Aquatic Genetic Resource - 1980s Capitalism planning to live with dead oceans.

Condensed Summary of FAO's Aquatic Genetic Resource Framework for the countries to adopt.
Found HERE_ http://www.fao.org/3/CA2296EN/ca2296en.pdf
I condensed lots of pages found in fao's document for your convenience.
Disclaimer: I support a full overhaul of colonial-destruction-of-planet-earth governmental capitalism. I Support a brand new non-USA "biocentrism" tax-system to train the world-destroying economy to stear away from destroying life (by taxing the companies that destroy a single individual God-created organism.) USA-biocentrism has to do with a new religion/science about the universe being a biological organism... like the zion-church in USA that invented a flat-earther religion.
I am not blaming colonialism or any particular race or culture, because history shows that destruction of the environment occurs through simply due to ignorance which results in irreverence for 'wild-life' and narrow-sighted behaviours resulting from personal 'economic needs.' ) 

Background

1. People have been fishing since the caveman days, but the ancient ignorant idea that the oceans are purely-infinite is wrong, the oceans and lifeforms are 'limited' in number and reality.
 2. Since the 1980's the catches made by fishermen have been reducing due to dwindling population of fishes. This is due to global-capitalist exploitation & pollution. It may get worse as the human population increases.
 3. no surviving fish means countries starve, especially countries that depend on fish for protein. Fish populations need to be managed.
 4. Sustainability of societal benefits requires that fishes populations replenish in numbers. the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, in 1982 gave sea-side countries rules and regulations covering %90 world area of marine fisheries .
5. Government Businesses investing in modern fishing fleets and processing factories in response to growing international demand for fish. Overexploitation of important fish stocks, modifications of ecosystems, significant economic losses, and international conflicts threaten long-term sustainability. 6. Governments recognize that recovery of wildlife stocks is URGENT, but Governments al express desire for aquaculture business to 'bridge' the declining wildlife captures.
7. Since 1980s aquaculture has grown rapidly as a food-=producing sector and has global industry. Aquaculture industry has also shown potential for large environmental damage and societal damage. 8. the Nineteenth Session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI), held in March 1991, recommende that new approaches to fisheries and aquaculture management embrace {conservation, environmental, social, economic considerations, are urgently needed.
 9. In 1992, The Declaration of Cancún. Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. and The FAO Technical Consultation on High Seas Fishing.
 11. Code includes flagging environmentally-injurious ships, also covers issues of responsible aquaculture development and aquactulre sustainability.
 12. The governments need to "establish, maintain and develop an appropriate legal and administrative framework to facilitate the development of responsible aquaculture." Also recognize that 'capture' fisheries are different from mariculture aquaculture so new laws are required to guide 'mariculture' (fish farms in the middle of the ocean) .
 12. the "code" agrees with the "1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea" , the "1995 Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks " and the "1992 Declaration of Cancún and the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, in particular Chapter 17 of Agenda 21"
14. international organisations made this code.
 15.

The Code of Conduct consists of five introductory articles: Nature and scope; Objectives; Relationship with other international instruments; Implementation, monitoring and updating; and Special requirements of developing countries. These introductory articles are followed by an article on General principles, which precedes the six thematic articles on Fisheries management, Fishing operations, Aquaculture development, Integration of fisheries into coastal area management, Post-harvest practices and trade, and Fisheries research. As already mentioned, the Agreement to Promote Compliance with International Conservation and Management Measures by Fishing Vessels on the High Seas forms an integral part of the Code.

16. The Code is voluntary, meaning governments don't have to care about it, but parts of it are based on international law which is not voluntary and governments have to care. Agreement to Promote Compliance with Conservation and xiii Management Measures by Fishing Vessels on the High Seas, 1993. Aquaculture industry can: "self-regulate, co-management of the aquaculture-sector by industry-representatives (big companies) and government regulators, and to community-partnerships. (? i guess for Maori and indigenous people to commune with foreign multi-national businesses.) Compliance is forced by PEER-PRESSURE and organizations being able to exclude rebellious businesses. Governments check periodically.
 17. Governments recognize Aquaculture's increasing role for 'economic growth, social welfare(?) , as well as global food security.'
18. the 2000 FAO/NACA [Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia and the Pacific] Conference on Aquaculture in the Third Millennium and its Bangkok Declaration and Strategy
 19. The code enforces 'technical, ecological economic and social sustainability of the industry' by using a "ecosystem approach to fisheries and aquaculture as strategies to develop the 'marine food product sector'".

