'Adding value to the fish!' – Business Strategies in Fish Farming and Small-Scale Fishery

The development of values-based supply chains for fish and fish products from fisheries and aquaculture is a strategy to add value to the fish. This benefit refers to the double meaning of ‘value’; premium prices for high-value products and at the same time, the incorporation of environmental, social, cultural or ethical values based on a sustainable use of resources. Although small-scale fish production and fisheries have a long tradition in many regions of the European Union, fishermen and fish farmers face strong competition with industrialized fishery fleets as well as imports from low-costs aquaculture. At the same time, European consumer surveys prove evidence that a consumers show an over-average Willingness to Pay (WTP) for fish produced locally and according to sustainability standards. With this paper, we aim to identify and discuss fish farmers’ and fishermen’s strategies ensuring the viability of their businesses by add-ing value to their fish utilizing this so far often unused market potential. Four case studies serve as the basis for the analysis. The German case studies examined traditional carp pond farming in Franconia and recirculation aquaculture systems in northern Germany. The Italian case studies focus on saline aquaculture (marine and on-shore) in Tuscany and mussel farming (inshore) in the Emilia-Romagna region. The English, Italian and Greek study cases analysed the situation of small-scale coastal fisheries in Cornwall, Tuscany and the Kavala region.