Breeding companies, marine bioprospecting institutions and investors in genetic engineering need protection of their improved genetic material to assure revenues from innovation and investment. Fish farmers and fish breeders need access to marine genetic resources for food production and further breeding, development and sustainable use.
The project aims at identifying the specific problems and possible solutions for legal regulation of access to aquaculture genetic resources and protection of the results of research and development of genetic resources in aquaculture. This will be done through an interdisciplinary research project combining political science, ecology, biology, microbiology and legal competence. The project combines a legal approach with a social science, bottom-up approach by investigating the perception among researchers and other actors in the marine sector.
The main focus is on the Norwegian situation, with a comparative approach to European as well as global perspectives, including developing countries.
Project manager is Kristin Rosendal, Fridtjof Nansen Institute.
For background info, follow links at the top right:
- FNI-report: The Story Since Leaving ICLARM (now known as The WorldFish Center) - Socioeconomic, Access and Benefit Sharing and Dissemination Aspects
- Presentation by I. Olesen: Who shall own the genes of livestock and farmed fish?
- Chapter in book "Global Privatization and Its Impact" by 1. Olesen et.al: Who shall own the genes of farmed fish?
- Chapter in book "Aquaculture" by A.I. Myhr et.al.:New Developments in Biotechnology and IPR in Aquaculture – Are They Sustainable?
Read also: I. Olesen, A.I. Myhr and G.K. Rosendal. 2010. Sustainable aquaculture: are we getting there? Ethical perspectives on salmon farming. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics. In press. DOI 10.1007/s10806-010-9269-z.
FNI report