Introduction

Aquatic Genetic Resources support and ensure the long-term viability of fisheries and aquaculture. But it is complex for national-level organisations to accomplish in many governments. “Framework of minimum requirements for sustainable use, management and conservation of aquatic genetic resources of relevance for aquaculture” (the Framework). The Framework can be used to help countries establish "Aquatic Genetic Resource' and sustainably and responsibly conserve , use and develop their Aquatic Genetic Resource. (AqGR). The Framework is not an implementation plan, but a needs-assessment to help organizations dialogue with each other.

A framework of minimum Requirements

The Framework adheres to the following guiding Principles (very cold-war centric).
 1. Sustainable use of AQGR - the priority for inventing the AqGR is food security and improved livelihoods (economic growth)
2. Conservation of AqGR to facilitate achieving food security and improved livelihoods in the future. So 'sustainable Use' of AqGR is five-dimensional, and 'Conservation' of AqGR is six-dimensional. 
3. Fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from the development of AqGR = so minority indigenous people and human rights concerning employment
4. Science-Based = minimum requirements are based on 'internationally agreed principles of good science' and updated information. Not base on country's ability to implement them. Countries should strive to achieve the minimum standards. (international hegemony) .
 5. In the Long-Term, the Private sector is the main 'engine' to keep AqGR going. (not state sector or voluntarism?)

6. Transparency - adopting a science-based approach (secular education) and an open information sharing platform (the internet) will promote uptake and trust by the private sector and civil society.

7. Long-term view - it is further recognized that the Framework may initially slow down the development of the private sector (application of environmental safeguards, and access and benefit sharing regimes, however the includsino of these elements will facilitate long-term success and the cooperation of other sectors and the international community.
 8. Complement international activities, eg. the collectino of aquaculture statistics by FAO.

 The Framework contains five main components: (i) information and databases, (ii) governance, policy and planning, (iii) infrastructure and equipment, (iv) capacity building and training, and (v) enabling the private sector.

Information and Databases

Humanity currently farms 600 species of aquatic life. and they are not 'domesticated' or genetically improved by breeding, etc. Very few fish species have been domesticated.
The Framework Organizations would like information on domesticated creatures. The minimum criterion for information is comprehensive species-level information. Accurate Terminology is vital The Framework's information and database component asks for :

•  *) Information on AqGR - Directory of specise including non-native species. farmed in country with standard names and terminology. -inventory of Native and non-native AqGR and their distribution. - list and map of native AqGR to be protected. 
•  *)Information on Genetic technologies - directory of acceptable technologies and any restrictions on their use. 
•  *) Information on the impacts AqGR have on society and the environment - monitoring programme on which farms (and how many) are useing specific farmed type. - monitoring program on impact of farmed type on the human well-being -monitoring program on the impact of farmed type on the environment. 
•  *) General information -directory of laboratories, institutions and COE working on AqGR -communication plan for dissemination of information to stakeholders and public. - single easily accessible database or information system on AqGR including the above elements. -authoritative glossary of technologies and concepts. (Annex 4)

Governance and Policies

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)3 and the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure provide principles on governance of AqGR. Although the Framework is a national-level thing, individual entities (corportate/regional/subregional) should also participate in order to 'harmonize' efforts.
 Governance and planning includes :

•  *) designation of competant authority to manage AqGR 
• *) Authoritative national policy instrument (police) 
• *) inclusion of AQGR in national strategy and dev plan. 
• *) use of zoming for aquaculture and AqGR 
•  *) Enforcement strategies 
• *) human wellbeing 

 -                adoption of international instruments
-                  national agency for oversight of food safety.

