April 2008

Support to the GFCM-CAQ Working Group on Marketing of Aquaculture Products: Development of a Strategy for Marketing and Promotion of Mediterranean Aquaculture” MTF/INT/943/MUL

The Project in “Support to the GFCM-CAQ Working Group on Marketing of Aquaculture Products: Development of a Strategy for Marketing and Promotion of Mediterranean Aquaculture” MTF/INT/943/MUL is operative since April 2008..

Project is funded by the Spanish Government (Secretaria General de Pesca, Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación). and is aimed increase the understanding of the present situation of marketing of aquaculture products in the Mediterranean and in supporting the members countries in implementing a strategy for the development of the marketing of aquaculture products.

 Competing in the present aquaculture products trade environment requires a shift from production-oriented approach into a market oriented production strategy addressing the critical concepts such as product quality and safety, economic efficiency and market promotion. To this end, planning and formulation of development strategies for promotion of a market-oriented, competitive and proactive aquaculture industry in the Mediterranean region requires a clear understanding of the present situation based on quantitative market data, qualitative assessments of comparative advantages and constraints. The GFCM acknowledged these challenges and established a Working group on Marketing as a subsidiary body of its Committee on Aquaculture (CAQ).

The project will support the Working group to:

• Increase understanding of the present situation in the Mediterranean aquaculture through the provision of quantitative market data and qualitative assessments of comparative advantages and constraints based on national surveys;
• Prepare a common methodology and template for collection of market information in the Mediterranean region to monitor major trends and establish accordingly a data base to be managed in the future by the Information System for the Promotion of Aquaculture in the Mediterranean of CAQ; 
• Formulate market recommendations for the development of Mediterranean aquaculture industry and for the promotion of Mediterranean aquaculture images, as part of a framework strategy for Marketing and Promotion of Mediterranean Aquaculture Product to be implemented through a medium-term aquaculture marketing programme.

In order to promote the establishment of a network of experts in marketing, the project was presented during the Annual General Meeting of the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers - FEAP (Gran Canaria, Spain May 2008) and at the IUCN workshop on the preparation of Guidelines for the Sustainable Development of Mediterranean Aquaculture (Hammamet, Tunisia June 2008).

The structure of a marketing data-base, including parameters to be included in the SIPAM Information Technology System should be presented and discussed during the next meeting of the SIPAM (Tirana, Albania, December 2008).

for more info contact:

Ms Lara Barazi - International expert yer@otenet.gr

Mr Ferit Rad - Coordinator of the Working Group on Marketing of Aquaculture Products (WGMA) frad@mersin.edu.tr

Mr Fabio Massa - Aquaculture Officer / CAQ Technical Secretary Fabio.massa@fao.org