These Guidelines are an outcome of a joint FAO, Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA) and Asia-Pacific Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (APRACA) Regional Workshop on the Promotion of Aquaculture Insurance in Asia, held in Bali, Indonesia, from 30 April to 2 May 2007. The workshop was hosted by the Government of Indonesia, Directorate General for Aquaculture, and attended by policy-makers and international experts from the rural finance, insurance and aquaculture sectors from both the region and elsewhere. The document also contains the Report of the Regional Workshop and two background papers produced for the workshop.

Climate change related natural disasters pose serious threats and risks to livelihoods of fishermen and women as well as to food security in the Caribbean. To respond to these threats and risks, the FAO, the Department of State of the United States of America and the World Bank introduced an initiative on climate risk insurance for the Caribbean Fisheries sector as part of a global initiative on Blue Growth. In support of this initiative a survey was conducted to identify fisheries assets that could be insured, value these assets, identify climate smart fisheries investments and practices and carry out an insurance needs and demand survey. This Circular presents survey findings from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Some of the key findings are that: 97 percent of the fishing vessels and fishing assets were not insured, while in each of the CARICOM countries there is at least one local insurer offering marine insurance; 83 percent of the fishers would purchase insurance coverage for their vessels if it would be more affordable; only 17 percent of the fishers had a health insurance and 20 percent had an life insurance policy. Moreover, more than one-third of the fishers would be interested to invest in safe harbor, anchorage, haul out and vessel storage facilities, including installation of bumper rails on piers and the use of fenders on boats and piers, if this would reduce insurance premiums. Based on the findings of the insurance demand survey, an organizational arrangement for a Caribbean Fisheries Risk Insurance Facility (CFRIF) was developed, presented at various regional fora and shared with interested stakeholders.

The Expert Consultation on the Development of the Sustainable Aquaculture Guidelines was held in Rome, Italy from 17 to 20 June 2019 to come out with a proposal for developing the Sustainable Aquaculture Guidelines to be presented in August 2019 at the tenth session of the Sub-Committee on Aquaculture of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI). The specific objectives of this Expert Consultation were to propose criteria for selecting case studies aimed at providing lessons learned for the development of the Sustainable Aquaculture Guidelines, and methodologies for documenting the case studies, for analysing the case studies to identify the lessons learned, and for developing the Sustainable Aquaculture Guidelines by also making use of existing guidelines. The consultation was attended by 15 experts, one resource person and FAO staff. The consultation was organized into both plenary and group discussions. The Experts agreed on a proposed methodology for identifying and selecting the lessons learned from strategies and experiences of aquaculture development worldwide; a methodology for documenting and analysing the lessons learned; a list of thematic modules; a gap analysis between existing guidelines and needs for new ones, and; an updated roadmap for the development of the Sustainable Aquaculture Guidelines.

This new guide describes the application of spatial technology to improve disaster risk management (DRM) within the aquaculture sector. DRM requires interrelated actions and activities to ensure early warning, prevention, preparedness, response and recovery for a wide range of natural, technological and complex disasters that can impact aquaculture operations and livelihoods. Spatial technology refers to systems and tools that acquire, manage and analyse data that have geographic context. Some of the technologies include satellite remote sensing, aerial surveys, global positioning systems, geographic information systems, information and communication technology and other data gathering sensors used, for instance, in meteorology. Spatial technology supports activities across all phases of the DRM cycle and its rapid development provides enhanced opportunities to support DRM within the aquaculture sector. This guide is organized in two parts. Part one is the “guidance”; it is the main body of the document and describes the processes and steps for the use of spatial technology within DRM for aquaculture. Part two includes selected country case studies from Bangladesh, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, and Indonesia to illustrate the application of spatial technology in DRM for aquaculture at the national level within local contexts. Best practices at the farm and area management levels, supported by spatial technology, reduce volatility and risks and thus facilitate investment. Countries that would like aquaculture to grow sustainably and reliably are encouraged to use this guide in order to support spatial planning approaches and protect responsible investors. A separate summary version accompanies this publication.

Gain a holistic view of agricultural (re)insurance and capital market risk transfer Increasing agricultural production and food security remain key challenges for mankind. In order to meet global food demand, the Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that production has to increase by 50% by 2050 and requires large investments. Agricultural insurance and financial instruments have been an integral part to advancing productivity and are becoming more important in increasingly globalized and specialized agricultural supply chains in the wake of potentially more frequent and severe natural disasters in today’s key producing markets. Underwriting, pricing and transferring agricultural risks is complex and requires a solid understanding of the production system, exposure, perils and the most suitable products, which vastly differ among developed and developing markets. In the last decade, new insurance schemes in emerging agricultural markets have greatly contributed to the large growth of the industry from a premium volume of US$10.1 billion (2006) to US$30.7 billion (2017). This growth is bound to continue as insurance penetration and exposure increase and new schemes are being developed. Agricultural (re)insurance has become a cornerstone of sovereign disaster risk financing frameworks. Agricultural Risk Transfer introduces the main concepts of agricultural (re)insurance and capital market risk transfer that are discussed through industry case studies. It also discusses best industry practices for all main insurance products for crop, livestock, aquaculture and forestry risks including risk assessment, underwriting, pricing, modelling and loss adjustment. Describes agricultural production risks and risk management approaches Covers risk transfer of production and financial risks through insurance and financial instruments Introduces modelling concepts for the main perils and key data sources that support risk transfer through indemnity- and index-based products Describes risk pricing and underwriting approaches for crop, livestock, aquaculture and forestry exposure in developed and developing agricultural systems Become familiar with risk transfer concepts to reinsurance and capital markets Get to know the current market landscape and main risk transfer products for individual producers, agribusinesses and governments through theory and comprehensive industry case studies Through Agricultural Risk Transfer, you’ll gain a holistic view of agricultural (re)insurance and capital market solutions which will support better underwriting, more structured product development and improved risk transfer.

Aquaculture Health Management: Design and Operation Approaches is an essential reference for the diverse aquaculture community. With the steadily increasing importance of healthy fish production and the expansion of the animal aquaculture industry to new geographic areas, new microbial and parasitic species with pathogenic potential continue to emerge. The book covers the broad spectrum of fish and shellfish health, the functional roles of pathogen emergence, and the impacts of nutrition and preventative medicine such as pre- and probiotics, as well as chemical treatments, relevant legislation and more. This reference takes a comprehensive approach to understanding overall fish health management, making it valuable to aquaculturists, practitioners in aquatic animal health, veterinarians and all those in industry, government or academia who are interested in aquaculture and fisheries and their sustainable futures. Presents the biosecurity measures used to prevent the spread of disease Discusses fish immunology to help readers understand preventive medicine for a healthy fish production Examines the latest scientific methods and technologies to maximize efficiencies for healthy fish production for farming Includes the most commonly researched fish, crustaceans and mollusks in aquaculture