David Bassett British Trout Association

Transcription

1 David Bassett British Trout Association

2 This talk is not the agreed view of the English trout farming industry A personal view, developed through working with the UK trout farming industry, and with those associated with the wider aquaculture industry at a devolved, UK, EU and worldwide level. Informed through working with industry, fisheries, NGOs and charities, Government and Agencies, Academia. And farmers. And customers. David Bassett BTA, The Rural Centre, West Mains, Ingliston EH28 8NZ / david.bassett@britishtrout.co.uk

3 From my personal experience, the future for English aquaculture is our establishment of an enabling framework and support network to assist those who wish to develop aquaculture. Others disagree. But to my mind: We do not appear to be at a point of time where interventionist Government action is an option. Nor are we at a stage where there is sufficient critical mass within the production industry, or consumer market, to set numeric production targets Target setting may on occasion be the right thing to do, indeed we have good examples of it:

4 Today is not about Scottish aquaculture or any issues relating to that. To look into the future is not to dwell on examples of bad practice or what went wrong in the past It is not about the sole right of use or access to the aquatic environment Today is not about can t or too difficult. Today is all about unlocking potential and helping those interested in aquaculture to realise their aspirations It is about time bound objective setting and developing a path to achieving them

5 Our aquaculture has to be: Understood Accepted Beneficial Profitable Different than it is today Deliver many things to different people Adaptable Innovative Innovation is the key in order to succeed

6 Aquaculture will only develop if there is a profit, and for a profit there must be a market Today, aquaculture is perceived as high risk, presents low returns, requires patient capital, faces rising costs, competition from cheap imports and alternative products Aquaculture operates within increasingly constrictive parameters (legislative/ regulatory and cost) Any future plan for expansion must be routed in good business, market demand and profit Annual income 20, annual expenditure 19,19/6 - result happiness Annual income 20, annual expenditure 20, 0/6 - result misery.

7 What is Government good for? In a climate of only limited state intervention and budgetary constraint, what can we realistically expect? Express, supportive policy statements Streamlined, coordinated, efficient policy and decision making processes Appropriate regulation Fairness And where can we help Government? Stakeholder advisory capacity Development of new policy expectations e.g. Multi-annual production plans for aquaculture Familiarisation with all the various aspects of aquaculture

8 But! In public consciousness, the word aquaculture is either misunderstood or simply not understood. Does that matter? More widely understood terms include: Rural and coastal economic diversification, nutrition, farming, fishing, vitamin D deficiency, fish discards, self sufficiency, omega 3, research and development, healthy eating Never over estimate what we don t know. Salmon is no longer a fish. Milk comes from a carton. And does anyone really care? English aquaculture requires to be placed into context and into the consciousness of policy makers and associated stakeholders in the areas of farming, fisheries, rural economics, health, nutrition, SME business development and the aquatic environment. To begin with

9 Pass the crystal ball Where will the market take us? - Climate issues, food security issues, commodity price issues, tastes Aquaculture, in all its forms, is accepted to become the majority source of global seafood provision in the near future. Those interested in aquaculture and fisheries in England will need to position themselves accordingly. From the trout industry perspective, we have the ability to expand and evolve our domestic production; but only if there is a viable business case to do so.

10 For English aquaculture to develop we need to ensure that: We move on from the past Aquaculture re-establishes itself in England as an attractive entrepreneurial proposition Such enterprise is encouraged, not stifled, by Government and agencies (EU to local office) Addressing the market is as important as addressing production Educating the influencers is more productive than introducing the unknown to the uninterested (Image courtesy of Nissan but I claim the sentiment as my own ) We accept that we have the potential, desire and ability to develop our aquaculture sector further