England maps out aquaculture growth
Aquaculture and fisheries consultancy Poseidon Aquatic Resource Management has begun work on developing a strategy to grow the aquaculture sector in England over the next 20 years.
The company has been commissioned by Seafood 2040 (SF2040), an England-only strategic and collaborative two-year programme facilitated by seafood support agency Seafish in partnership with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and seafood industry partners.
Poseidon, whose past work includes an independent review of the consenting regime for Scottish aquaculture, the Solway Firth aquaculture strategy and a report on sustainability of fish feeds used by the Scottish aquaculture industry, will work with SF2040’s Aquaculture Leadership Group to shape the strategy and the plan to deliver it.
Growth targets
The strategy is expected to include a series of growth targets for the next 20 years and will be designed to enable the industry to realise its sustainable growth potential, encourage a strong government mandate and increase attractiveness to private investors.
Its work will the UK government’s review of England’s aquaculture regulatory framework and the forthcoming ‘Size of the Aquaculture Prize’ report from Seafish. This is an analysis of the economic opportunities associated with sustainable bivalve shellfish aquaculture growth in the UK.
Vital component
SF2040 chair Neil Auchterlonie, formerly with marine ingredients organisation IFFO, said: “The English Aquaculture Strategy is a vital component of the delivery of SF2040, and the opportunities and importance for this piece of work cannot be overstated.
“We look forward to the delivery of a piece of work that will help to provide a pathway for the growth of this sector in England over the next 20 years, based on the SF2040 foundations of collaboration, science and best practice.”
Tim Huntington, a founding director of Poseidon whose career includes workings a farm manager for Scottish trout farmer Kames in the 1980s, said: “We are very pleased to have been awarded this work.
“The English aquaculture sector, whilst small compared to that in Scotland, deserves more recognition for its contribution to high quality regional food production. We intend to develop a strategy that builds upon this and takes it forward to meet the challenges and potential that the next 20 years will bring.”
