The next event of the Forum on Recreational Fisheries and Aquatic Environment will take place on the 26th of June 2018 from 12:00 to 14:00 in the European Parliament (Brussels). It will be chaired by MEP Nils Torvalds.
The conference will gather policy-makers and stakeholders to discuss and find constructive solutions to minimize the impact that conventional aquaculture systems have on the surrounding environment, including on water quality and on wild fish. When farmed fish escape into the wild, they may contribute to spreading parasites in the natural environment or interfere with the spawning process of the wild fish and threaten the survival of wild fish stocks. Finding solutions to these issues in cooperation with the aquaculture sector will help ensuring a long term sustainable industry as well as preserving wild fish stocks.
Closed systems effectively address all negative impacts on fish stocks and the environment but they are more expensive to put in place and run. However, during the event some entrepreneurs will present their closed systems to demonstrate that they are profitable, environmental-friendly and sustainable. Norway is a world leader in fish farming. Amongst the panel speakers there will be the Norwegian member of the European Anglers Alliance (Norges Jeger- og Fiskerforbund), who in conjunction with the Federation of Norwegian Industry will present ongoing developments and strategy for the Norwegian aquaculture sector towards sustainable fish farming. The final aim of the event is to encourage European policy-makers to pave the way for more closed systems by allocating more resources to the further development of profitable closed systems to produce more food in a more environmental-friendly way.
More information and the draft agenda of the event are available here.
