SCIENCE ADVICE FOR POLICY
BY EUROPEAN ACADEMIES

Food from the oceans

The only way to obtain significantly more food and biomass sustainably from the ocean is to harvest seafood that on average is from a lower trophic level than we currently harvest.

The Evidence Review Report warns that in our extraction of food from the oceans, ‘business as usual’ is not sustainable from social, economic and environmental viewpoints.

The oceans are home to a large number of resources that are either not exploited or are marginally exploited currently and which could improve food security and the wellbeing of humanity. Increased food production from the ocean could release some of the pressure that has been put on agriculture, as well as supporting a range of livelihoods and activities associated with the fishing and mariculture industries.

Key options for how to obtain more food and biomass from the ocean:

Recommendations from the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors

Working group members

Professor
University of Bergen
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Professor
Trinity College Dublin
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Professor
University of Amsterdam
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Professor
Utrecht University
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Professor
Polytechnic University of Marche and Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn
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Professor
University of Greenwich
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Senior Lecturer
National University of Ireland Galway
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University of Oxford
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Professor
University of Bergen
Personal profile

Ecoaqua Institute, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
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Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research
Personal profile

French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea
Personal profile

Senior Regional Manager
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research
Personal profile

Professor
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Personal profile

Professor
Kiel University
Personal profile

Professor
University of Bristol
Personal profile

Professor
Ghent University
Personal profile

Professor
Technical University of Denmark
Personal profile

Policy impact

Events

EurOCEAN 2019 Conference
EurOCEAN is a high-level science-policy conference co-organised by European Marine Board, the European Commission and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO.
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European Maritime Day
The European Maritime Day is the annual EU meeting point on maritime affairs and blue growth. It targets maritime professionals, entrepreneurs and ocean leaders from businesses, governments, public institutions, NGOs and academia. Our Food from the Oceans report was exhibited as part of the 2019 iteration of the conference which took place on 16/17 May 2019 in Lisbon.
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Food from the Oceans, a look into our future
The recent work on food from the oceans by the European Group of Chief Scientific Advisors and SAPEA was discussed at the Seafood Expo Global in Brussels, Belgium on 25 April 2018.
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SAPEA at Cardiff Science Festival
SAPEA participated in the Cardiff Science Festival 2019 to promote the Food from the Oceans reports’ key messages to the general public.
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INGSA 2018: Science Advice for a Changing World
On the 6-7th November 2018 in Tokyo, Japan, the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA) hosted its 3rd biennial conference on International Science Advice to Government.
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Annual Conference International Council for the Exploration of the Sea
SAPEA presented the findings of its Evidence Review Report on Food from the Oceans at the annual conference of the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas in Hamburg between 24-27 September 2018.
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SAPEA at Science For Policy expert debate
SAPEA was presented at the expert panel debate Science for policy: a European perspective, organised by the Academia Europaea Cardiff Knowledge Hub at Swansea University (Wales) on 4 September 2018. 
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Food from the Oceans event in Lisbon, Portugal
The Lisbon Academy of Sciences are organising an event to discuss the food from the oceans on Wednesday 23 May at 3pm. With presentations and audience discussion, the event will explore the SAPEA Food from the Oceans Evidence Review Report and the European Commission Group of Chief Scientific Advisors Opinion, which were both published in November 2017.  Speakers include: Elvira Fortunato, Member of the European Commission’s Group of Chief Scientific Advisors Louise Edwards, SAPEA Staff Chair for Food from the Oceans Yngvar Olsen, Member of the SAPEA Food from the Oceans Working Group Ricardo Serrão Santos, Member of European Parliament Francisco Andrade, member of MARE- Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre UL António Marques, Project Coordinator and Senior Researcher at the Division of Aquaculture and Seafood Upgrading (DivAV) from the Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) António José Marques da Silva, integrated member of the Research Centre in Archaeology,...
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Royal Irish Academy Breakfast Briefing on Food from the Oceans
The Royal Irish Academy will be hosting a Breakfast Briefing on the topic of Food from the Oceans. it will highlight some of the important points from the Scientific Advice Mechanism's work on Food from the Oceans that are of particular interest to Ireland.
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Blue innovation: Oceans to feed the planet
SAPEA Food from the Oceans Working Group Chair Professor Poul Holm and SAM High Level Group Deputy Chair Professor Pearl Dykstra presented on the Food from the Oceans Evidence Review Report and SAM HLG Opinion at a Science Business event titled: Blue innovation: Oceans to feed the planet. 
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Food From the Oceans event in Hamburg, Germany
The world’s oceans remain the largest food source on our planet and more than one billion people depend on them for sustenance and business alike. Germany is no different in that respect, its fisheries are a modern high-tech industry and they provide a significant amount of employment opportunities to the people of northern Germany. However, the fishing industry is facing and contributing to grave challenges globally and there certainly is a pressing need to address these challenges coherently and quickly. How can we make use of the seas in a sustainable manner? How can a sustainable legal and political fisheries framework be applied globally? What could effective solutions be in the face of current developments? The above questions as well as others will be at the heart of the discussion in this interdisciplinary panel debate held in the context of the German Year of Science 2016*17 – Seas and Oceans. The event is made possible in cooperation with SAPEA and the Academy of Sciences...
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Food from the Oceans at Cardiff International Food and Drink Festival
Visitors to the Cardiff International Food & Drink Festival explored Food from the Oceans from 14 -16 July with talks, exhibitions and food tastings. Celebrating Hordaland, Norway, which has been twinned with Cardiff since 1996, a Norwegian food stand offered new types of food from the sea and provided information about SAPEA’s work on this topic as part of the European Scientific Advice Mechansism. Talks by experts in the Norwegian Church explored perceptions of the fishing industry, and the rediscovery of seaweed as a superfood. In addition, a public debate discussed how we can get more food from the oceans. Download full programme of events and read the summary of the events. Find out more about SAPEA’s work on the topic of Food from the Oceans.
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Food from the Oceans in Bergen, Norway
The City of Bergen in Norway celebrated UNESCO Sustainable Gastronomy day on 18 June, with tastings of different types of food from the ocean, followed by talks on this topic and a panel discussion which explored the question "How can more food and biomass be obtained from the oceans in a way that does not deprive future generations of their benefits?"
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News

