Paris and Seafood Summit 2010! - Seafood Choices Alliance

JOHN ARNOLD – Head of New Product & Standards Development, Fairtrade Foundation
WORKSHOP: Small Farmers in Big Markets: Progress and Challenges in Socially Responsible Aquaculture Production
and Trade
John Arnold is Head of New Product & Standards Development with the Fairtrade Foundation – www.fairtrade.org.uk - based in
London, UK. During his seven years with the Foundation, sales of Fairtrade Certified products in the UK have risen from £50
million to over £700 million/annum. Sales through Labelling Initiatives in 21 countries are now almost €3 billion worldwide
supplied by over 750 producer organisations, representing over 1.5 million individual farmers and workers in 58 countries who in
turn are represented by Producer Networks in Latin America, Africa & Asia - all members of the stakeholder-owned umbrella
organisations - Fairtrade Labelling Organisations (FLO) – www.fairtrade.net.
John’s career has been closely involved in international fisheries and agriculture working with management consultants – ULG
Consultants & Fisheries Development Ltd - in primary production, processing and marketing. FLO is now evaluating
opportunities for Fairtrade certification in the fisheries and aquaculture sector and John is leading a project team who will be
working on a portfolio of assessment projects during 2009/2010 with a view to Fairtrade certification of selected producers in
2010/2011.
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ANDREW BASSFORD – Co-Founder, Fishes
WORKSHOP: The Coral Triangle - A Marine Diversity Hotspot: Sustainability Challenges and Incentivising Small-Scale
Fisheries
Andrew’s background is varied, from being an outdoor adventurer & rafting guide to restaurant design. Although professional life
has primarily been about food and wine his passion for the environment has taken him further towards being hands on with
protecting our oceans and environment.
Andrew’s passion for fish started in London with being the Managing Director for a restaurant group named Fish!. This
passion led to obsession, trying to source the most sustainable options possible. Leading him to move to the Netherlands to team
up with a then small operator, Bart van Olphen to develop a completely sustainable fish wholesale company named Fishes. In two
years Fishes developed a retail brand and wholesale company. Still a small company they knew their next step was to merge the
operation to allow further growth.
Although still part of the Fishes directional team, Andrew is now establishing a foundation. With Andrew’s determination,
obsession and access to the market this will allow the foundation to get involved with many fisheries wanting to be sustainable. The
role of the foundation is to help with funding, capacity and ultimately creating market access and market awareness.
Over the coming five years Andrew’s ambition is to grow the foundation with the capacity to work on five projects a year,
both wild capture and aquaculture. “Although allot of what we have destroyed is irreversible, we should not loose hope and focus
on the small steps we can all make…..I am a true believer that we all can make a difference.”
RICHARD BATES – Policy Officer, European Commission
PANEL: Organic Seafood in the European Union: Negotiations, Complications and Case Studies
Richard Bates works in the European Commission as a Policy Officer in the Trade and Markets Unit of the Maritime Affairs and
Fisheries Directorate-General. Son of a fisherman, he studied marine biology and later food science at UCD Dublin and
previously worked for over 16 year in inshore fisheries and aquaculture development with BIM – the Irish Sea Fisheries Board.
During 14 years plus with the European Commission he has worked with fisheries and aquaculture policy, principally in relation to
health, environment and trade issues. His work currently includes labelling issues and legislation for organic aquaculture.