Stakeholder meeting vision development aquaculture in Belgian part of the North Sea
All stakeholders will meet on a monthly basis with the aim to present a socially supported vision in April 2023. BLUEGent, Ghent University is actively contributing with several experts in aquaculture techniques, environmental aspects, financing methods, societal acceptance and the blue bioeconomy.
On November 10, 2022 the stakeholders met for a second meeting, this time in Bluebridge, to discuss opportunities and concerns through interactive brainstorm sessions on topics such as:
- Objectives of aquaculture (food, feed, biorefinery, fuels, nature restoration…)
- Engineering (short- and long-term cultivation techniques and developments, safety aspects, monitoring…)
- Location (nearshore vs. offshore, multi-use of space, potential conflicts with current uses…)
- Environment (nature preservation, climate change, coastal protection, knowledge gaps, precautionary principle…)
- Yield / productivity (employment, export of expertise and/or products, sustainability, commercial viability, supply & demand, target / niche markets…)
- Administration (legislation, law enforcement, food safety, marine spatial planning, insurance and liability…)
- Social aspects (social acceptance of new economic activity, co-existence / co-creation with the fisheries sector, raising awareness, co-creation with local communities / citizens…)
The aim is to develop a common vision for aquaculture in the Belgian part of the North Sea. The process is coordinated by the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences and the Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment, upon request by Vincent Van Quickenborne, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and the North Sea.