Welsh Aquaculture Producers Association

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Welsh Aquaculture Producers Association
WCMP Meeting, 21 October 2008
Introduction to WAPA potential interactions
with WCMP Dr Robin ShieldsWAPA Chairman
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What is Aquaculture?

• FAO Definition (abbreviated)
• "The farming of aquatic organisms with some
  sort of intervention in the rearing process to
  enhance production, such as regular stocking,
  feeding, protection from predators, etc.
• Production methods in Wales range from
• Extensive ? fully controlled environment

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Background support for Aquaculture Development
in Wales

• Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture Research
• Information, advice and training
• Water quality control in aquaculture systems
• Sustainable aqua-feed development
• Fish and crustacean health management
• ...............

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Additional Planned Support Mechanisms
(Convergence Programme)
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Aquaculture in Wales

• Key sector to enable sustainable increase in
  local production and consumption of high quality
  aquatic food in Wales
• Welsh industry has specific regional texture

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Aquaculture in Wales

• Seabed cultivation of blue mussels
• gt 10,000 T pa largest such industry in the UK
• Recent grant assistance for vessels
• Prime example of multi-user conflict in the
  coastal zone, ref Gallows Point High Court case

Photos courtesy of SFIA
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Aquaculture in Wales

• Land-based marine finfish production
• gt 1,000 T pa capacity, mainly sea bass
• Based in recirculating aquaculture systems
• Recent grant assistance for infrastructure
• Europe-leading technologies

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Aquaculture in Wales

• Land-based marine invertebrate production
• King ragworm
• Traditionally for angling bait
• Recent investments to enable use in high value
  aqua-feeds

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Aquaculture in Wales

• Freshwater production of salmonids
• Rainbow trout for table and recreational fishing
• Approx 500 T total pa for the table, from
  multiple producers static/declining
• Brown trout salmon for re-stocking

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Aquaculture in Wales

• Other specialty and non-food operations
• Genetically improved tilapia (fry and broodstock
  for export)
• Pacific oyster production
• Ornamental fish (koi carp)
• Medicinal leeches
• Microalgae exploitation for food/feeds and CO2
  mitigation

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Welsh Aquaculture Producers Association

• Not-for-profit organisation founded in 2008 to
• Promote, represent and inform Welsh aquaculture
  locally, nationally and internationally
• gt 25 full members directly involved in
  aquaculture production

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WAPA, Recent Current Activities

• Assistance in drafting 2008 Wales Fisheries
  Strategy (WFS)
• Drafting of WFS Implementation Plan
• Ratification of UK Operational Programme for
  European Fisheries Fund (as member of UK EFF
  Programme Committee)
• Consultation responses
• UK EFF Operational Plan and priorities within
  Wales
• Future Management and Enforcement of Sea
  Fisheries In Welsh Waters
• Advice to members on applications for EFF grants

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WAPA Potential areas of interaction with WCMP

• Spatial planning (designation and availability of
  cultivation sites)
• Improvement of coastal water quality
• Potential use of offshore structures for
  aquaculture operations
• Aquaculture / capture fisheries interactions
  (including re-stocking)

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Thank You
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CSAR Principle Research Themes

• Sustainable aqua-feed development
• Water quality control and effluent management in
  intensive aquaculture systems
• Crustacean health management
• Non-food applications for aquaculture
  technologies
• Harmful algal blooms monitoring, modelling

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CSAR Active locally, nationally and
internationally

• Support for Welsh businesses, eg
• Collaborative research on bioremediation of fish
  farm effluents
• Collaborative research on feed development for
  marine invertebrates
• Water analysis diagnostics of bivalve molluscs
• Services to regional government, including -
• Drafting of Wales Fisheries Strategy, 2007
• UK national research projects, eg
• Algal biofuels technology
• Fish welfare assessment
• European collaborative projects, including -
• Aquaculture water quality control and effluent
  management
• Cultivation of native crustacea
• Contract services to international companies
• Aqua-feed development
• Aqua-pharmaceuticals

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CSAR Example of research activitiesWater
Quality Control in Intensive Aquaculture Systems
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750m2 of controlled environment laboratories
plus ancillary services temperature
controlled, 10-30oC
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CSAR Current Study Species
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CSAR Current Study Species
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CSAR Current Study Species
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CSAR Current Study Species
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CSAR Current Study Species