IT is time for the aquaculture industry to make the consumer its top priority.

Chairing the opening session of Aquaculture Today 2007, Alistair Lane, Executive Director of the European Aquaculture Society said it is is vital that the industry sees consumers as of number one importance.

"Aquaculture has been more or less production driven and is now starting to recognise consumers as of prime importance," he said.

He added that it was therefore fitting that the conference opened with a session on 'Reaching the Consumer'.

Karol Rzepkowski, Managing Director of Shetland-based No Catch - the world's first commercial organic cod producer - said an important tool in the industry's efforts to reach the consumer is the media.

The company, which has won 10 awards for its organic cod products and has been shortlisted for 19 awards, has a policy of actively engaging with all potential customers. This includes unconventional marketing methods such as promoting its products at various music festivals this summer.

"We're aiming to show that fish is the ultimate fast food," he told delegates.

Other unconventional marketing methods employed by No Catch include the creation of a tongue-in-cheek, interactive website that has won a number of IT industry awards.

"It's a great way in today's modern world to communicate with the consumer," he said.

Urging the industry not to take itself too seriously, Karol added: "If we're seen to take ourselves too seriously it puts the consumer off."

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