What do I mean by corporate responsiblity? Check out the corporate responsibility reports of all the world’s leading retailers and food manufacturers and you’ll find slightly different definitions and practices (its well worth doing this, you’ll have your eyes opened).

The basics are pretty much the same though, its about trying to minimise your negative actions and maximise your positive actions. Create a positive impact from your business activities.

Examples of corporate responsibility might include product positioning, environmental impact of business activities, integrity of sourcing practices, impact on local communities etc.

Will this help your business? From my experiences working in the UK with Young’s Seafood and Sainsbury’s, and contact I have had with Wholefoods in the US. The answer is YES YES YES. See these examples:

• Youngs Seafood
• Sainsbury
• Wholefoods

To capitalise on the market opportunity you have to give the customer what the consumer wants. Corporate responsibilty can give you a point of difference as you develop your aquaculture business.

Can anyone share any other examples of exemplary corporate responsibility amongst producers / suppliers or retailers inside or outside the seafood industry?

The link collections that I find particularly valuable include the following sites:

• Fishing for Information
• European Aquaculture Society CONSENSUS
• World Aquaculture Society 
• aquaNIC

Please assist us to enhance this resource by identifying other sites that you find particularly useful.

Over 30 organisations are participating in the program including public sector research institutions, universities, industry associations and companies.

The strategic goal of Aquamax is to replace as much as possible of the fish meal and fish oil currently used in fish feeds.

The project is seeking sustainable, alternative feed resources that are as free of undesirable contaminants as possible, consistent with maximising the growth performance, feed conversion efficiency, health and welfare of the farmed fish.

This objective is being pursued while maximising the health-promoting properties, safety, quality and acceptability of the final product to the consumer. 

The work of the project is spread over 4 interrelated programs:

• Alternatives to fish meal and fish oil
• Health benefits of fish consumption
• Safety of fish farmed
• Consumer perception of farmed fish

As is usually the case with European Union supported programs, the website is full of interesting resources and presentations.

The Aquamax website may be accessed through this web link. 

The report offers an analytic overview of the current Chinese seafood industry and presents Glitnir’s view of its likely future developments.

Today, China is by far the world’s largest supplier of aquatic products, both by means of capture and aquaculture.

At the same time, China is also one of the most important consumer markets for seafood, with a fast growing appetite for exotic and high-end seafood products.

Seafood consumption is expected to increase significantly in the coming years, according to Glitnir Research. Seafood consumption in China was 25 kilos per capita in 2004 and is expected to reach 36 kilos per capita in 2020.

In the future, tilapia is likely to surpass other cultured species in importance. Production of tilapia worldwide is likely to be stepped up substantially in coming years, as a result of strong investment in the sector.

China will continue to be the world’s main producer of tilapia and the main export market for Chinese tilapia is the U.S.

China’s seafood processing industry will see a continued ability to attract substantial investments from around the world. In short, the vastness of the Chinese seafood industry presents many opportunities to foreign investors, in virtually all of its sectors.

The full late 2006 report may be downloaded here.

As part of this process, it has initiated development projects to assess the feasibility of and initiate large-scale marine finfish aquaculture in the State’s coastal waters.

To assess economic feasibility, an understanding of target market sizes, prices and price sensitivity are important; consequently, as part of the development process, the ADC commissioned a staged market study to provide the requisite market intelligence inputs.

Present and future Western Australian producers can target numerous possible marine finfish species and potential countries. Stage 1 of the market study prioritised identified species and countries (called species/market combinations).

Stage 2 of the market study then undertook an in-depth investigation of market sizes prices for the prioritised species/market combinations.

Prioritised species were yellowtail kingfish, mulloway and mahi mahi; prioritised markets were Australia, USA, Japan, UK and France.

An extension of the market study provided additional information on selected marine fish in the Western Australian market.

When they are required, Stage 3 market studies are planned to undertake further in-depth analyses of specific markets and species.

Use this Link to access the details.

Marine Harvest states that the document has been produced to give financial analysts, investors and others an insight into the salmon farming industry and Marine Harvest’s view of the most important value drivers.

In overview the document covers:

• global overview on salmon
• salmon biology
• salmon farming
• key inputs
• key global geographies
• processing
• supply and demand
• comparisons with other protein sources
• research and development

In mid 2002, Snapperfarm installed its first cages. Snapperfarm currently utilizes SeaStation™and Aquapod™ offshore submersible cages with a combined capacity of 3,000 cubic meters.

Because of the strong currents, extreme wave energy and exposure to hurricanes, the cages are operated fully submerged and are only surfaced for maintenance or harvest.

The decision was made to focus efforts exclusively on Culebran Cobia™ (Rachycentron canadum) due to the excellent traits for aquaculture exhibited in early trials.

Substantial improvements to the growth efficiency of Culebran Cobia™ and operational efficiency of the submerged open ocean operation have been made since 2002.

Working with JC Seafood, Inc. in Miami, Florida, Snapperfarm has successfully introduced Culebran Cobia™ to health and environmentally conscious markets in the U.S.

If you would like to gain a cobia’s eye view of the Snapperfarm cages in operation you can view a 3 minute video showing aspects of their aquaculture operations here.

Mr Hagen Stehr, chairman of Clean Seas Tuna, has voiced strong concern regarding the possibility that Centrex Metals may be permitted to ship iron ore from Port Lincoln, suggesting he may relocate his business if this occurs.

This raises an interesting topic for discussion. With increasing competition for the utilisation of oceanic waters, how will this be regulated into the future? How will the zoning of appropriate waters for fish farming stack up against competing industries such as oil and gas and mineral exploration, who may be vying to use the same ‘patch’ of water?

Please post a comment and let us know what you think.