The annual General Assembly (GA) of the Aquaculture Advisory Council (AAC) took place on Wednesday 14 September 2022. At this occasion, its members chose Mr. Brian Thomsen as Chair for the next three years to come. Mr. Thomsen has represented the Danish Aquaculture Organisation in the AAC since the creation of this European Union consultative body on aquaculture matters. Since 2017, he has assumed the Vice-Chairmanship of the AAC Horizontal Affairs Working Group and its Chairmanship since 2019. This Working Group has been issuing several important recommendations affecting all types of aquaculture activities[1].

Mr. Brian Thomsen said: “My predecessor Mr. Javier Ojeda has done an outstanding job as AAC Chair. He has decided to step down and I am honored to be appointed. We have a very competent and dedicated secretariat and the AAC members have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to provide answers to complex issues. I am committed to further strengthening and developing the AAC and I am confident that we will deliver.”

The AAC also appointed Mr. Paul Denekamp (Vissenbescherming) as 1st Vice-Chair, Mr. Philipe Le Gal (Comité National de la Conchyliculture) as 2nd Vice-Chair and Mr. Addy Risseeuw (PO Mosselcultuur) as Treasurer for the period 2022-2025.

This edition of the GA was marked by a keynote speech by Mr. Tomáš Vacenovský, Agricultural affairs Attaché at the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic before the European Union. The Czech Presidency adopted indeed some ambitious EU Council conclusions in July 2022 that were presented to the audience. A video intervention by the European Parliament’s Member in charge of the Initiative report on the new Strategic Guidelines, Mrs. Clara Aguilera, informed the members that the European Parliament will also back the EU institutional support for the development of sustainable aquaculture in Europe. The vote on her report has been postponed to the October I European Parliament Plenary Session.

The renewal of the Working Group Chairs and Vice-Chairs will take place in Brussels during the next session of Working Group meetings (4-5 October 2022).

 

 AAC Management team

[1] The AAC recommendations are available in several languages on the AAC website – www.aac-europe.eu