03 October 2019: Algae – Sustainable biomass production - event in Brussels
The Representation of the State of Saxony-Anhalt to the European Union and the Ministry for Economic Affairs, Science and Digitalisation of the State of Saxony-Anhalt organise an event  “Algae – Sustainable biomass production for a green economy and the future of nutrition in Europe – Innovations made in Saxony-Anhalt”. 
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26 September 2019: Prime ministers cite SAPEA’s “Food from the Oceans” in oceans and climate change report
A high-level group of prime ministers and presidents from around the world have cited the SAPEA “Food from the Oceans” report in their own proposals for how to mitigate climate change.
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23 May 2018: Food from the Oceans event in Lisbon, Portugal
The Lisbon Academy of Sciences organised an event to discuss the food from the oceans on Wednesday 23 May at 3pm.
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30 November 2017: SAPEA provides evidence for the European Commission on Food from the Oceans
SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies) has published its first Evidence Review Report titled Food from the Oceans, which examines the question of how the ocean can help satisfy the global demand for food. As an integral part of the Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM), SAPEA was asked to produce this Evidence Review Report to underpin the Scientific Opinion of the High Level Group (HLG), in response to a request from Commissioner Vella (DG MARE).  The request asked for advice on the question: “How can more food and biomass be obtained from the oceans in a way that does not deprive future generations of their benefits?” The Evidence Review Report warns that in our extraction of food from the oceans, ‘business as usual’ is not sustainable from social, economic and environmental viewpoints. The report suggests a number of options, which inform the recommendations of the HLG Scientific Opinion. It states that the only way to obtain significantly more food and biomass sustainably...
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18 October 2017: SAPEA in Hamburg, Germany
SAPEA’s Food from the Oceans public engagement activities extended to yet another European coastal city. Together with the Union of German of Sciences and Humanities and the Academy of Sciences in Hamburg, SAPEA organised a panel discussion on the topic on 5 October. The event slotted in with the German Year of Science 2016*17 Seas and Oceans conceptualised by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research which aims to explore the many facets of the oceans in various projects bringing scientists and the general public together. The panel consisted of Dr Gerd Kraus, Director of the Thünen-Institute of Sea Fisheries, Dr Gesche Krause, a Social Scientist of the Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, and Prof Dr Marian Paschke, Director of the Institute for the Law of the Sea and for Martime Law at the University Hamburg and member of the Academy of Sciences in Hamburg. The event was opened by the President of Academy of Sciences in Hamburg, Edwin Kreuzer before the chair of the SAM...
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06 July 2017: SAPEA in Cardiff, UK
Visitors to the Cardiff International Food & Drink Festival explored food from the oceans from 14 -16 July 2017 with talks, exhibitions and food tastings. Celebrating Hordaland, Norway which has been twinned with Cardiff since 1996, a Norwegian food stand offered new types of food from the sea and provided information about SAPEA’s work on this topic as part of the European Scientific Advice Mechanism. Talks by experts in the Norwegian Church explored perceptions of the fishing industry, the rediscovery of seaweed as a superfood, and a public debate discussed how we can get more food from the oceans. Download the Programme of events.  Find out more about the events.     
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22 June 2017: SAPEA in Bergen, Norway
Tastings and talks on food from the ocean took place on Sunday 18 June in Bergen, the first of several events linked to SAPEA’s work on this topic. This event marked UNESCO Sustainable Gastronomy Day and Bergen’s status as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. It was organised by the City of Bergen and Academia Europaea’s Bergen and Cardiff Hubs, with support from SAPEA. Around 2000 visitors sampled food from different stalls where they could learn more about sustainable food from the ocean, SAPEA’s work in bringing experts together to explore this topic, and SAPEA’s role within the European Scientific Advice Mechanism. Free talks in English and Norwegian were well attended, and the day concluded with an open debate on the question: ‘How can more food and biomass be obtained from the oceans in a way that does not deprive future generations?’ The events were covered by local and national media in Norway, including TV2 (Norway’s largest commercial...
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20 June 2017: New topic: Food from the Ocean
SAPEA is playing a major role in providing timely, independent and evidence-based expertise on the topic of food from the oceans within the Scientific Advice Mechansim. The work on this topic is in response to a request from the College of European Commissioners, led by Commissoner Vella, for scientific advice from the SAM High Level Group. The formation of a scientific opinion on this topic is expected by the end of 2017. The scoping paper for this topic is available to download from the Scientific Advice Mechanism website. Find out more about other current topics.  
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Academic impact

