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:

Aquaculture has the potential to make a significant contribution to the world's aquatic food supply, and to become an important provider of food for the world's growing population. Aquaculture also has a social dimension providing a potential for an alternative livelihood, and thus has an important role in the alleviation of poverty. The future development of the sector should be guided by a spirit of sustainability benefiting humanity. Hence the guidelines are based on the following principles:

The Principle of Sustainable Development as it was endorsed in the Rio-Declaration of 1992, interpreted as comprising the inter-relation of natural and technological aspects on the one hand, with socio-economic and value-based considerations on the other.

The Precautionary Principle, which reflects concern for human interaction with the environment: in the light of uncertain or inconclusive scientific knowledge, strategies are called for which effectively reduce the possibility of future harm to the environment.

The Principle of Human Equity as a goal for economic and technological development: that satisfactory development presupposes that both the global and local distribution of benefits should create real improvements for poor and under- privileged people and satisfy their needs before other needs are met.

The first international Symposium on Sustainable Fish Farming, held in Holmenkollen, Oslo, in 1994, produced a set of guidelines for sustainable industrial fish farming. These were taken into account in the development of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, which was adopted in 1995 by 168 countries. The Second International Symposium on Sustainable Aquaculture, Oslo 1997, reviewed the potentials and constraints for aquaculture development and issues of sustainability as well as Article 9 on Aquaculture Development in the FAO Code of Conduct (see appendix). The Symposium endorsed this article but recommends that specific sectors place particular emphasis on the following issues.

Each State should:

1. establish an aquaculture development plan based upon the need for food security, rural development, disease control, biodiversity and sustainable use of resources. The context of integrated use of water resources and of potential production areas should be applied

2. establish and implement a national strategic development plan, which identifies and designates areas and resources important for future aquaculture or other food productions, and protects them from being irreversibly allocated to other purposes.

3. ensure co-ordination between relevant governmental departments, and implementation of participatory planning processes involving local communities and all stakeholders, in the development of aquaculture.

4. establish, implement and enforce appropriate laws and regulations to ensure responsible aquaculture, including food safety, environmental safety and ethical criteria and the protection of the rights of indigenous people and local communities.

5. establish and implement a licensing or regulatory system governing the use of exotic species, including genetically modified organisms and organisms from breeding programs, with due considerations to human health and to impacts of escapees.

6. be appreciative of the difficulty that allowing aquaculture to develop
in response to market demand can generate problems of equity, for example if aquatic resources currently consumed by the poorer section of the community are to be used as feed for aquaculture.

Producers and industry should:

7. take full advantage of new technologies and management procedures that can improve quality and quantity of aquaculture products and reduce risk of adverse effects on the environment and on the livelihood of other people including future generations.

8. strictly abide by the internationally agreed food safety, environmental safety and ethical criteria if genetically modified organisms, chemo-therapeutants or hormones are utilized in the production.

9. develop standards and practices, which embody ethical principles for ensuring health and welfare of fish and shellfish and for slaughter practices.

10. become increasingly customer oriented in defining quality attributes and strengthen dialogue with the consumer. In particular the industry has an independent responsibility to provide adequate product and production information on all issues recognized to be of consumer concern.

The scientific and technological community should:

11. give a priority to domestication of relevant aquaculture species, involving control of the whole life cycle and thus allowing genetic improvement. As the economic costs of domestication efforts are high, concentration will be on few species. However, this should not preclude the evaluation of alternative species.

12. give a priority to the development of integrated, polyculture-based fish farming for omnivorous or herbivorous species, specially those useful in utilizing organic wastes.

13. give a priority to the development of sources for animal feed other than fish protein and fish lipid.

14. recognize the responsibility to develop and make available the best technology, in particular for the efficient use of the resources and for avoiding harm to the environment.

Intergovernmental organizations and development
agencies should:

15. recognize the potential of aquaculture to contribute significantly to the world´s aquatic food supply and support its realization.

16. require, as a precondition for involvement in aquaculture development projects, that all parties abide by these guidelines.

17. give a priority to transfer, adaptation and implementation of technological innovations, capacity building, training and education in order to harvest the full potential of aquaculture in developing countries.

9.1 Responsible development of aquaculture, including culture-based fisheries, in areas under national jurisdiction

9.1.1 States should establish, maintain and develop an appropriate legal and administrative framework which facilitates the development of responsible aquaculture.

