Scope & Prospects for Growth of UK Marine Aquaculture: A Crown Estate Perspective

Transcription

1 Scope & Prospects for Growth of UK Marine Aquaculture: A Crown Estate Perspective Oceanology International 2014 Alex Adrian UK Aquaculture Operations Manager

2 Contents The Crown Estate s marine assets Marine Aquaculture scope of current UK industry development Scope for growth what is it? Summary of recommendations

3 The Crown Estate Invests in and manages urban, rural and marine interests; no regulatory role Is not part of Government - work closely with Government, devolved administrations, statutory national, regional and community bodies, NGOs, industry, etc Has a UK-wide remit; all revenue profit goes to UK Govt Governed by The Crown Estate Act 1961, the key feature of which is that It shall be the general duty of the Commissioners, while maintaining the Crown Estate to enhance its value and the return obtained from it, but with due regard to the requirements of good management

4 Marine Assets Approx. 18,000km of coastline (equates to roughly 55%) Territorial seabed to 12nm The Energy Act 2004 provides: Rights to issue leases for renewable energy beyond the territorial limit within Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) out to 200 nm Rights to lease areas for CCS/gas storage Excludes hydrocarbons - DECC

5 What is Marine Aquaculture in the UK? Fish Shellfish Courtesy Marine Seaweed Courtesy Scottish Shellfish

6 Glossary of Terms Aquaculture = cultivation of marine organisms - finfish (salmon, cod, etc) and shellfish (mussels, oysters, scallops, etc), utilising deployed equipment - marine works - such as suspended ropes, net pens, etc Fishery Orders (Regulating & Several) = confer exclusive legal rights to a stock of a particular shellfish species, including crustaceans, over a particular area - enhanced fisheries although sometimes referred to as aquaculture. Photo courtesy Denis Egan

7 Cultivation with Farming Equipment Marine Works Net pens ( Cages ) for fish Long-lines, rafts and trestles for shellfish

8 Present Scope of Marine Fish Farming Agreements Main areas include: Equipment-based fishfarm leases in Scotland west coast, western and northern isles virtually all marine finfish located here Leases seabed cultivation of re-laid spat chiefly in Northern Ireland loughs. A variety of leases and licenses for shellfisheries and cultivation in the east and south-east of England Equipment-based shellfish farm leases in south-west England

9 Scope for Growth Space and resources - established and new inshore locations, offshore (and colocation?) Technology (including biological and veterinary) developments Business structures scale, investment, and market Stakeholder engagement & co-existence Planning and regulation Courtesy Seaweed Energy Solutions - in dynamic combinations

10 Space & Resources Established Inshore Pressure on capacity - both physical and/or biological Emphasis on both authorities and industry to optimise existing capacity, and secure economic performance Incentivise utilisation of currently uneconomic assets consolidation or alternative species. Strategic business relationships - collaborate in the water, compete ashore. Some precedent in FMAs but scope for more/different? Acknowledge strategic net benefit opportunities of developments - both economic and environmental

11 Space & Resources New Inshore South & West (incl Wales) Small number of existing shellfish developments scope for expansion Proposal for marine finfish new but compatible with maritime heritage? East coast (England & Scotland) Seaweeds & shellfish potential - sharing infrastructure with marine renewables? Seek to establish alongside and complement existing seafood (& marine tourism?) interests Emphasis on co-existence (eg wild & capture fisheries, other marine & terrestrial interests, including conservation)

12 Space & Resources Offshore What is it - open water/exposed coastline? Bigger risks/bigger opportunities Suitability - Seaweed > Shellfish > Finfish? Is it a realistic prospect for UK waters studies already undertaken, and examples exist Lyme Bay/Outer Hebrides possibly Activity vs Business requirements Split location production cycles? Emphasis on Technology studies/pilots to de-risk Planning & regulation, esp. for scale Business type significant investment

13 Space & Resources Co-location Attractive prospect, and infrastructure & services sharing may be first step Project already undertaken in North Wales (with re-laid shellfish) Co-locating businesses is more challenging than activities Rights (exclusivity, security) and obligations (decommissioning, restoration) of tenure Risks & opportunities - the what s in it for me question May be greater potential for regulating or several fishery

14 Technology New locations Moorings and containment equipment Modelling and predictability Remote monitoring and operation Cultivation and production systems Courtesy Seaweed Energy Solutions Split production (finfish & shell fish) and seed supply/hatcheries Processing and products stimulate markets Biology Genetics & selection, veterinary treatments - esp. vaccines Environmental impact monitoring and mitigation Feeds and nutrient capacities Need to test demonstration/pilot projects

15 Business Structures & Planning/Regulation Marine aquaculture development Long production cycles with risk environmental, financial and market. Business development history is of consolidation Growth most likely from large, multi-site businesses Industry is dynamic in technology, operational structure, and market developments (eg salmon) Planners must recognise the nature of this industry for Scale, location and operational developments Strategic development and net benefit Incumbent upon industry to work to ensure regulators are informed.

16 Stakeholders & Co-Existence Marine environment no walls, public rights and varied interacting/overlapping interests Central to any scope for further growth, esp. inshore Creating opportunity rather than obstacles Shared infrastructure and services - critical mass Transferable skills Access fishing and navigation (& tourism?) Local emphasis and communication (= people) Information exchange and availability Focus on management of interactions ( silver bullets are rare) - a wider stewardship role perhaps? Do what you say you are going to do build trust

17 Summary of Recommendations Optimise existing capacity through incentivising rationalisation and consolidation; and collaborative industry relationships Enabling studies and demo projects or pilots - ideally with public/commercial collaboration - to confirm viability for attracting investment in novel locations and systems Clear industry input and endorsement for projects with defined commercial legacy values to focus technology R&D needs Better industry stakeholder engagement - with effective local as much as corporate emphasis to establish aquaculture as integral to coastal and marine economy Identify and enable/promote stakeholder opportunities from aquaculture developments rather than simply mitigating obstacles Authorities must acknowledge the nature and requirements of businesses, not just activities, in planning policy

18 Thank You