Tlusty, M. F., Tyedmers, P., Bailey, M., Ziegler, F., Henriksson, P. J. G., Béné, C., Bush, S., Newton, R., Asche, F., Little, D. C., Troell, M., Jonell, M. (2019), Reframing the sustainable seafood narrative., Global Environmental Change 59.
Scherrer K. J. N. , Harrison C. S., Heneghan R. F. , Galbraith E., Bardeen C.G., Coupe J., Jägermeyr J., Lovenduski N. S., Luna A., Robock A., Stevens J., Stevenson S., Toon O. B., Xia L. (2020), Marine wild-capture fisheries after nuclear war, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nov 2020.

Media coverage

07 December 2021: India Education Diary
Trinity College Dublin: Trinity College Dublin
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06 December 2021: Trinity College Dublin
Professor Yvonne Buckley named Irish Research Council 2021 Researcher of the Year
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13 April 2021: TV europa
Maria da Graça Carvalho é a nova vice-presidente da Comissão das Pescas no Parlamento Europeu
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07 January 2020: IMBRSEA
Fisheries and Aquaculture
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10 July 2018: European Marine Board
Commissioner Vella meets European ocean research leaders for third time
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13 May 2018: The news market
Master's Speech: Poul Holm: Global Food Demand Increases by 60% in 2050 and Perpetual Seafood as a Key Role
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08 May 2018: NUI Galway
Whitaker Scientific Director presents briefing on SAPEA report Food from the Oceans at Royal Irish Academy
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23 April 2018: ipac.acuiculturat
La Comisión Europea organiza en Seafood Bruselas 2018 "Food from the Oceans, a look into our future"
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26 March 2018: Open Access Government
EU aquaculture: Supporting the farmers in the water
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23 March 2018: Financial Times Magazine
Superfood to superhero: how eating seaweed could help the planet
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19 March 2018: Pesceinrete
Food from the Oceans. Il cibo del futuro? Alghe, pesce coniglio e cetrioli di mare
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08 March 2018: Science Business
Blue Innovation: How to fill fishing nets without emptying the seas
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08 February 2018: Latvian Academy of Sciences
Par Eiropas Akadēmiju Zinātnisko konsultāciju projekta (SAPEA) publikāciju
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06 February 2018: INCOBRA
BLUE INNOVATION: OCEANS TO FEED THE PLANET - ROUND TABLE
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01 February 2018: Cardiff University Biomedical & Life Sciences libraries
Systematic Review: Food From our Oceans
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01 February 2018: Science Business
Blue innovation: Oceans to feed the planet
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29 January 2018: Academy of Technical Sciences
First record for the EU Commission from SAPEA
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26 January 2018: Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography
Food from the Oceans Evidence Review Report for the European Commission
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04 January 2018: World@Web
One solution to global hunger could be at the bottom of the ocean
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03 January 2018: The Independent
Putting algae and seaweed on the menu could help save our seafood
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28 December 2017: Apuntelego
Bioeconomía azul para alimentar el futuro
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24 December 2017: Bio a la una
Nori, spiruline, chlorelle : les algues, ces nouvelles alliées santé
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22 December 2017: Open Learn
Can eating seaweed and algae keep the world fed?
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20 December 2017: Agora Magazine
Commission’s top scientific advisers publish opinion on Food from the Oceans
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19 December 2017: Trinity College Dublin
New report on how the ocean can help satisfy global demand for food
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18 December 2017: The Daily Catch
Why We Need Seaweed and Algae on the Menu to Help Save Seafood
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16 December 2017: The Sun
Barmy EU chiefs want people to swap traditional fish and chips for ‘more sustainable’ clams and seaweed
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14 December 2017: Phys.org
