ASC reps share fresh insights in Aquaculture Europe 2022

Focusing on innovative solutions in a changing world, the Aquaculture Europe 2022 which took place in Rimini, Italy in September was a good opportunity to connect, discuss, and be inspired by fresh ideas within the aquaculture sector. Aquaculture Europe is one of the leading international scientific conferences in Europe organised by the European Aquaculture Society yearly. The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) was present at the event, with some of ASC staff presenting about current projects across three different sessions.

With almost 3,000 attendees across 76 countries, the event extended for over four days. Each day was filled with exciting plenary sessions, workshops, and multiple topic-specific sessions. Facing global challenges like climate change and food security, and the solutions to develop a responsible and productive aquaculture sector are the main themes for the event.

The ASC Scope Extension Project was presented by Junior Researcher Coordinator Fabiola Mustafaj in the session dedicated to Emerging Species. The project gives opportunities to various stakeholders involved in the aquaculture sector—from academia to businesses—to give their feedback, insight, and contribution for the development of the upcoming modules on market niche species. Additionally, it raises awareness to smaller commercial producers about the possibility to enter the eco-label market with their products in the future.

Fish Welfare Coordinator Maria Filipa Castanheira participated in the panel discussion on the  PerformFISH project. The panel session explored the implications of new policies such as the European Green Deal and European Commission’s Farm to Fork Strategy. With inputs from various stakeholders, the session looked at how the sector should respond to sustainability challenges in the Mediterranean finfish aquaculture.

The Mediterranean Marine Fish Farming Sector (MMFF) supports the commitment to sustainability and social responsibility through globally recognised international sustainability standards, where certification schemes such as ASC have an essential role in ensuring that farms operate in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.

Kathrin Steinberg, ASC’s Head of Research, participated in the shellfish session and discussed the importance of data collection and data sharing through the example of the recently updated ASC Shrimp Standard.

“We are more than happy for scientists to use the available data and analyse the impacts of ASC certification. This has recently been done by Robert Davis and Claude Boyd who compared the technical efficiency of ASC certified shrimp farms to non-certified shrimp farms,” Steinberg said.

Steinberg is also a Board member of the European Aquaculture Society (EAS) and has been re-elected to the 2022 – 2024 Board of Directors.