The Aquaculture Advisory Council Working Group on Horizontal Issues seeks a consultant to do a stock assesment on what and how data that is currently collected by EU Member States on aquaculture.

Terms of Reference for the review

Through a consultative process with relevant stakeholders and a review of relevant best available science, to compile all information available regarding data that is collected in the EU on aquaculture, including comparing and identifying the differences within each EU Member State. The submission will be used as a guide for the Aquaculture Advisory Council Working Group on Horizontal Issues to develop recommendations for approval by the Executive Committee to be submitted to EU Member States and the European Commission.

Background

Context

The Data Collection Regulation[1] states that EU Member States are to collect “socioeconomic data and sustainability data on marine aquaculture to enable the socioeconomic performance and the sustainability of the Union aquaculture sector, including its environmental impact, to be assessed”. Furthermore, EU Member States may collect “socioeconomic data and sustainability data on freshwater aquaculture to enable the socioeconomic performance and the sustainability of the Union aquaculture sector, including its environmental impact, to be assessed”.

The European Commission has further adopted Implementing Regulations that 1) detail the methods that Member States should apply to collect data and 2) how Member States are meant to report back on data collection to the European Commission

The Long term goal of the AAC is to improve data collection for aquaculture, looking at:

• Is the data collected relevant for sustainable aquaculture?
• Is the data collected supportive and coherent of other legislations (e.g. environmental/ social)?
• Is the data collected effective (e.g. quality of the data)?
• Is the data collected efficient (e.g. costs)?
• What is the added value of the data collected?

[1] Regulation (EU) 2017/1004 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32017R1004

Summary of Actions already taken

The AAC Working Group on Horizontal Issues has already done a preliminary assessment of the legal obligations of how EU Member States are to collect data on aquaculture.

Scope of the criteria analysis

Objective

Through a consultative process with relevant stakeholders and a review of relevant best available information, to analyse and inform what data is currently being collected in all EU Member States and how this data is collected.

Areas to addresses

• Review and analyse the efforts already undertaken by Member States to collect data based on the legal obligation of the Data Collection Regulation.
  • Information from the AAC members on how they view data collection in their countries
  • List of services/ operators that are collecting data – who does the job and how this is done (when, what, where)
  • Describe the workflow of the data that is collected (e.g. who does the analysis of the data and when is this published)
• Review the breakdown of how much it currently costs EU Member States to collect the data
• Review why Member States are not collecting the data that is mandatory
• Review how the non-confidential data is made public in every EU Member State (e.g. Eurostats)

Deliverables and timeline

November 2019: Outline of the report discussed with the Focal Group

December 2019/January 2020: Consultant gathers information

February 2020: Draft report sent to Focal Group & Discussed

March 2020: Further gathering of information

April 2020: Draft report sent to Working Group on Horizontal Issues

May 2020: Final delivery of the report

Process

• Management of process: The report is to be led by an external consultant reporting directly to the Data Collection & Aquaculture Focal Group lead of the Working Group on Horizontal Issues. An experienced person with a multi-disciplinary background is preferred, ideally someone who knows aquaculture needs and environmental concerns well.
• Selection of consultant: an ad will be advertised to be able to gather CVs. The Focal Group of the Working Group on horizontal issues, together with the secretariat will select a final candidate. This candidate will be put forward to the Working Group on Horizontal Issues and then to the Executive Committee for approval.
• Consultation process: For the report to be accepted as reliable by stakeholders it is important that the process be inclusive, transparent, consultative and thorough to take all perspectives into account. A full list of parties to be consulted will be drawn up during the focal group meeting in November.
• Timing: The assessment will be initiated on the first half of 2019 with the final results to be presented to the Executive Committee in October. Drafts of the report should first be presented to the Focal Group and then to the Working Group on Horizontal issues for their comments to be included in the report to the Executive Committee.
• Monitoring: Regular updates/discussion from the consultant with the Focal Group on the progress of the report

Budget

There is provision in the current budget for such a study as part of the budget for rapporteurship under Working Group on Horizontal Issues. It is proposed that the work will be carried out, between 1^st of November 2019 until 31^st of May 2020 and will cost a total of 6,000 EUR VAT included.

If interested, please send your CV in English to the AAC Secretariat by the 30th July 2019: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.