participants concerning aquaculture in general. It was found that consumers are
mostly unfamiliar with aquaculture (Aarset et al. 2004). The image of aquaculture
seems to be created by comparing it to agricultural systems and by contrasting it
with fishing, whilst, at the same time the image of aquaculture being an unsustainable, antibiotic-driven production activity prevailed. Further negative conflicts
of aquaculture pertain to the rights to utilize certain marine areas, more often than
not having roots in legal, ethical, economic, historical and social aspects of marine
use (Joyce and Satterfield 2010).
8.2.5 Effects on the Wider Economic and Innovation System
The establishment of aquaculture businesses in a region can influence the availability of input factors like skilled labor, specialized suppliers, education programs,
and other infrastructure. Competition for input factors in limited supply may
hamper the development of other industries, particularly if they are not as profitable
as aquaculture. Over time, the development and growth of the aquaculture sector
can however stimulate other more or less related industries to grow in the area
(Ørstavik 2004), i.e. through the contribution to the development of regional
innovation systems (Asheim and Coenen 2005), including developing knowledge
intensive service activities (Aslesen and Isaksen 2007).
However, some countries governments have reacted to this situation and placed
demands on large producers (Huemer 2010). In the case of Scotland, this has led to
significant investment in infrastructures like improved roads, schools and other
facilities (Georgakopoulos and Thomson 2008).
In Norway, there has been frustration in many coastal communities in the latter
years, as increased ownership concentration and centralization of production have
excluded many of them from the benefits generated by the aquaculture activities
and production chain (Huemer 2010; Sandberg 2003; Isaksen and Mikkelsen 2012).
Thus, the rules of aquaculture that evolved over the past decades, based on
notions of ‘managing’ marine resources for aquaculture practices, were almost all
oriented toward determining who could gain access to a certain marine area and
how much they would be taxed (see e.g. salmon aquaculture tax practices in
Norway, Isaksen and Mikkelsen 2012).
8.2.6 Effects on Cultural Fabric and Other Social Aspects
Socially-sound aquaculture development relies on the understanding of two fundamental aspects: (A) the conditions that aquaculture operates under and (B) the
mechanisms and channels by which aquaculture affects the social fabric. The latter
term encapsulates the social context-specific setting in a particular ecosystem with
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G. Krause and E. Mikkelsen
mostly unfamiliar with aquaculture (Aarset et al. 2004). The image of aquaculture
seems to be created by comparing it to agricultural systems and by contrasting it
with fishing, whilst, at the same time the image of aquaculture being an unsustainable, antibiotic-driven production activity prevailed. Further negative conflicts
of aquaculture pertain to the rights to utilize certain marine areas, more often than
not having roots in legal, ethical, economic, historical and social aspects of marine
use (Joyce and Satterfield 2010).
8.2.5 Effects on the Wider Economic and Innovation System
The establishment of aquaculture businesses in a region can influence the availability of input factors like skilled labor, specialized suppliers, education programs,
and other infrastructure. Competition for input factors in limited supply may
hamper the development of other industries, particularly if they are not as profitable
as aquaculture. Over time, the development and growth of the aquaculture sector
can however stimulate other more or less related industries to grow in the area
(Ørstavik 2004), i.e. through the contribution to the development of regional
innovation systems (Asheim and Coenen 2005), including developing knowledge
intensive service activities (Aslesen and Isaksen 2007).
However, some countries governments have reacted to this situation and placed
demands on large producers (Huemer 2010). In the case of Scotland, this has led to
significant investment in infrastructures like improved roads, schools and other
facilities (Georgakopoulos and Thomson 2008).
In Norway, there has been frustration in many coastal communities in the latter
years, as increased ownership concentration and centralization of production have
excluded many of them from the benefits generated by the aquaculture activities
and production chain (Huemer 2010; Sandberg 2003; Isaksen and Mikkelsen 2012).
Thus, the rules of aquaculture that evolved over the past decades, based on
notions of ‘managing’ marine resources for aquaculture practices, were almost all
oriented toward determining who could gain access to a certain marine area and
how much they would be taxed (see e.g. salmon aquaculture tax practices in
Norway, Isaksen and Mikkelsen 2012).
8.2.6 Effects on Cultural Fabric and Other Social Aspects
Socially-sound aquaculture development relies on the understanding of two fundamental aspects: (A) the conditions that aquaculture operates under and (B) the
mechanisms and channels by which aquaculture affects the social fabric. The latter
term encapsulates the social context-specific setting in a particular ecosystem with
172
G. Krause and E. Mikkelsen