Potential role of FAO

The results of this workshop created baseline information to enable FAO/World Bank to complete the FAO/

World Bank publication and to make plans for its wider adoption. The main outputs from the workshop are:
1. a policy brief for policy makers and regulators;
2. a concise document for the private sector, managers, scientists, farm developers, and extension service personnel.
To further validate and strengthen the Guide, the steps and processes are currently being used in a questionnaire survey as part of a new Horizon2020 EU funded project (AquaSpace). This allows a first assessment of the current status, processes and practices for aquaculture zoning, site selection and area management in marine and freshwater environments in Europe plus non-EU Mediterranean and Black Sea countries (covering the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean area of competence), plus Canada and the United States of America as part of the Galway Statement on Atlantic cooperation. The results of this survey were used to prepare a review of current approaches to spatial planning. The details of this review were finalized at a workshop that was held in Venice in February 2016.

 

FIRA will need to seek funds to assist developing countries in implementing “aquaculture zoning and aquaculture management areas under the EAA.” This is a potential area of global interest in which FAO and countries as well as other partners could make good use of the documents being produced from this initiative by FAO and the World Bank. At a national level, activities could include (i) the generation of baseline information, and (ii) the implementation of pilot projects. At a global level, efforts could be on capacity building for policy makers and managers and training for technical personnel covering such topics such as area-based planning and management for policy and regulatory frameworks, biosecurity, environmental impacts, and certification.