Sustaining Ethical Aquaculture Trade

The Sustaining Ethical Aquaculture Trade (SEAT) project has used an interdisciplinary science approach to assemble a comprehensive knowledge base about Asian aquaculture and its sustainability characteristics. Focusing on four key species (shrimp, prawn, tilapia and pangasius) in four countries (Bangladesh, China Thailand and Vietnam), the consortium which included local Asian, European, and International partners have sought to influence a highly dynamic private sector and policy environment. The project set out to achieve mutual benefits to both ends of the farmed seafood value chains that link Asian producers to consumers in the EU through a participative stakeholder-led research process with a strong policy influencing agenda.

A summary description of the project objectives

• Develop improved and transparent measures of sustainability for target aquatic food systems through creation of an Ethical Aquaculture Food Index (EAFI)
• Gain and disseminate an in depth understanding of emergent Asian aquatic food production/market chains through inter-disciplinary effort
• Enhance the sustainability and ethical ‘values’ of four major aquatic food commodities including examination of environmental services, economic efficiency, social justice, food quality and safety and animal welfare
• Enhance farmed aquatic food, scientific, business and policy linkages between Asia and Europe