Report Of The Expert Consultation On The Development Of Sustainable Aquaculture Guidelines

The Expert Consultation on the Development of the Sustainable Aquaculture Guidelines was held in Rome, Italy from 17 to 20 June 2019 to come out with a proposal for developing the Sustainable Aquaculture Guidelines to be presented in August 2019 at the tenth session of the Sub-Committee on Aquaculture of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI). The specific objectives of this Expert Consultation were to propose criteria for selecting case studies aimed at providing lessons learned for the development of the Sustainable Aquaculture Guidelines, and methodologies for documenting the case studies, for analysing the case studies to identify the lessons learned, and for developing the Sustainable Aquaculture Guidelines by also making use of existing guidelines. The consultation was attended by 15 experts, one resource person and FAO staff. The consultation was organized into both plenary and group discussions. The Experts agreed on a proposed methodology for identifying and selecting the lessons learned from strategies and experiences of aquaculture development worldwide; a methodology for documenting and analysing the lessons learned; a list of thematic modules; a gap analysis between existing guidelines and needs for new ones, and; an updated roadmap for the development of the Sustainable Aquaculture Guidelines.

In line with the recommendation of the FAO Sub-Committee on Aquaculture of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI-SCA) made in 2017, as endorsed by the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) in 2018, regarding the preparation of the Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture (GSA), the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division organized, virtually, the second Expert Consultation on the development of GSA from 18 to 22 October 2021. Thirteen experts from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America attended the consultation. They were supported by seven resource persons and the FAO Secretariat. The objective of the consultation was to discuss and review the drafts of the GSA, the accompanying “Action-Oriented Guidance for Transforming Aquaculture for Greater Contribution to Achieve the SDGs: Key Interconnected Actions to Guide Decision-Makers and Practitioners (AOG)”, and the background document used for the preparation of the GSA and the AOG. The consultation significantly improved these three documents and technically endorsed the drafts of the GSA and the AOG. The experts agreed to the next step of submitting these drafts to the next session of COFI-SCA for further guidance.

The regional consultation held in Mali, Bamako, on 29–30 November 2019, was organized as a series of regional consultations of the project entitled “Support to global consultations to developing guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture”, which was supported by the Government of the Republic of Mali, FAO Regional Office for Africa and the Korea Maritime Institute of the Republic of Korea. This consultation was the first of a series of regional consultations on the Development of “Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture (GSA)”. It aimed to: 1. Share current policies and practices related to aquaculture in the region and inform the African region of the development process of GSA. 2. Review existing regional sustainable aquaculture guidance, and assess potential gaps that GSA could help fill. 3. Develop a list of priority thematic modules, including regional strengths and challenges. 4. Discuss regional case study concepts proposed at the FAO Tenth Session of the COFI Sub-Committee on Aquaculture (SCA) held in Trondheim, Norway on 23-27 August 2019, and identify additional case study topics associated with one or more thematic Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture modules, as outlined by the expert consultation on the development of the Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture, held at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy on 17-20 June 2019.

This document represents the final report of the Regional Consultation for Europe and North America on the development of Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture (GSA), held virtually from 27 to 29 April 2021. The objectives of the consultation were to: share current policies and practices related to aquaculture in the regions; review existing regional and national instruments for sustainable aquaculture; develop a list of priority thematic modules considering regional and national strengths and challenges; propose and prioritize possible case study concepts linked to one or more thematic modules; and identify regional priority areas to be included in the GSA.

The report presents the results of Eastern Europe and Central Asia regional consultation on the development of Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture (GSA). The consultation was held as a virtual meeting from 29th to 31st March 2021. It was attended by representatives from member countries in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and it is the fifth of a series of regional consultations to share current policies and practices, review the existing regional sustainable aquaculture instruments, develop a list of priority thematic modules and discuss regional case study concepts.

The Sub-Committee on Aquaculture at its tenth session held in Trondheim, Norway from 23 to 27 August 2019 commended FAO’s work on the Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture (GSA) and provided guidance on the way forward, including support for regional consultations. The Sub-Committee further encouraged Members to contribute to the GSA by sharing their experiences in series of regional consultations. The first regional consultation was held for Africa, and this was the second regional consultation for Asia. Participants to regional consultations: (i) shared current policies and practices related to aquaculture in the region; (ii) reviewed existing regional and national governance instruments for sustainable aquaculture; (iii) developed a list of priority thematic modules, including regional and national strengths and challenges; (iv) discussed regional case study concepts, and; (v) identified regional priority areas to be included in the GSA. The Consultation for Asia occurred from 30 November to 2 December 2020.

This report discusses the need and methodologies for the utilization and conservation of genetic resources of aquatic animals. More than a review of genetic principles and technologies, the report addresses the application of such principles and technologies in development and conservation projects and research. Specific recommendations are made with regard to the genetic resources contained in natural populations, fisheries stocks, and aquaculture. Recommendations concerning regulatory, policy and legal aspects of aquatic genetic resources are also presented.