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Meeting the challenge - WWF
Maren Esmark, WWF
Genetic Impacts from Aquaculture: Meeting the Challenge in Europe
International Symposium, Bergen, Norway, 2. July 2007
WWF – World Wide Fund for Nature
WWF is the world largest
environmental organisastion with
around 5 million supporters, 54
national offices and 700
conservation projects in 100
countries.
WWF is global and politically
independenter.
WWF was established in 1960
under the name World Wildlife Fund
UN Panel on Climate Change
WWF Global Footprint
WWF Nature Index Norway
WWF Living Planet Index
UN Mill Ecosyst Assessment
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Aquaculture and the environment
Genetic impacts – introduced species
Escaped farmed fish in Norway
Measures to prevent escapes and minimise impact
WWFs work
Total global catch of Atlantic cod was in 1970 around 3.1 million tons. In 2002, total
catch was down to 890.000 tons, a reduction of more than 70 %. (FAO Fishstats 2004)
The SSB of Norwegian coastal cod North of 62 has decreased continuously
since 1984 and a further reduction in biomass is expected. ICES ACFM 2003
Fin fish aquaculture
- Unsustainable use of marine resources
- Aquaculture is a main route for introductions of exotic species
- Good conditions for diseases and parasites – and possible
transfers to wild species
- Farming in ecological sensitive areas
- Habitat destruction and land alteration
- Discharges of nutrients and chemicals
The good news are that most of this can be solved with better
regulations and control regimes and by good management at
the farm site!
The fishoil can stop the growth in
salmon and cod farming
- Sandeel, Norway pout and horse mackerel has
decreased significantly
- Blue Whiting – A story of no managment and ”good luck”
(good recruitment)
-”Reduction fisheries” - Key species in the ecosystem
- Increased use for human consumption
Aquaculture consumes around
20 million tons of wild caught fish
WWF report about escaped
farmed fish in Norwegian water
Norwegian rivers impacted by
escaped farmed salmon
Threatened: > 45 %
Heavily impacted: 21 -45%
Impacted: 6 – 21%
OK < 6 %
Escaped farmed fish in Norway
2001 - 2006
1400000
Cod & halibut
1200000
Salmon and trout
1000000
800000
600000
400000
200000
0
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
ICES working group on Atlantic Salmon 2007
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas
Article 196 on the use of technologies or introduction of
alien or new species requires states to take all
measures necessary to prevent, reduce and control the
intentional or accidental introduction of alien or new
species which may cause significant and harmful
changes.
The convention on biodiversity (CBD) from 1992 reads:
“Each Contracting Party shall, as far as possible and as
appropriate - prevent the introduction of, control or
eradicate those alien species which threaten
ecosystems, habitats or species“.
The FAO Code of Conduct for responsible fisheries
reads: “States should conserve genetic diversity and
maintain integrity of aquatic communities and
ecosystems by appropriate management. In particular,
efforts should be undertaken to minimize the harmful
effects of introducing non-native species or genetically
altered stocks used for aquaculture...
Norwegian Aquaculture Act use the term ”alien
organisms" in § 10, Envrionmental objectives.
According to Ot.prp. nr 61 2004 – 2005, this term
reflects both alien species and alien genes.
Follow up of Norwegian commitments in international
conventions.
Salmo salar L., 1758, Atlantic Salmon (escaped farmed fish)
Farmed salmon (Salmo salar) are much discussed in relation to
possible effects of genetic contamination. They contain genes from
several salmon stocks. If escaped farmed salmon spawn in rivers
containing wild salmon and cross-breed with them, the wild salmon
strains may lose their unique adaptation to the particular river system
from which they come. Offspring from such hybrids between farmed
and wild salmon compete for food with the local salmon parr, for
example. Many scientists believe that, in the long term, continual
infusion of farmed salmon into the wild salmon strains will lead to the
differences between the original salmon strains, which have become
adapted to the environment through natural selection over a long
time, being erased (Einum & Fleming 1997, Fleming et al. 2000,
2002, McGinnity et al. 2003, Fiske 2006).
The Norwegian Black List 2007
AquaManagement report from 2004:
…4 out of 5 escapes in 2001 and
2002 happens because of failure in
quality systems….
Norway has bad weather:
Deal with it – or leave!
Fish farming exclusion
zones to protect salmon
WWF proposes Fish
farming exclusion zones
to protect coastal cod
and other coastal
marine resources.
National salmon fjords and salmon
rivers established in 2003 and 2007
How to stop escapes?
Biological pollution – change in legal framework
Take fish farmers to court
Regulations and technical standards
Withdrawal of licenses and high fines
Use of best available technology
Continous research on new and better technologies
Specified regulations for ”escape-species”
Certification systems
Marked pressure
How to minimize the impact
of escaped farmed fish?
No fish farms in vulnerable areas
= spawning grounds, migrations routes etc.
Plans for emergency fishing
Sterile farmed fish
Individual tagging
Aquaculture Escape Commission
Vision ”Zero escapes”
Salmon Aquaculture Dialogue
Initiated by WWF in 2004
Follows model of the Consortium of Shrimp Farming and
the Environment
One of several parallel dialogues, all with similar goals
Aim to transparently and credibly develop standards for
environmentally and socially better aquaculture by
species/species group
Final goal is on-the-ground improvement in
environmental and social performance
Steering Comitee
Name
Organization
Katherine Bostick - Manager
Jason Clay
Alex Obach/Petter Arnesen
Andrea Kavanagh
Alex Trent
SOTA
Rodrigo Infante
Kjell Maroni
Trygve Berg Lea
Dom Repta/Jay Ritchlin
Giuliana Furci/Rodrigo Pizarro
WWF US
WWF US
Marine Harvest
NET
SalmonChile
FHL Norwegian Seafood Federation
Skretting
FOCS/DSF/CAAR
Fundación Terram
WWF Sustainable Seafood Campaign
Seafood guides
Methodology for assessing sustainability
of farmed species
Tips when buying farmed fish from Norway
Benchmark study on Aquaculture certifitcation systems
MSC-labelled products as at
2nd September 2005
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