•  *) Facilitation of permitting and reporting system for private industry and research sector (academic) 
• *) link with international organizations for homogenization. 
•  *) "effective " transparency

Infrastructure and Equipment

• *) "plan for development use and maintenance of infrastructures", taking into account economies of scale 
•  *) access to broodstock development and management facilities 
• *) Access to biosecure facilities for genetic management and genetic improvement of aquacultured species including tagging, marking identification 
• *) access to multiplcation and dissemination centres for genetically improved strains 
• *) access to genetic characterization and diagnostic laboratories quarantine veterinary facilities 
• *) trainging, research and extension centers.

Capacity building and training

The field of genetics is advancing rapidly and it will be important for governments to develop the capacity of technical staff and effective means to advice and oversee the aquaculture industry. -extension service - government/academic - capacity building and training in all components of the framework

•  *( information 
•  *( governance 
•  *( operations of infrastructure 
•  *( working with private sector

enabling the private sector

(annex 7) about 'private sector:

•  *) put in place policies and practices that create 'enabling' environment for industry of aquaculture. *) have aquaculture development plan that provides clear guiddance. 
•  *) establish an effective extension service from govt or from international agencies in absence of national services. 
•  *) establish a forum for industry to be involved in government. experts were divided (probably due to communistic nature of 2 suggestions) (_ provide financial and technical support to facilitate development and implimentation of long-term genetic improvement programs 
• *) develop appropriate business models for the industry and for benetif sharing between public and private operations, and 
•  *) Private Public Partnerships (PPP) to fund research.

how to impliment the Framework

The framework applies to the country-wide scale of things. To succesfully impliment the Framework, all 5 components should be developed concurrently as a 'package'.

Annex 1- Aquatics Sciences and Fisheries Information Systems List.

The species/species item names contributed by Member Countries should conform to the Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Information System (ASFIS) list and the classification system of the International Standard Statistical Classification of Aquatic Animals and Plants (ISCAAP).5 The 2018 edition of ASFIS list of species includes 12 751 species.
 However, several countries farm aquatic species that are currently not on the ASFIS list. This demonstrates that more AqGR are being used than previously thought.
However, FAO as developer and curator of the ASFIS nomenclature is reluctant to add additional items to the list unless it can be shown that the new taxon.

 For information below the species level, there is no mechanism within the structure of the ASFIS list to include strains, stocks or subspecies.

 FAO names are not intended to replace local species names, but their standardisation is considered necessary

Annex 2 - Genetic Technologies for the Characterization of AqGR. 

Accurate identification of species at the genetic level is essential for proper conservation, sustainable use and developmentof AqGR.  They feel they need  the DNA of the creature in order to preserve the creature . 

. Genetic diversity can be assessed at several different levels (Table 6), from sequencing an organism’s DNA (single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms)

 to morphologically inferring the genotype based on phenotype. (this means they check the anatomy of the creature against a 'biological key'  (A key is a selection of choices to determine if a creature is a fish or a frog etc) 

Ordinary pedigree information could also be effective for identifying families if fish are physically tagged, e.g. using PIT (Passive Integrated Transponder) tags. 

Molecular identification of species based on the sequence of a section of the mitochondrial or nuclear DNA has been used, e.g. the Barcode of Life6.  in trade and legal disputes.  (think horse meat in beef patties.) 

With the advent of environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis and information on species-specific DNA markers, it is possible to detect  the presence of an organism through DNA that is sloughed off or excreted by an organism. eDNA analysis is being used to detect Asian carp in the Mississippi River

Annex 3 - Technologies for Genetically improved aquatic species. 

Genetic improvement is required for governments to continue receiving punitive tax on profits made by efficiencies gained when improvements occurs in the industry's production process. 

Besides traditional 'selective breeding', other forms of improvement such as biotechnologies and breeding programs exist to help resource-efficiency and sustainable production of aquatic species. 

Good Farming practices are also vital regardless of the genetic improvement technology used in breeding. 

:These practices are : Proper Husbandry, fish health, broodstock management,  and the avoidance of inbreeding. 