Putting algae and seaweed on the menu could save our seafood
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14 December 2017: The Conversation
Putting algae and seaweed on the menu could help save our seafood
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14 December 2017: ALLEA
SAPEA provides evidence for the European Commission on Food from the Oceans
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12 December 2017: European Scientist
Can the ocean can help satisfy the global food demand?
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11 December 2017: Ara ciència
Les restriccions, aquestes desconegudes
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08 December 2017: Undercurrent News
European report advocates eating more bivalves, algae
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08 December 2017: Horizon magazine
Algae and krill may be a tough sell for European consumers
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08 December 2017: Royal Irish Academy
SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies) examining the question of how the ocean can help satisfy the global demand for food.
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07 December 2017: Cardiff Universit
Food from oceans can help satisfy global demand
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07 December 2017: Myscience.org:
Food from oceans can help satisfy global demand
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05 December 2017: Euromarine Network
SAM Scientifi Opinion on Food from the Oceans published
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05 December 2017: easac
New report from European science academies calls for urgent action on food and nutrition security: Europe will need to change its diet to address climate change and health
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05 December 2017: acatech
SAPEA legt für die Europäische Kommission wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse zum Thema Nahrung aus den Ozeanen vor
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05 December 2017: Aquaculture magazine
Huge untapped source of food and biomass in oceans, say EU science advisors
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04 December 2017: University of Hohenheim
Business as usual would not be sustainable
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01 December 2017: Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn
SAPEA provides evidence for the European Commission on Food from the Oceans
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01 December 2017: University of Bristol
Prof Daniela Schmidt contributes to major ‘Food from the Oceans’ report
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01 December 2017: Academia Europaea Cardiff Hub
Cardiff Hub oversees completion of the food from the oceans evidence review report for the European Commissoons
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30 November 2017: Science Business
Huge untapped source of food and biomass in oceans, say EU science advisors
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30 November 2017: Agripress
Commission's top scientific advisers publish opinion on food from the oceans
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30 November 2017: Seafood intelligence
Commission's top scientific advisers publish opinion on food from the oceans
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30 November 2017: JRC
Commission's top scientific advisers publish opinion on food from the oceans
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30 November 2017: Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
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16 November 2017: Public Now
Commission Prepares To Move Its Bioeconomy Efforts Up A Gear
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15 September 2017: The Union of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities
Nahrungsquelle Meer - Entwicklungen, Gefährdungen, Prognosen
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18 June 2017: TV2 Norway
News story on Bergen Food Festival and events
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17 June 2017: Nordnes republikken
Ferske reker og foredrag
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15 June 2017: Hordaland
Folkefest med mat frå havet
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15 June 2017: Bergen Commune
Inviterer til bærekraftig sjømatdag
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12 June 2017: Bergen Gastronomy
Food from the Oceans, Food Festival and Scientific Seminar
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10 May 2017: Schattenblick
Hifters LNA geht in Libyen gegen Schlepperbanden vor
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