The Profet Policy workshop on ‘Integrating Fisheries and Aquaculture with Marine Environment Protection’ demonstrated that European fisheries and aquaculture share many common problems and issues.

As one of the first international workshops to address policy topics common to these traditionally separate sectors, the workshop looked at a wide range of approaches to the workshop theme.

There seems to be a change in the approach of different stakeholders, where the protection of a common resource, the marine, is perhaps being replaced by the sustainable exploitation of the largest global ecosystem.

However, when referring to sustainable development, it is evident that development cannot occur without investment – which is best achieved from economically profitable operations.

The project presentations, made by senior representatives of European RTD project consortia, demonstrated that, while a huge amount of scientific data is available, there is still a need for clear benchmarks – from which progress can be measured.

• A lot of projects have identified this issue, where the methodology for referencing ‘sustainability’ is needed urgently.
• There was much reference to integrated management options and systems, where all of these efforts have to recognise the validity of all stakeholders in the coastal zone.
• Effective and efficient area management must be promoted, where aquaculture needs to benefit from the application of spatial planning.
• A key issue for European aquaculture is the manner in which licenses for operation can be obtained; in many European countries, there is a need for multiple licences – of different duration and scope – in order to function. The application of spatial planning – allocating specific areas for aquaculture development - as well as other related options, could facilitate these procedures.

The measurement of the effects of aquaculture on the environment were presented in a number of different presentations, including a demonstration of the ECASA (An Ecosystem Approach to Sustainable Aquaculture) ‘toolbox’, which includes modelling options for Environmental Impact Assessment of different types of marine aquaculture.

Events such as Profet Policy provide a unique opportunity to learn the different points of view of the stakeholders, promoting better communication between science and the producer sector. Within this, it is clear that the Technology Platforms that were presented at the workshop (local, regional and European) are definitely important players in the RTD arena.

The aquaculture sector is very concerned about policies that reduce its economic competitiveness, noting that it is still young, has made a lot of improvements but needs its benchmark positions. The goalposts are being moved regularly on a wide range of topics, including environmental as well as other operating issues – such as farmed fish welfare. All of these actions end by increasing costs of production while market competition, particularly with 3^rd country imports, becomes more and more severe.

It was agreed by the Workshop that communication must be improved at several different levels – on what science is doing to improve, on what the professional sector is doing on implementing recommendations, on how science and the profession are working together, on what the Commission is doing in respect of policy development.

Multi-stakeholder cooperation and agreement is seen as essential for the future, where consensus agreement will be required while understanding the need to move quickly, efficiently and effectively.