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FINANCIAL MECHANISMS BOLDNESS AND CIRCULARITY

The first session of the round-table focused on the “Countries like France are too dependent on
financial mechanisms involved and the associated imported seafoods. We need to ramp up domestic
issues. Christian Lim, Managing Director of SWEN production. And there is no better time to support
Capital Partners’ Blue Ocean fund (a venture capital sustainable aquaculture”, stated Jérémie Cognard,
fund worth 170 million euros), outlined the role of co-founder and CEO of Agriloops, following a highly
blue finance in the transformation of aquaculture engaging roadshow he undertook to raise millions of Bertrand Charron,
Global Director of Research
and fisheries, as well as the function of innovation euros for his aquaponic farm. The entrepreneur has & Insights at the Aquaculture
and technology: “Impact investments need banks developed a patented technology based on in-depth Stewardship Council (ASC)
and insurance funds at international level. We lifecycle analysis to farm prawns without the use of
also need to join forces with corporate investors”. antibiotics in a land-based facility, using up to 90%
Although sustainable blue investments are focused less water and recycling the wastewater as fertiliser
on specific areas of impact, they all subscribe to the to grow a variety of fruit and vegetable crops. This
general principle of not causing ‘significant harm’ winning solution, based on transparency and process
and even having a positive impact on ocean health. simplification, has won over sustainability-focused
The aquaculture sector “is seeing growth; whereas investors.
it was non-existent five years ago, it now amounts
to 1 billion euros”, continued the panellist, drawing The panellists agreed that sustainable growth in blue
attention to the question of market returns for venture finance is possible and that data and performance
capital investments, which need to be based on transparency is essential in order to instil confidence
“three key characteristics, namely sustainability, in the long term. Finally, solutions can only come from
product performance and competitive pricing”. dialogue between all key stakeholders: innovators,
financiers, businesses, NGOs, certification bodies
and consumers. A world in which aquaculture plays a
TRANSPARENCY key role in providing food and social advantages while
AND COLLABORATION minimising negative impacts on the environment
could be on the horizon.
“We have a duty to be transparent and report on
our company’s social and environmental impacts”,
stressed Estelle Brennan, Head of Sustainability at
Labeyrie Fine Foods. When asked about the role of “A verifiable track record and data are
civil society and the advantages of having a ‘social necessary to demonstrate why investing
permit’ in order to operate, she replied: “We need in sustainable aquaculture is an obvious
to value the social aspects more and not forget that choice.”
behind the key performance indicators and data are Christian Lim, Managing Director of
people”. Another guiding principle for companies SWEN Capital Partners’ Blue Ocean
and their partners is collaboration, which is essential venture capital fund
throughout the value chain to ensure consistency in
data collection so that the challenges of sustainability
are fully understood.