Co-ordinator: University of Stirling (UoS)
Objectives
- Systems overview obtained for context and boundary of scoping production/ market systems from a holistic perspective. Preliminary identification of stakeholders and case-study incorporated for action research sites (WP9). These and preliminary activities in other WPs (T4.1, T5.1, T5.2, T6.1, T7.1, T8.1, T10.1) synthesised in State of System (SoS) reports by month 12.
- Goal and scope of LCA analysis clarified in relation to other approaches to sustainability assessment.
Description of work and role of participants
T2.1 Systems analysis at farm level. Collect, collate and appraise available data on environment, livelihoods and production systems inc. chemical inputs. Case-studies on key species/ country systems using rapid rural appraisal techniques.
T2.2 Systems analysis at regional/ international level. Collect, collate and appraise available data on market/value chains (processing, supply and distribution), governance, policy, regulatory systems, labelling and certification schemes for the species/ country matrix. Identification of best practice at different levels of the value chain, resource maps and spatial images sourced.
T2.3 Stakeholder analysis. Needs and institutional analysis for key stakeholders including: producers, supermarkets, first, second and third party standards stakeholders, ethical investment bodies, development organisations, policy makers etc.
T2.4 LCA goal/ scope setting. Qualitative descriptions of the issues raised by aquatic product life cycles including waste flows. Benefits of the product and stakeholder needs for LCA identified. Checking quality and availability of LCA datasets and costs v benefits.
T2.5 Public health and assessment of contaminant risks at both primary production and processing levels. Initial situation appraisal of selected fish and shrimp production systems, incl. hazard identification for contaminants (microbiological and chemical, acute/chronic) from feed supplies, pharmaceutical inputs, surrounding agriculture, livestock, industry, and settlements. Incorporating spatial analysis, integrating social parameters.
T2.6 Review of standards for food safety inspection and laboratory analyses. Asian partners will, for selected commodities, collect information on current standards used for food safety inspection and laboratory analyses of contaminants in exported produce; data from relevant national food safety authorities, organizations representing producer and processing organizations as well as laboratories. Such standards will be evaluated based on requirements stipulated by the Codex Alimentarious and the European Commission’s Directorate- General for Health and Consumer Protection (SANCO) for fish and shrimp producers and exporters.
T2.7 Review of current policy structures and mechanisms in operation at local, national and international level that govern trade between EU countries and Europe relevant to aquatic produce. Coverage of current and prospective policy on trade-agreements, private/ voluntary standards on quality, packaging and processing, eco-labelling, animal welfare issues etc.
T2.8 System and boundary setting. Application of critical systems heuristics (CSH) to determine system boundaries and flow charts through which material and energy flows can be defined for LCA as well as boundaries for livelihoods, market and regulatory systems. Contentious boundary problems addressed e.g. multiple-use of water/ cradle to grave or cradle to gate?
T2.9 Purposive sampling of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and according to local perception of best practice for case studies and action research phases (WP9).
T2.10 State of the System (SoS) workshops conducted in each country, reviewing and summarising outcomes of systems analyses. Culture system/ country case studies and key stakeholder for action research identified.
Deliverables
D2.1 (month 12) State of the System (SoS) reports in English and local language, summarising systems analysis and scoping outcomes published for each country.
D2.2 (month 10) Report on EU and Asian policy structures relating to trade in aquatic products
D2.3 (month 12) Situation appraisal report on public health and contaminant risks and standards for food safety inspection and laboratory analyses (inc. recommendations for improved food safety inspection and laboratory analytical standards following discussions with end-users, including emerging contaminants not covered by existing standards)