NASF attracts over 500 top executive delegates from 300 firms and 30 countries every year (Photo: NASF)

FAO and North Atlantic Seafood Forum Form a Partnership

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy and Economics Division has entered to a seminar partnership with the North Atlantic Seafood Forum conference in Oslo (NASF). The 7th NASF Conference will be held in Oslo, Norway on March 6-8, 2012

FAO`s Senior Fisheries Industry Officer, Dr Audun Lem says that FAO for some time has been looking for well established arenas within the seafood industry to present its global activities. FAO will develop a special FAO NASF platform for addressing industry issues within the context of the mandate given by the FAO member countries. FAO`s governing bodies underline the importance of a stronger relationship with all the stakeholders in the seafood value-chain.

NASF is the world’s largest seafood business conference and a leading meeting place for top seafood executives

The FAO NASF seminars 2012 will have a number of special themes and developments which will broaden the scope of the NASF events. FAO will jointly organize seminars focusing on the key FAO policy issues and initiatives including the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, IUU (Illegal, unreported and unregulated) fisheries, certification, and sustainability. NASF and FAO will also present two seminars on the world white fish and pelagic sectors.

Dr Audun Lem

At NASF 2012 FAO will focus on Africa. Top policy makers as well as leading industry players from a handful of African nations in Southern and Western Africa will be invited where a broad fishing and aquaculture development is taking place. FAO will present two themes:

• African export opportunities and market access into Europe; and
• Inward investments and financing of the fisheries and aquaculture industries in Africa.

NASF Managing Director of the NASF Conference Jorgen J. Lund says that the FAO participation at the NASF conference will attract interest and attention from seafood firms and countries all over the world. This will solidify NASF’s position as a leading fisheries & aquaculture business arena.

At NASF, Pareto Securities is organizing a leading seafood finance and investor seminar; with more than 20 stock-listed seafood companies attending from Europe, North and South America and Asia. Petter Dragesund, Head of Pareto Corporate Finance, says they are happy to have FAO on the NASF team. This will help in creating the world’s leading seafood business forum.

Dragesund underlines that investors and companies are now increasingly concerned about creating and investing in sustainable businesses. FAO`s participation in NASF will most certainly contribute to a better dialogue between key stakeholders on this topic.

Other NASF Conference initiatives will make NASF an important global arena:

NASF will present 9 seminars over 3 days with more than 100 speakers

EU’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) reform

The opening session of NASF 2012 will be dedicated to the presentation of the new European Union (EU) common Fisheries Policy Reform. Key-note speakers have been invited from the Ministry of Fisheries in Denmark, along with AIPCE and the EU Commission. Denmark holds the EU presidency for the first half of 2012 and will make strong efforts to have the new CFP approved. NASF expects participation from ministries, policy makers and key stakeholders to this session. In addition NASF is planning to organize a half-day industry workshop, presenting insights into the new EU fisheries policies – called “Alignment of market forces for sustainability.” This session is organized by the Ministry of Fisheries in Denmark, AIPCE, PwC, DG Mare and stakeholders from EU and Norwegian fishing institutions.

1st annual NASF sustainability seminar

NASF will in 2012 organize the first annual sustainability seminar, in cooperation with Marine Stewardship Council (MSC); Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), Det norske Veritas (DnV) and other industry players. This will be a full day seminar focusing on the main sustainability themes for the fisheries and aquaculture sectors in the North Atlantic. This initiative, Lund says, will attract interest from producers, exporters, importers, distributors, retailers, NGOs and other stakeholders.

Jorgen J. Lund

Biomarine preconference seminar

For the first time NASF will organise a pre-conference Biomarine seminar, to take place on 6 March, jointly with Marelife, Sintef, Aker BioMarine, Norway Seafood Federation and a host of other industry players. This seminar will focus on presenting the new biomarine value chain and will link seafood and fisheries sectors with the ingredients and pharmaceutical industries. A number of major players from the seafood industry, investors and policymakers will attend.

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NASF’s Jorgen J. Lund says that these new seminars, together with the FAO initiative, will create an expanded conference platform which will give insights into vital developments forming the future of the industry. “Our focus is on the key network between cutting edge innovations, technology, policy, finance, international trade and commercialisation”, says Lund.

In short, NASF will become even a bigger and more attractive business arena and meeting place next year. With more than 100 speakers in 9 seminars over 3 days, the global seafood industry has much to look forward to.

About North Atlantic Seafood Forum - NASF

North Atlantic Seafood Forum is the world’s largest seafood business conference and a leading meeting place for top seafood executives attracting some 500 top executive delegates from 300 firms and 30 countries every year.

This year 7th NASF conference will take place in Oslo on 6-8 March 2012.

For more information, please visit www.nor-seafood.com

The FAO NASF seminars 2012 will have a number of special themes and developments which will broaden the scope of the NASF events

About FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department

The mission of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department of FAO is to facilitate and secure the long-term sustainable development and utilization of the world’s fisheries and aquaculture. FAO is acutely aware of the fundamental social and economic role played by these two sectors in:

1. Meeting global and national sustainable food security.
2. Providing self and paid employment for fishing and aquaculture related communities as a means of alleviating poverty in these fishing communities and stemming rural/urban drift.
3. Contributing to national and international trade.
4. Generating national income.

FAO promotes aquaculture networks

Underpinning these basic social and economic objectives is the requirement for fisheries and aquaculture to be responsibly managed.

This implies preventing overfishing, promoting sustainable aquaculture, co-ordination and delivery of effective research and extension and the empowerment of people, especially women tasks for which many FAO Members are not fully prepared.

The Fisheries and Aquaculture Department therefore provides, on the request of Members, technical assistance in all aspects of fisheries and aquaculture management and development.

FAO's Fisheries and Aquaculture Department main function is to promote policies and strategies aiming at sustainable and responsible development of fisheries and aquaculture in inland and marine waters.

For this purpose, the Department provides discussion fora, information, legal and policy frameworks, codes and guidelines, options for strategies, scientific advice, training material, etc.

• It collects, analyzes and disseminates information on the sector operations (catch, production, value, prices, fleets, farming systems, employment).
• It develops methodology, assesses and monitors the state of wild resources and elaborates resources management advice.
• It monitors and advises on the development and management of aquaculture.
• It provides socio-economic analysis of fisheries and aquaculture and assists in the elaboration of development and management polices and strategies and institutions.
• It supports and assists a network of regional fishery commissions and promotes aquaculture networks.
It monitors and advises on technology development, fish processing, food safety and trade.

Within the mandate given by FAO’s Governing Bodies, the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department is committed to working with its Members, and to forging closer and more effective partnerships with national and international institutions, academia, the private sector and civil society to achieve long-term sustainable results in the fisheries sector.

The Fisheries and Aquaculture Department has a commitment to team work in a spirit of cooperation and openness while building on past achievements; fostering a stable and community-orientated multi-cultural environment; respect for differences of opinion and minority views; gender-awareness; and personal trust. 

Source: North Atlantic Seafood Forum

Margaret E.L. Stacey
Editor Companies and Products
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

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