ANNEX H: PROSPECTUS OF THE CONSULTATION

FAO/GOVERNMENT OF AUSTRALIA EXPERT CONSULTATION ON GOOD MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND GOOD INSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUSTAINABLE SHRIMP CULTURE
in Co-operation with
the World Bank (WB), the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA), and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)

Brisbane, Australia, 4-7 December 2000

Prospectus

Background

In December 1997, FAO convened the Technical Consultation on Policies for Sustainable Shrimp Culture which brought together government delegates and observers from 12 countries of Asia and America accounting for about 90 % of the global production of cultured shrimp and including major consuming countries. Observers from 5 inter-governmental organizations and from 4 international NGOs also attended. The Consultation noted that the achievement of sustainable shrimp culture is dependent on effective government policy and regulatory actions, as well as the co-operation of private sector in utilizing sound technology in its planning, development and operations. In this regard, the Consultation recommended that FAO convene expert meetings to elaborate best practices for shrimp culture and desirable elements of the legal and other regulatory instruments for coastal aquaculture.

The Network for Aquaculture Centres for Asia and the Pacific (NACA), in partnership with the World Bank (WB), World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) and FAO are implementing a Co-operative Programme on Shrimp Culture and the Environment (CPSCE). A central objective of the CPSCE is to identify good management practices (GMPs) under various environmental, economic and social conditions and assess the cost-benefits for farmers to adopt these GMPs individually and in co-ordination with other farmers. This information is expected to help governments and the private sector to develop support strategies and specific assistance measures for farmers to overcome the constraints that currently prevent them to adopt GMPs. These strategies may encompass the adoption of industry codes of good practices, improved extension services, economic incentives, and others. CPSCE is undertaken primarily through a series of case studies covering all major producing regions of cultured shrimp. Moreover, CPSCE is preparing guidelines for the economic and financial analysis of GMPs.

Industry guidelines and codes of good practices have been developed, or are under development, in a number of countries (e.g. Australia, Belize, Ecuador, India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Thailand). At international levels, a code has also been elaborated by an industry organization, the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) which is intended to provide the basis for a future eco-labelling programme. Guidelines are also under development for the production of organically grown shrimp.

One area of special concern is GMPs on shrimp culture health management. FAO has been active in providing assistance to several member countries on health management in shrimp culture and has taken the lead in conducting the review on management strategies for major diseases in shrimp culture, one of the thematic reviews under the CPSCE. A number of programmes in co-operation with several agencies and organizations, with the view to develop GMPs on shrimp health management are being currently conducted by FAO in both Asia and Americas.

The Legal Office of FAO is currently working on a comparative survey of national laws and regulations governing shrimp culture. The purpose of the study is to examine and compare relevant national legislation, particularly legal requirements concerning the environmental impacts of shrimp culture activities and measures applicable in relation to the development of shrimp farming installations, continuing operational controls, and legal requirements which apply on the cessation of activities and aspects related to enforcement of relevant legislation. This information is expected to help in the identification of good institutional and legal arrangements (GLIAs) and in an assessment of current constraints for countries to adopt them.

Objectives and Outputs of the Expert Consultation

The Expert Consultation is being convened in order to:

1. provide a recognized international forum for discussion on major aspects related to the promotion of sustainable shrimp culture practices as well as of related institutional and legal instruments

2. to continue facilitating the process of consensus-building among major stakeholders concerned with shrimp culture development and management

3. to identify/determine avenues, as well as specific benefits and limitations, for the development and implementation of Good Management Practices and Good Legal and Institutional Arrangements leading to improvements in shrimp culture management practices at farm and institutional levels.

1. A set of ‘generic’ farm-level GMPs that are widely applicable in shrimp culture throughout the world.

2. Guidelines for the development and implementation of situation-specific GMPs at the national or sub-national level; these guidelines would relate to, inter alia, the identification of situation-specific issues, the methodology for cost-benefit analysis of GMPs; stakeholder participation; and others.

3. Constraint analysis for the adoption of GMPs and how to overcome them, including strategies to support farmers and farmer organizations in implementing better management practices.

4. A set of ‘generic’ GLIAs that are widely applicable in shrimp culture throughout the world.

5. Guidelines for the development and implementation of country-specific GLIAs that take into account a country’s specific legal and institutional conditions.

6. Constraints analysis for the adoption of GLIAs and how to overcome them, including strategies to support implementation of such better institutional and legal arrangements.

Participants

The participants will include a limited number of selected experts from governments; environment, development and industry NGOs; international and regional organizations and academia. Experts from international agencies and international NGOs and from developed countries’ governments are expected to cover their own cost of attendance.

Venue and date

The Expert Consultation will be held in Brisbane, Australia in the period between 4-7 December 2000. The date and venue have been chosen to coincide back to back with the 12^th Session of the NACA Governing Council, 28 November - 1 December 2000.

Technical Secretariat

The Co-Technical Secretaries are Mrs. Annick Van Houtte, FAO Legal Office, Mr. Uwe Barg, FAO Fishery Resources Division, and Mr. Michael Phillips, NACA. The contact person for arrangements in Australia is Mr. Jim Gillespie. Following are their contact details:

Mrs. Annick Van Houtte
Legal Officer
Development Law Service
FAO Legal Office
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla; 00100 Rome, Italy
Phone: ++3906 57054287
Fax: ++3906 57054408
E-mail: [email protected]

Mr. Uwe Barg
Fishery Resources Officer (Aquaculture)
FAO Fisheries Department
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, Italy
Phone: ++ 39 06 570 53454
Fax: ++ 39 06 570 53020
E-mail:[email protected]

Mr. Michael Phillips
Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA)
Suraswadi Building, Department of Fisheries;
Kasetsart University Campus, Ladyao, Jatujak
Bangkok 10900, Thailand
Tel: ++66-2 561 1728 (to 29)
Fax:++66-2 561 1727
E-mail: [email protected]

Mr. Jim Gillespie
General Manager [Aquaculture and Industry Development]
Queensland Fisheries Service,
Department of Primary Industries.
80 Ann Street,
Brisbane, Australia.
Phone: ++61 7 32242184
Fax: ++61 7 32390439
E-mail: [email protected]