Countries should have a risks-based directory of permitted genetic technologies, and list any restrictions involved. Gene-editing activities require a permit as does transgenic hybridization. 

(think monsters). 

Annex 4 - Glossary

a "farmed type" is a fish specimen /species ) that was raised in captivity irrespective of the genetic origin (God alone or some crazy scientist spliced the fish's DNA with that of a hermaphrodite snail) . 

Annex 5 - Tools to help management of AqGR

• Codes of Practice on species introductions •
•  Material Transfer Agreements •
•  Precautionary Approach

Codes of practice on species introductions

The responsible use of non-native species has many issues that are similar to those for the responsible use of AqGR.  International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) to assist with the use of non-native species. The ICES Code of Practice (Annex II)10 provides advice on how to reduce the risk of adverse effects from the intentional introduction of marine and brackish-water alien species.

You'll note that "non-native' is a pleasant terminology for 'alien.'

The requirements start with the preparation of a proposal that will be reviewed by an independent body. Once invasion is approved, the code calls for fish health management, monitoring and reporting.

Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs) 

Once the "above" proposal is approved, introduction of the new alien species (material transfers) must obey laws concerning access and benefit-sharing, property rights or biosecurity. 

Precautionary Approach. 

In the absence of sufficient information relating to a species or ecosystem, the species-specific industry is advized to take the precautionary approach to fisheries management and aquaculture development. 

In some international and national forums, the use of the phrase ‘precautionary approach’ or ‘precautionary principle’ is controversial (to die-hard self-first billionaires, undoubtedly) and has developed strong connotations and blocked further discourse of how best to sustainably manage and conserve aquatic resources. In such cases it may be more effective to use the phrase ‘Adaptive Management’. 

When the threat of environmental disaster is possible, and information pertaining to the situation is not clear regarding the future, the precautionary approach is to not post-pone environment-saving measures. 

The precautionary approach advocated by FAO, CBD and NASCO states that where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation. 

Development proposal: from any entity (proponent) that's proposing to develop or use (harvest or farm) an AqGR

• The proposal should contain information on species, stock or strain, any genetic technology used to create it; location of fishery or fish farm
• Creation of an independent review board: this body should have expertise from genetics, aquatic ecology, civil society and economics.
• The review board should: 

1. advise the proponents on the suitability of their proposal taking into account risks to environment and society
2. – advise resource managers on the suitability of the proposal,

• If the decision is to proceed with the proposal, appropriate quarantine, biosecurity, monitoring and evaluation should be put in place.

In order to help proponents and government resource managers implement a precautionary approach, the following are suggested: 

• • Reference points should be established to help determine desirable situations and undesirable impacts, e.g. target and limit reference points. For example, Maximum Sustainable Yield could be considered a target reference point. An example of a limit reference point could be a specific number of escaped farmed fish. 
• • Undesirable outcomes, as well as corrective or preventative measures, should be identified, including the prohibition or enforced cessation of activities that carry unacceptable risks or have already had unacceptable adverse impacts. 
•  Pre-agreed actions or contingency plans should be implemented in a timely manner when limit reference points are approached, or when adverse impacts are apparent. Thus monitoring of aquaculture facilities, local species and the environment is necessary to know when reference points are reached. Such actions could include switching to sterile fish if breeding with local species is a problem
• • Priority should be given to maintaining the productive capacity of the resource where there is uncertainty as to the impact of development. In capture fisheries, this means that priority is given to conservation of stocks over harvesting the stocks when there is uncertainty.  
• The impacts should be reversible within the time frame of 2–3 decades (~1 human generation).  Because genetically-modified fish are quarantined, it seems they can be used without reservation, but in the case of introduced alien species the species is hard to eradicate (reversal of impacts of introduction) , while it destroys local ecosystems (trout in NZ, carp in Australia). So a precautionary approach can still be taken .  

