1. SAGB 43rd Annual Conference
Richard Benyon MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Natural
Environment & Fisheries
The UK’s shellfish and marine aquaculture industries are ideally placed to meet the growing
demand for seafood, but a much more innovative, industry-led approach will be crucial to their
long-term success, said Richard Benyon MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Natural
Environment & Fisheries in the opening session of the Shellfish Association of Great Britain’s 43rd
Annual Conference.
Benyon was sharing his vision of where he would like the shellfish and marine aquaculture
industries to be in 10 years time. “It’s my wish to see a healthy, sustainable shellfish and
aquaculture industry that makes more of its wonderful products,” he said.
The minister highlighted that UK vessels landed £266m of shellfish in 2010 and farmed shellfish
supplied a further £26m. He said it is very important that the UK government recognises this huge
contribution.
“We have a solid, viable, economic base on which to build. I know that much of the shellfish is
exported so as well as contributing to UK exports I would like to see us being able to sell more
products locally. Instead of the value-added profit going to restaurateurs in other countries, I wish
we could see a boost to our own, local economy. I can’t understand why local restaurants aren’t
fighting over landings of shellfish. I want to work with you to find new ways in which we can unlock
the fruits of our sea to more of our indigenous people and less to line the pockets of value-added
markets elsewhere,” he said.
“The shellfish and marine aquaculture industries tick all the right boxes in terms of government
policy - from boosting exports to health. There’s a great future ahead, which doesn’t rely solely on
government think tanks and regulations. I want the innovators to show the way.
“Let’s do some maths: the FSA recommends that we all eat two portions of fish or shellfish per
week; we also know that the population of the UK will be 71m by 2035. That means that about 20m
more portions of fish and shellfish will be required every week in this country by then if we are to
meet the FSA’s recommendation. That’s a huge challenge for this industry and the government.”
Benyon said he would like to see the Aquaculture Consultation Group and the industry take
ownership and create actions to promote the growth of aquaculture.
“There’s certainly a great opportunity for growth over the next 10 years – developing new markets
and exploiting new opportunities, such as using wind farms as hubs for sustainable aquaculture.”
The minister referred to a report he had received from John Bignell of the Centre for Environment,
Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), who had recently returned from a Travelling Fellowship
to New Zealand where he investigated how the country had developed its own strategy for a
successful aquaculture industry.

2. In his report, Bignell says that aquaculture would become the most aggressive source of fish and
shellfish production in the coming decades and that one of the key ways New Zealand had increased
production was through greater aquaculture consultation.
According to Benyon, Bignell’s report says the development of an industry-led consultation strategy
that incorporates a marketing perspective and implementation of an industry representative
organisation that unites the aquaculture industry creates an environment that allows aquaculture
to thrive. The study adds that a comprehensive research strategy is essential to ensure future
sustainable growth and development.
“This is insight from a country that is achieving great growth in the shellfish aquaculture
production and across the whole industry,” said Benyon. “I would like our shellfish industry to take
a similar, innovative, industry-led approach.
“The SAGB plays a critical role in this – in shifting government policy and working with the industry
to take ownership of solutions. I want to work closely with the SAGB to improve shellfish
management, including stock assessment.”
The minister conceded that many issues take “too much time to resolve fully” and that Defra is “in a
hurry” to see change, but he said there are a number of excellent examples of where the
government and the shellfish industry have worked closely together.
“Over the last year, we have been looking at possible pre-emptive management measures that could
be introduced to safeguard brown crab and wider shellfish stocks. I would like to thank the SAGB
for its contribution to this work, particularly the openness in considering new, radical ideas.”
Benyon also revealed the responses received from the consultation on inshore fisheries
management, which included shellfish management options, however others didn’t share the
SAGB’s enthusiasm for exploring the management approach. The minister said it had always been
clear that a staged management approach would only work with the full support of the fishermen
that manage it.
“We therefore need to continue the dialogue to find an approach for effort control which they can
own,” he said. “I am looking to you to put forward policy ideas. I know the SAGB supports
legislation like the catching of berried lobsters and increasing the national landing size of lobsters
and brown crab. We have the potential to implement measures for increasing the long-term
viability of these important fisheries.
“I really want to see if we can make this work without imposing yet another form of control and
regulation on fishermen. Regulations alone are not the way forward. I encourage the SAGB and the
industry to work with us to identify voluntary measures to safeguard stocks.”
Benyon also said “I’m delighted to be able to officially announce that a pilot project, to provide ‘live’
water quality information at shellfish farms will be going ahead. Defra and the Cleaner Seas Forum,
which I chair, are very supportive of this project”.

3. Looking ahead, Benyon said Cefas will be sharing stock assessments with fishermen and working
with them to evaluate the effectiveness of possible management measures. Furthermore, Cefas has
also been running a sampling programme since last year that looks at the population structure of
commercial fisheries in order to help develop a long-term approach to managing them.
“Stock assessments take time but provide thorough evidence which is vital to management. When
talking to the shellfish industry this is key to moving forward. I see every vessel as a scientific
platform for the collection of the data that we need. I think the SAGB shares my enthusiasm for
developing a strong evidence approach.
“To conclude, I encourage you to take a greater role in the future. The government will work with
you and encourage you because we want you to produce more shellfish and more aquaculture
products for export and for our own domestic use. It’s a clear joint vision that takes scientific
evidence and innovative marketing, and I am confident that in 10 years time, when we look back at
this decade we will reflect on the successes of a vibrant, sustainable shellfish and marine
aquaculture sector,” said Benyon.
[ENDS/JH/May 2012]