EXPERT T●PIC project included four tilapia farms in China. These farms represented both small- and commercialscale production facilities utilising two different production systems (pond and cages). Aside from identifying similarities and differences among criteria and requirements used by the three standards, this project also identified outstanding issues in the farms, which most producers were able to address as a result of the trial audit. To date, all four farms are now certified under one or more of the commercial aquaculture standards. SFP is widely acknowledged for its expertise by stakeholders in Chinese tilapia, including key US and European buyers and retailers, as well as producers and processors in China, aquaculture institutes, industry associations, and local Chinese governments. Given the high level of trust that SFP enjoys with the tilapia supply chain it was appropriate that a tilapia Aquaculture Improvement Project (AIP) was officially launched in 2011. SFP has now initiated two research projects to assess the impact of tilapia farming on the external environment. The first project, started in April 2011, involves monitoring water quality on selected farms in Hainan province, and was undertaken by the Hainan Institute of Aquaculture. Dozens of water quality parameters such as chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrogen and phosphorus content, and heavy metals were analysed for five farms over two croppings (10 months). The study helped
identify the key problems and causes related to water management. The second project is an assessment of the regional environmental impacts of fish farm clusters, which will be jointly conducted by SFP and Hainan Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, the leading environmental research institute in Hainan. The study will examine the potential for regional scale improvement by looking at carrying capacity and the potential for zoning in a specific area. As more first-hand data becomes available (along with a more in-depth understanding of existing policies and management measures), the AIP will establish a working group that convenes the key buyers, suppliers and producers along the Chinese tilapia supply-chain to share the scientific findings. The AIP will then form a multi-stakeholder policy roundtable to further discuss the problems and solutions. The AIP participants will eventually agree on the actions and timetables necessary to achieve the sustainability objectives defined by the group. SFP will play a leading role in engaging stakeholders, providing scientific advice and facilitating communication.
Up-to-date progress SFP has worked closely with local tilapia associations to assess different tilapia standards that are available in the market. A workshop introducing three international standards for tilapia farming, i.e. BAP, GlobalGAP, and ASC, was held in Haikou
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in April, 2011. Over 40 farmers, processors, technicians and government officers attended the workshop. Participants found the workshop very informative and helpful. This enhanced the producers’ awareness of increasing demands for certified sustainable seafood from overseas markets, thus further facilitating the engagement of Chinese stakeholders into a supply-chain dialogue around sustainability. SFP is currently working with local institutes of aquaculture and environmental sciences to identify and evaluate both qualitatively and quantitatively the environmental impacts of tilapia farming in Hainan. This includes an ecological study as well as socio-political analysis to advise local governments and industrial associations about how to efficiently address the environmental issues associated with tilapia farming in Hainan. The preliminary results will be shared with key stakeholders at the Aquaculture Policy Roundtable this fall in China. SFP is also developing partnerships with Chinese universities and large feed manufacturers to improve feed sourcing for tilapia farming in China. This work is to be undertaken through research projects on improving feeding efficiency and developing alternative feeds with fewer impacts on wild fisheries. More Information: Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Website: www.sustainablefish.org