Groups (TWG) that will draft criteria, indicators and measurable standards for certifying sustainable pangasius farming. Recommendations from the TWGs will be presented to the Pangasius Aquaculture Dialogue – a diverse group of pangasius farming stakeholders – for final consideration by the end of this year.

Impacts of Salmon Aquaculture Top Agenda at Dialogue Meeting in Barcelona

BARCELONA: The Salmon Aquaculture Dialogue met in Barcelona, Spain this week to discuss new reports about escapes, siting and benthic impacts related to salmon farming. Draft principles, or high-level goals that address the impacts of salmon farming, also were presented.

Mollusc Aquaculture Dialogue in High Gear

WASHINGTON, DC: Mollusc aquaculture stakeholders participating in the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-initiated Mollusc Aquaculture Dialogue will meet this winter and spring to develop standards for certifying molluscs farmed in North America. The standards will minimize or eliminate the main negative effects of mollusc farming, which were agreed on by Dialogue participants last fall.

Impacts of Salmon Aquaculture Top Agenda at Dialogue Meeting in Chile

WASHINGTON: The Salmon Aquaculture Dialogue met in Santiago, Chile this week to discuss new reports about two of the key impacts of salmon aquaculture production - chemical inputs and nutrient loading/carrying capacity - and the socioeconomic costs and benefits of salmon aquaculture.

Impacts of Global Salmon Aquaculture Products Top Agenda at Meeting in Chile

WASHINGTON, DC: Salmon producers, retailers, scientists, environmental groups and others from throughout the world will meet in Chile in December to review new reports about two of the main impacts of salmon aquaculture production: chemical inputs and nutrient loading/carrying capacity. Information in the reports will then be used to guide discussions about developing jointly acceptable global standards for salmon aquaculture. A discussion about the socioeconomic costs and benefits of salmon aquaculture globally and in Chile also will be on the agenda.

Mollusc Industry Representatives Move Forward with Aquaculture Certification

WASHINGTON, DC: The process for certifying mollusc aquaculture products - which make up one-quarter of the world's aquaculture production - was set in motion this month as producers, buyers, scientists and others interested in molluscs met in Oregon to discuss standards for an eco-label for oysters, clams, mussels and scallops.

Process for Certifying Pangasius Aquaculture Products is Underway

WASHINGTON, DC: During the inaugural meeting of the Pangasius Aquaculture Dialogue, more than 70 producers, buyers, government officials and others from around the world agreed that there is an urgent need and willingness to certify pangasius aquaculture products.

Tilapia Aquaculture Dialogue Makes its Debut in Asia

WASHINGTON, DC: The unique issues related to tilapia farming in Asia will be addressed in standards for certifying tilapia aquaculture products, which are under revision in response to feedback about fish farming in Asia received at the first Tilapia Aquaculture Dialogue meeting in that country.

Standards for Certifying Mollusc Aquaculture Products Moving Forward

WASHINGTON, DC: Mollusc producers and buyers, as well as other stakeholders, from throughout the United States and Canada will meet in Oregon October 12th to discuss standards for the certification of mollusc aquaculture products, which make up one-quarter of the world's aquaculture production.

WWF Kicks Off Process for Certifying Pangasius Aquaculture Products

WASHINGTON, DC: Pangasius producers and buyers, as well as other stakeholders, from throughout the world will meet in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam September 26-27 to begin developing standards for certifying Pangasius aquaculture products - one of the fastest growing types of aquaculture.

Standards for Certifying Tilapia Aquaculture Products Moving Forward

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following two years of transparent, multi-stakeholder meetings with many of the world's top tilapia producers and buyers, draft standards for certifying tilapia aquaculture products are developed and will be on the agenda for two high-level tilapia meetings this month.

Twenty-Six Year Veteran of Aquaculture Industry Joins WWF Team

WASHINGTON, DC: Jose Villalon, a 26-year veteran of the aquaculture industry, is the new director of World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) aquaculture program. Villalon's primary role is to oversee the Aquaculture Dialogues, a set of multi-stakeholder groups developing standards for more sustainable aquaculture production. WWF is the catalyst for the dialogues.

WWF Joins with Aquaculture Industry to Improve Environmental Performance

WASHINGTON - World Wildlife Fund announced today that it is working with the leading producers of farmed seafood including catfish, tilapia, basa, abalone, oysters, clams, scallops and mussels to improve the industry's environmental performance. Separate discussions are underway -- called "aquaculture dialogues"-- for tilapia, catfish and molluscs. All are focused on developing credible and measurable standards that could be used in investment and buyer screens or a certification program to reduce or eliminate the key impacts of the aquaculture industry.

Aerial Survey Finds Increase in Fishing Boats and Aquaculture

In May 2006, WWF staff flew over the Gulf of California during a 10-day exercise to count pangas (small fishing boats), fishing campsites and aquaculture ponds in order to assess current fishing efforts and compare results to 1998 data, as well as determine the extension of aquaculture activities in the region.