Complaining that although ”our aquaculture industry leads the world in research and technological development” production has levelled off in the Union, the European Commission has published a communication to address that state of affairs and “give fresh impetus to sustainable growth to the EU’s aquaculture sector”.
“Aquaculture has a bright future ahead of it in providing Europe’s discerning consumers with high-quality, healthy fish products. However, today its potential is far from being fully realised,” Joe Borg, Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, commented.
Pointing out that aquaculture is one of the world’s fastest growing food sectors, already providing the planet with about half of all the fish we eat, the Commission claimed in a press release that the sector still has much more to give.
Examining the root causes of the stagnation in EU aquaculture production, the communication looks at ways to “improve the sector’s competitiveness, sustainability and governance”:
- Ongoing strong support for research and technological development is needed. The sector’s specific needs should be included in the EU’s market policy for fisheries products.
- Aquaculture will remain sustainable if it “continues to build on environmentally friendly production methods, maintains high animal health and welfare standards and delivers a high level of consumer protection”.
- More can be done to enhance the sector’s image and its governance-related aspects, the Commission says, adding that “aquaculture’s success will depend to a large extend on there being a business-friendly environment for the sector at national and/or local level”.
“A strong, reinvigorated aquaculture industry would serve as a catalyst for growth in related sectors and further contribute to the development of rural and coastal areas”, the Commission concluded. “Moreover, consumers would benefit in the form of healthy, high-quality food products produced in an environmentally friendly way”.