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Edvard Pedersen | The Brønnøysund Register Centre : OPS Seafood As a first example, a bimodal concept for Public-Private Sector Development and digital transformation was explained. It is based on a generic cooperation model applied to the Norwegian seafood sector. The public sector contributes with public data, data gathering and transfer, and common standards. The sector takes the responsibility for sector-specific standards, data ownership management and common sector solutions. A code of conduct was developed and the data sharing was standardised. The model itself can be regarded as a best practice, as well as the products resulting from it. ----- Giovanna Marino | ISPRA : The PerformFish benchmarking system The system was developed for the Mediterranean area, based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) identified by the industry and that can be collected at the farms. These cover technical, environmental, welfare and economic indicator categories. It resulted in a benchmarking system that was adopted by aquaculture stakeholders and associations and in a unique data set across different Mediterranean zones on the performance of aquaculture farms. The system enables a visualisation of a set of KPIs and the optimisation of different aspects across the production cycle. With this information the sector has a tool that can document the sustainability of aquaculture, e.g. related to welfare issues or the carbon footprint of aquaculture. ----- Houssam Hamza & Linda Fourdain | GFCM of FAO : Best practices at the Global Mediterranean Council The FAO GFCM is the general Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. It produces recommendations and resolutions for aquaculture in the region and provides assistance, demonstration centres, training courses driving good practices across the GFCM member countries and coastal communities. A methodology and guidance for knowledge and good practice sharing has been developed for aquaculture in marine spatial planning, such as the guide for Allocated Zones for Aquaculture (AZA). ----- Saioa Ramos | AZTI : AQUAPEF: an aquaculture Product Environmental Footprint pilot The EU funded project Life AQUAPEF developed a specific, easy-to-use tool to calculate the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) across the aquaculture value chain, from feed, hatchery and grow out to processing, packaging and distribution. The pilot tool has been demonstrated at different sites in the Mediterranean and is ready to be used by all sea bream and seabass farms in the region. The goal is to have the tool commercialised and to transfer the methodology to other aquaculture systems and species, such as salmon, trout and sole. Published Current 14.a Method

This publication is based on the findings of the project Developing site selection and carrying capacity guidelines for Mediterranean aquaculture within aquaculture appropriate areas (SHoCMed), implemented by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Aquaculture (CAQ) of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with the support of the European Union (Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission). Concluded in 2016, SHoCMed aimed at developing criteria, standards and guidelines for GFCM contracting parties and cooperating non-contracting parties to improve site selection criteria and set capacity benchmarks and references for aquaculture activities in the Mediterranean., peer-reviewed

Aquaculture sustainability builds upon itsenvironmental, economic, sociological and governance dimensions and althoughthe recent global interest in aquaculture sustainability has arisen due to therapid expansion of the sector, lack of consensus and diverging conflicts amongstakeholders have often compromised and lessen the achievement of real actionsto ensure the sustainable development of aquaculture. The use of indicators inaquaculture is considered one of the most appropriate tools to monitor and assessthe growth of sustainable aquaculture activities. In this study, we present themain outcomes of a broad project implemented by the General FisheriesCommission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and AgricultureOrganization of the United Nations (FAO) called “Indicators for the sustainabledevelopment of aquaculture and guidelines for their use in the Mediterranean”(2008-2015), with emphasis on the relevance of the process that – in the areasof several Mediterranean riparian countries – has led to the selection andidentification of a pool of indicators for monitoring the sustainableaquaculture development from an initial regional reference system of 156 indicators.The development of case studies at the local level based on PCI approach(Principles-Criteria- Indicators) has allowed among other things to identifythe main steps that were necessary to build local consensus on the selection,implementation and performance assessment of aquaculture indicators, with the involvementof key stakeholders. In the case studies, the 156 selected indicators andrelated criteria were ranked by the local stakeholders based on theirperception and understanding the local priorities at the time of the casestudies to achieve the sustainable development of aquaculture in each area. Basedon the importance of the criteria by the stakeholders, we studied the order ofrelevance assigned to the indicators for one of each of the four pillar ofaquaculture sustainability (governance, social, economic and environmental). Severaldirect and indirect positive effects deriving from the implementation ofaquaculture indicators are presented. Furthermore, the work carried outhighlighted also that the identification and use of indicators and criteriaapplied is an evolving process reflecting the dynamic status of aquaculture developmentand the perception of its sustainability at the time in which the indicatorsare identified. The work was carried out consistently with theparticipatory approach principles and focusing on the criteria associated tothe social acceptability of aquaculture considered an integral part ofsustainability.

The aim of this study is to promote cooperation and actions for the benefit of coastal communities on the Southern and Eastern shores of the Mediterranean region by adopting an approach that integrates environmental, economic and social dimensions. These areas are traditionally based on Fisheries, especially small-scale fisheries (SSFs), which contribute to strengthen social cohesion, in that the seafood value chains still represent the backbone of the coastal economy. The six coastal communities analysed in this paper are located in Algiers port - Casbah (Algeria), Marsa Matrouh (Egypt), Tricase (Italy), Tyre (Lebanon), Nador Lagoon (Morocco), Zarzis (Tunisia). Conclusions emphasise the need to develop a comprehensive reference system for dialogue, cooperation and capacity building both at national and regional level. The cluster approach can help create a favourable cooperation and competition environment, generating income and employment opportunities for local communities. Le but de cette étude est de promouvoir la coopération et des actions en faveur des communautés côtières sur les rives Sud et Est de la Méditerranée, en adoptant une approche qui intègre les dimensions environnementale, économique et sociale. Cette région est traditionnellement axée sur la pêche, et notamment la petite pêche, qui contribue à renforcer la cohésion sociale, car les chaînes de valeur des produits de la mer constituent encore la colonne vertébrale de l’économie côtière. Les six communautés côtières examinées dans ce travail sont situées à la Casbah- port d’Alger (Algérie), à Marsa Matrouh (Egypte), à Tricase (Italie), Tyre (Liban), dans la lagune de Nador (Maroc) et à Zarzis (Tunisie). Dans les conclusions, l’accent est mis sur l’importance de structurer un système de référence global pour encourager le dialogue, la coopération et le développement des capacités à l’échelle nationale et régionale. Le modèle du cluster pourrait contribuer à créer un environnement de coopération et compétition favorable, générant des revenus et des emplois au niveau des communautés locales.