Annex 6 - Capacity Building

 efficient capacity building through, for example, online courses and training, targeting students across nations and geographical distances.

national capacity could be strengthened to:

• Establish/rehabilitate broodstock development facilities, and breeding and hatchery facilities to provide quality broodstock and seed stock;
• Seek public–private cooperation to achieve adequate supply of key farmed types; and
• Develop breeding programs directed at avoiding inbreeding and improving record keeping

Effective mechanisms for capacity building include:

• workshops on specific topics •
•  farmer field schools •
•  study tours •
•  exchange of scientific and technical personnel • 
• intern and apprentice programmes • 
• online courses and training • 
• universities or trade schools 

Annex 7 - Working with the Business Sector 

Olesen18 et al. (2015) concluded that there were three key factors for increasing adoption of genetically improved farmed fish: 

Capitalism like the snake of Genesis 3, suggests improving God's creations, because Capitalist Governments tax on profits, and in Capitalism profits should be driven to zero ($0) by ' the invisible hand of market forces'. One way to provide for profit, is by innovation, and 'specialization' (which is why we go to schools.) Science and innovation leads to changes in efficiency, and the government collects the profits generated by those many small improvements in efficiency. 

1. longterm public commitment needed for financial support of the breeding nucleus operation (at least during the first five to ten generations of selection);
2.  training at all levels (indoctrination, acclimatization to the ugly prospect of Earth being overrun by alien-engineered alien creatures) 
3. development of appropriate business models for benefit-sharing between the breeding, multiplier and grow-out operators (such as the monopoly enjoyed by Kiwifruit industry and New ealand Cow Dairy industry ). 

Case Study 4 - Impact of Aquatic Exotic Species in the Pacific. 

\Study found HERE http://coastfish.spc.int/Reports/IFRP/Introd/Eldredge.pdf

Europeans have introduced 'exotic aquatic species' into the Pacific Islands Countries and Territories (PICTS) for : recreational fishing such as rainbow trout. Pest control predation, scientific research, aquacultural endevours and ornamental tanks. Also species have been introduced accidentally by migratory humans.

The Pacific cultures highly prize their natural 'prestine' ecosystems, and the introduced species are vectors for diseases threaten the ecosystems in other ways. 

However, regarding aquaculture industry, %90 of aquaculture production is with exotic species. 

In regards to the volume of 'flesh' produced by the aquaculture industry, the four main 'alien species' to the Pacific are: 

1. • Blue shrimp (Penaeus stylyrostris) 
2. • Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) 
3. • Red cottonnii algae (Kappaphycus alvarezii) 
4. • Freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)

In the past, very little consideration was paid to the protection of wild native ecosystems, when foreign species and 'terraforming' occurrred during colonialization. But now the governments seek to strengthen biosecurity to protect the existing economies  from a disruption (such as England faced with Mad_Cow disease). 

Without any doubts (so the money-loving capitalist global-domination dreamers believe), the region is and will continue to introduce exotic species for further development of the aquaculture sector. This will include, not only new species, but also new/improved strains and varieties of existing exotic species. For instance, several countries currently farming Nile tilapia, such as Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa, Solomon Islands and PNG are considering the introduction of an improved strain of Nile tilapia (GIFT tilapia) from Malaysia.

4.2 Seaweeds

based on one single species of red algae, the speciesKappaphycus alvarezii, being cultured in the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Kiribati and PNG, the 4 main producer countries, with a total production for the region of around 20 000 tonnes (wet weight) and there are more than 10 000 families involved.

brown seaweed Cladosiphon sp., which is known to occur naturally in Tonga and New Caledonia. This seaweed was cultured quite successfully in Tonga for many years, but farming ceased in 2007 due to market difficulties. Other edible species, such as Cladosiphon sp., Caulerpa sp., Codium sp. and Gracilaria sp. are currently being grown in several Pacific Island countries in very low volumes.Sea grapes (commonly known as sea caviar), such as the species Caulerpa racemosa, have been cultured in Samoa and French Polynesia since 2011.

Three principal farming methods are :  

1.  off-bottom (fixed monofilament lines between posts driven into the substratum);
2. floating rafts (bamboo floating structure);
3. floating long-lines (rope-made floating structure).  

