- Aquaculture has seen a robust and sustained growth during the last decades. This is foreseen to continue in order to meet the ever increasing demand for fish both for domestic food security and for supplying international markets.

- The role of Asia in general and China in particular as the main producer and supplier is highly impressive and the trend is likely to continue. This requires a particular attention to promote responsible and sustainable aquaculture with particular attention for small scale farmers which contribute a large share of aquaculture supply.

- The forecasted growth in aquaculture offers vast arrays of opportunities to producers and producing nations, but also to foreign investors, consumers, retailers, processors and food services.

- Taking advantages of these opportunities presents several challenges to international organizations, governments, producers, traders and retailers. The key issues are how to make all these stakeholders work together in a coherent manner and how to develop the necessary synergies between the public and private initiatives, policy and governance, industry market forces and NGOs.

- Assurance of the safety of aquaculture products remains a fundamental issue for all stakeholders. Other issues such as environmental protection, social protection and (animal welfare) are gaining more importance for market access.

- The influence of environmental and social NGO and consumer advocacy groups in shaping consumer perceptions and choices and consequently the sourcing policy of importers, traders, retailers and food services was again and again highlighted during this conference.

- Aquaculture has diversified and new species have been domesticated over the last decade. Pilot trials indicate that several more species of finfish, crustaceans and bivalves will enter commercial production in the future.

- Technological development will contribute significantly to improve productivity, yield, quality and consumer acceptability. But consumer acceptability will have a bearing on this future.

- Upstream value-addition offers significant opportunities to extract more wealth from aquaculture and create employment opportunities. This will require further care to assure safety, quality and consistency. Retailers and food services are interested to take advantage of the proximity of production and low labour to outsource value addition operations to producing nations. It is a win-win situation.

- Global warming will have an impact on aquaculture, no doubt. The rise in sea level, access to waters, mangrove deforestation are consequences to be considered. Likewise, issues such as food miles/ carbon miles/carbon offsets will increase in importance.

- All types of labels whether quality labels, eco-labels or social labels are instruments that can convey information and assurance to retailers and consumers. However, they need to “fit the purpose” for which they have seen development and the certification schemes need to be simple, robust, and transparent so as not to confuse the consumers. Harmonization of standards and equivalence of standards are fundamental.

- Feed availability and competition for feed from livestock will impact the future of aquaculture. Likewise competition for trash fish and its impact on food security of the rural poor needs careful consideration. Livestock and agriculture by-products may fill the gap for high demand for feeds but again safety and consumer acceptance need careful consideration. Competition of bio-diesel for agriculture by-products can be another development further

- Better consumer education and communication will improve and balance consumer perception of the benefits/risks. Aquaculture has a great advantage to farm products that will meet nutritional and health aspects and mitigate the risks.

Aquaculture vs Wild Fisheries

- Aquaculture and wild fisheries interact in many ways that impact eco-systems, innovations and technology, markets and prices. The challenge is to find the best ways to optimize the positive interactions and mitigate the negative ones.