Newsletter15 May 2020
FEAP is the united voice of European fish farmers. This federation of national aquaculture associations from all over Europe represents professional fish farming.
For more information about our organisation, members and projects you can visit: http://feap.info/ This newsletter informs FEAP associations and their own members about our most recent activities and documents.
What’s happened? 
Letter from Commissioner Sinkevicius to FEAP on the support to face Covid-19
The Covid-19 crisis is strongly hitting European aquaculture at all levels. These last two months the FEAP has deployed it lobbying capacity to influence EU level institutions with the aim to best focus the aid that will be made available to mitigate the damage. The main and fastest source of support will come through the EMFF. The result of this effort can be read in the answer letter that FEAP has received form the Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Mr Virginijus Sinkevicius. Read more…
Common press release from EMPA and FEAP on the Covid-19 crisis
The European Mollusc Producers’ Association (EMPA) and FEAP had published on April 2 a common press release on the impacts of the Covid-19 crisis on European aquaculture as a whole. These types of trans sector collaborations will be encouraged. Read more…

Workshop on Storage Mechanisms for AquacultureOn 24 April, in collaboration with the European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC), FEAP organised a workshop to discuss the opportunities for aquaculture provided by the EMFF new storage aid mechanism. The early 1990’s Norwegian Salmon Freezing Program was reviewed, as also the basic mechanisms for terrestrial livestock storage and in other sectors like capture fisheries, olive oil and fruits. You may see the presentations here… and the conclusions here…
Policies and regulatory framework 
Modification of the EMFF and the CMO to face the Covid-19 crisis
On 24 April, a new regulation was published with amendments to the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 on the fishery and aquaculture sectors. The amendments include specific measures, such as financial compensations to aquaculture producers for the suspension or reduction of production and sales and for additional storage costs caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, including providing working capital to aquaculture producers. Support to producer organisations to increase their working capabilities and for their temporary storage of fish is also included. It is now the turn of national (and regional) competent authorities to fully implement this aid by setting the precise eligible expenses.
Read the Regulation in your own language here…

The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: ”Bringing nature back to our lives”
The European Commission is pushing ahead its Biodiversity Strategy as part of the Green Deal. This initiative aims to halt the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the EU and help to stop global biodiversity loss by 2020. It reflects the commitments taken by the EU in 2010, within the international Convention on Biological Diversity. The EC has just made available a draft of the strategy. Read more…
Upcoming events not to miss 
19 May: Blue Deal Debates:  ’Aquaculture – the sustainable future for fishing or an environmental disaster?’  
Mr Chris Davies, former Chair of the EU Parliament PECH Committee, is hosting a fortnightly series of webinars on fisheries issues, the Blue Deal Debates. These meetings are sponsored by Brussels consultancy Rud Pedersen Public Affairs. The webinar organised for 19 May is titled “Aquaculture – the sustainable future for fishing or an environmental disaster?”. Panellists will be Ms Lorella de la Cruz (Head of the Aquaculture Team in DG MARE, European Commission), Mr Chris Ninnes (CEO, Aquaculture Stewardship Council) and Mr Javier Ojeda (FEAP General Secretary). It promises 90 minutes of lively debate. Free registration here

What’s new?
FEAP’s new secretariat team is up and running
Having being restructured in the last months, but with familiar faces, the federation’s secretariat is now formed by Catherine Pons (Office manager & more), Szilvia Mihalffy (Project officer & more) and Javier Ojeda (Interim General secretary). The team is looking forward to moving the FEAP up a notch. Contact us…
Consultation corner
Upcoming and ongoing consultations 

European fishery statistics (also on aquaculture)  You can provide feedback on the roadmap until 19 May 2020. The public consultation will be open in the second quarter of the year. Read more…

EU animal welfare strategy (2012-15) – evaluation
The Commission launched an evaluation of the EU Animal Welfare Strategy. The evaluation will inform any future EU initiatives on animal welfare. Read more…
What to read?
Handbook on welfare indicators for farmed rainbow trout
The new handbook is a sister publication to the FISHWELL handbook on welfare indicators for farmed Atlantic salmon (2018). Read more and download here…

Coronavirus response: EUMOFA’s weekly bulletin: The fishery and aquaculture sectors are among the most immediately impacted by the crisis. EUMOFA is releasing a weekly COVID-19 bulletin in order to inform these sectors as quickly as possible on the evolution of the markets along the entire value chain. Read more…

Read more:

https://mailchi.mp/e80d9b2945bb/feap-newsletter?e=395845791c