The Pacific Island region is environmentally ideal for seaweed aquaculture.

4.3 Marine shrimp

PICTS produce a relatively small amount of shrimp compared to other countries.
In Fiji the introduced species of Farfantepenaeus merguiensis has established a population in Fiji, and the effects of F merguiensis on the ecosystem are unknown. 

4.4 Tilapia

Tilapia was introduced 50 years ago (1970s when USA requested the world consume more Orange Roughy.)
Papua New Guinea is the largest producer of Tilapia with 60,000 farms in operation. mostly small house-sized farms. FIJI has 500 farms, Samoa has 30 farms. 

Tilapia is better aquaculture creature than the native "mullet" or "milkfish". 

Perceptions about Tilapia are generally positive, and no evidence exists to suggest or reject any claims about Tilapia's negative impact on the environment and on native fish species. Any conclusions will draw from 'knowledge gaps.'

Tilapia will play an increasingly prominent role in the delivery of food and livelihoods in the Pacific, in a future where overfishing, environmental degradation, and the projected impacts of climate change will continue to deplete an already depauperate indigenous freshwater fish fauna. Pond aquaculture of tilapia will become increasingly important due to the twin drivers of population growth and declines in coastal fisheries. 

Case Study 7: GENETIC RESOURCES MANAGEMENT POLICY IN IRAN (ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF)

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=2DVnSKsAAAAJ&hl=en#

Iran is 17th largest country in the world in terms of land. 

7.1 biodiversity in Iran. 

From a biodiversity perspective, the country is located in the Palearctic realm at the crossroads of four biogeographical regions: the Euro–Siberian, the Irano–Touranian, the Nubo–Sindian, and the Saharo–Arabian regions. The variety of landscapes resulting both from a unique biogeography and from the scientific processes operating across ecosystems and organisms, has produced a diverse selection of flora and fauna, including more than 1 300 species of fishes living in diverse freshwater, brackish water, marine, cave and qanat (man-made underground water channel) ecosystems and several other endemic and exclusive aquatic creatures.

https://www.cepf.net/our-work/biodiversity-hotspots/irano-anatolian/species

7.2 Conservation of Biodiversity is a must. A necessary practice. 

Factors killing off species in Iran are :  long periods of drought,  pasture grazing, urbanization, land degradation. 

Recent biodiversity loss, within the agricultural sector are cause by  human population growth, and the resulting increase in human activities.

7.3 PROPOSED PLAN FOR GENETIC RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND ITS OBJECTIVES:

“National Law on Conservation and Use of Genetic Resources " suggests: 

• to manage genetic resources; •
•  to conserve endangered species; 
• • to improve using capacities, facilities and technologies among stakeholders; 69 
• • to set regulations for access and benefit sharing, intellectual property rights and commercialization of genetic resources; and 
• • to establish national gene banks, both in situ and ex situ

the Iranian Ministry of Jehad-e-Agriculture, Ministry of Health and Medical Education as well as the Department of Environment appointed a high level position to cover Conservation of Genetic Resources. 

, the Board may boost public knowledge using public media to identify the value of aquatic genetic diversity as a heritage of generations. Furthermore, it is expected that local communities, particularly fisheries cooperatives and societies, will provide support towards sustainable conservation, sustainable use and development of AqGR. 

7.4 Creating a framework for AqGR

The Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute (IFSRI) is the main institution. It has no power to protect species, but it does catalogue the extant species. 

In addition to 70 Development of Aquatic Genetic Resources: A framework of essential criteria live specimens of different ages, sperm of several fish species are cryopreserved (scientists aye...)

7.5 Conclusion. 

Iran (Islamic Republic of) is considered as a mega-diverse country.

An Advisory Board has been created with responsibility for managing AqGr and to set up regulations for access and benefit sharing, intellectual property rights and commercialization of genetic resources.  

The IFSRI has already established in vivo and in vitro gene banks of sturgeon in North and plans to establish 14 aquatic gene banks by 2023.

http://jifro.ir/

http://english.ifsri.ir/