9.1.2 States should promote responsible development and management of aquaculture, including an advance evaluation of the effects of aquaculture development on genetic diversity and ecosystem integrity, based on the best available scientific information.

9.1.3 States should produce and regularly update aquaculture development strategies and plans, as required, to ensure that aquaculture development is ecologically sustainable and to allow the rational use of resources shared by aquaculture and other activities.

9.1.4 States should ensure that the livelihoods of local communities, and their access to fishing grounds, are not negatively affected by aquaculture developments.

9.1.5 States should establish effective procedures specific to aquaculture to undertake appropriate environmental assessment and monitoring with the aim of minimizing adverse ecological changes and related economic and social consequences resulting from water extraction, land use, discharge of effluents, use of drugs and chemicals, and other aquaculture activities.

9.2 Responsible development of aquaculture including culture-based fisheries within transboundary aquatic ecosystems

9.2.1 States should protect transboundary aquatic ecosystems by supporting responsible aquaculture practices within their national jurisdiction and by cooperation in the promotion of sustainable aquaculture practices.

9.2.2 States should, with due respect to their neighbouring States, and in accordance with international law, ensure responsible choice of species, siting and management of aquaculture activities which could affect transboundary aquatic ecosystems.

9.2.3 States should consult with their neighbouring States, as appropriate, before introducing non-indigenous species into transboundary aquatic ecosystems.

9.2.4 States should establish appropriate mechanisms, such as databases and information networks to collect, share and disseminate data related to their aquaculture activities to facilitate cooperation on planning for aquaculture development at the national, subregional, regional and global level.

9.2.5 States should cooperate in the development of appropriate mechanisms, when required, to monitor the impacts of inputs used in aquaculture.

9.3 Use of aquatic genetic resources for the purposes of aquaculture including culture-based fisheries

9.3.1 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 including culture-based fisheries into waters, especially where there is a significant potential for the spread of such non-native species or genetically altered stocks into waters under the jurisdiction of other States as well as waters under the jurisdiction of the State of origin. States should, whenever possible, promote steps to minimize adverse genetic, disease and other effects of escaped farmed fish on wild stocks.

9.3.2 States should cooperate in the elaboration, adoption and implementation of international codes of practice and procedures for introductions and transfers of aquatic organisms.

9.3.3 States should, in order to minimize risks of disease transfer and other adverse effects on wild and cultured stocks, encourage adoption of appropriate practices in the genetic improvement of broodstocks, the introduction of non-native species, and in the production, sale and transport of eggs, larvae or fry, broodstock or other live materials. States should facilitate the preparation and implementation of appropriate national codes of practice and procedures to this effect.

9.3.4 States should promote the use of appropriate procedures for the selection of broodstock and the production of eggs, larvae and fry.

9.3.5 States should, where appropriate, promote research and, when feasible, the development of culture techniques for endangered species to protect, rehabilitate and enhance their stocks, taking into account the critical need to conserve genetic diversity of endangered species.

9.4 Responsible aquaculture at the production level

9.4.1 States should promote responsible aquaculture practices in support of rural communities, producer organizations and fish farmers.

9.4.2 States should promote active participation of fishfarmers and their communities in the development of responsible aquaculture management practices.

9.4.3 States should promote efforts which improve selection and use of appropriate feeds, feed additives and fertilizers, including manures.

9.4.4 States should promote effective farm and fish health management practices favouring hygienic measures and vaccines. Safe, effective and minimal use of therapeutants, hormones and drugs, antibiotics and other disease control chemicals should be ensured.

9.4.5 States should regulate the use of chemical inputs in aquaculture which are hazardous to human health and the environment.

9.4.6 States should require that the disposal of wastes such as offal, sludge, dead or diseased fish, excess veterinary drugs and other hazardous chemical inputs does not constitute a hazard to human health and the environment.

9.4.7 States should ensure the food safety of aquaculture products and promote efforts which maintain product quality and improve their value through particular care before and during harvesting and on-site processing and in storage and transport of the products.

INTRODUCTION

PREAMBLE

RECOMMENDATION

APPENDIX

Second International Symposium
on Sustainable Aquaculture, Oslo, Norway, November 1997

Organizers:

Organizing Committee:

International Advisory Group: