HOLMENKOLLEN GUIDELINES FOR SUSTAINABLE AQUACULTURE 1998

The following document, which was issued after the Second International Symposium on Sustainable Aquaculture in Oslo in 1997, supersedes the Holmenkollen Guidelines for Sustainable Industrial Fish Farming which were issued after the First International Symposium on Sustainable Fish Farming in Oslo in 1994. The new set of guidelines provided here represents an update and extension and they incorporate developments, which have taken place since. Some introductory remarks may be helpful in interpreting the new guidelines.

The participants of the symposium are united in the belief that modern aquaculture carries the potential to become an important provider of food for a growing world population. They also recognize that modern aquaculture can be undertaken in harmony with the environment, thus fulfilling ecological criteria of sustainable development. Furthermore, for many areas of the world, aquacultural development represents a valuable addition to the range of possibilities for improving regional socio-economic conditions. For the aquaculture potential to unfold, it is important that the relevant actors contribute to the development in a spirit of mutual responsibility for the common benefit of humanity, and not be misguided by short-term sectorial interests.

The first and second international symposia on sustainable aquaculture grew out of a desire to provide an all-encompassing assessment of aquacultural activities in the light of the need to adjust to sustainable development on a global scale. One of the preconditions for this was recognized by the organizers to be the communication and co-operation between several sectors of society and various disciplinary approaches. The presentations to the symposia and the list of participants reflect this need. In particular it was thought to be essential that also representatives of the general public, i.e. those who do not have a professional interest in aquaculture, attended the symposium and were given the opportunity to voice their considered views.

At both of the symposia the aim was to formulate a set of guidelines. It should be clearly understood that these guidelines are meant to provide some quite general policy recommendations and a statement of the ethical responsibilities of the industry. They do not have the character of technical specifications or binding legal requirements. Those should rather be a consequence of the guidelines, duly considering regional circumstances and national legal framework. Different nations and different actors are encouraged to evaluate how the spirit of the guidelines may best be implemented within their own sphere of influence.

The moral authority of the present set of guidelines grew out of the consensus among the various participants of the symposium. Participants from 28 countries, among them participants from the leading nations in aquaculture and newly emerging producers, contributed to their formulation. In the effort to formulate the following guidelines an editorial committee attended the meeting and drafted an initial set of guidelines. These were then presented to the plenary session and thoroughly discussed at the final session of the symposium. The editorial committee, together with the organizing committee, formulated a revised version of the guidelines which took into account the comments made at the symposium. This revised version was distributed to all participants for further comments. The organizing committee reviewed these comments and adjusted the final set of guidelines accordingly.

The guidelines are aimed at different actors, clearly addressed in the various sections of the guidelines. They include among others state authorities, industry, the scientific community and related intergovernmental bodies. This variety of target groups reflects the belief that truly sustainable development can only be achieved if various sectors of society co-operate voluntarily in the common effort to secure a development which satisfies the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Those actors that are targeted in the guidelines are assigned the responsibility to ensure the proper implementation of the guidelines and to take adequate pro-active measures.

It is believed that the rapid development of aquaculture and its social-economic environment necessitates a periodical re-assessment of the guidelines as well as their implementation. A future continuation of the symposium by independent organizing bodies, respecting the holistic spirit of itsfounders, is thus encouraged.

The Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences has been appointed by the organizers to follow up the distribution of these guidelines and serve as a clearing house for exchange of information related to their use. Professional questions will be handled on behalf of the academy by the following committee:

INTRODUCTION