European Union
BY VINCE MCDONAGH
Catching up
Europe has a job on its hands if it is to realise the potential of the aquaculture sector
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hen it comes to using the ocean as a sustainable source of food, Europe is trailing well behind other parts of the world, the European Union says. Now, the EU has unveiled a vision to develop its fish farming industry. Figures suggest that of all the fish consumed by EU ci�zens, barely 10% comes from aquaculture within the EU itself. The 27-strong trading bloc lost an important contributor in Scotland (the world’s third largest Atlan�c salmon farmer) following Brexit, while Norway has always been outside the EU – albeit s�ll part of the European Economic Area. Now Brussels wants things to change and it has a fresh strategy to achieve that goal, set out in a new report from the EU’s Directorate-General for Mari�me Affairs and Fisheries, Blue farming: new strategic vision for sustainable aquaculture production and consumption in the European Union (February 2022). The report says: “Aquaculture is the fastest growing food sector in the world supplying us with seafood and seaweed, which in addi�on to good protein sources also provides a number of other nutrients, including micronutrients such as vitamin D and B vitamins as well as selenium, iodine, zinc, iron and potassium. “In addi�on, there are long-chain omega-3 fa�y acids in fish, which uncondi�onally have important and very beneficial effects on human health and wellbeing as well as a property to remedy and prevent diseases.” Despite its physical size, only 2% of global aquaculture produc�on is centred on the EU, and most of that is in just four countries: Spain, France, Italy and Greece. There are plans to enlarge that base such as the new RAS (recircula�ng aquaculture systems) salmon farm due to be built on the Channel coast in Belgium
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EU Aqu Strategy (Vince).indd 40
by Columbi Salmon. But they remain modest when compared to what is happening elsewhere. The EU report says: “In terms of volume of aquaculture produc�on per category of species, more than half is shellfish, while marine fish and freshwater fish each account for around 20% of the total volume. “The vast majority of EU produc�on is for mussels, trout, seabream, oysters, seabass, carp and clams. This means that there is s�ll a lot of poten�al for further growth and diversifica�on in terms of [the number of] producing countries and species farmed. “Aquaculture can also provide consumers in the EU with even more diverse healthy and sustainable food products, including those more widely consumed in other regions of the world, for example algae or invertebrates such as sea urchins.” It is es�mated that Europe has around 15,000 companies opera�ng in the aquaculture sector. However, the majority are microenterprises employing fewer than 10 people. The total number employed in aquaculture is close to 70,000 but those are 2018 figures which would have included Scotland. According to the report, these microenterprises tend to be family owned and use less efficient produc�on methods and systems. The EU remains highly dependent on imported aqua�c food. Despite having a large sea area around its coastlines, the EU imports over 70% of the fish and seafood consumed by its 440 million ci�zens. The report says: “It is therefore important to support the further growth and diversifica�on of aquaculture produc�on in the EU in a way that preserves the environment and provides more jobs and economic development to coastal and rural areas.
Left: EU Blue Farming report image Above: Sea urchins Below: Farm for dorado and sea bass
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There is s�ll a lot of poten�al for further growth and diversifica�on
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www.fishfarmermagazine.com
11/04/2022 15:41:28
