The Commission has published two staff working documents to support EU Member States in facilitating the sustainable growth of aquaculture.
This comes in response to aquaculture producers’ calls to reduce the administrative burden on establishing and operating aquaculture sites in the EU.
The objective is to unlock the potential of aquaculture in the EU. Despite all of its benefits, aquaculture production in the EU has not grown at the same pace as in other parts of the world. EU aquaculture production only covers 10% of the fish and seafood consumed in the EU and accounts for less than 2% of world production.
Addressing obstacles to aquaculture growth
The documents address two important obstacles to aquaculture growth across many EU Member States:
- a complex regulatory framework and unnecessarily difficult administrative procedures, and
- difficulties in access to space and water necessary for the development of marine aquaculture.
The documents elaborate on the recommendations included in the EU strategic guidelines on facilitating the sustainable development of aquaculture in EU Member States with the objective of:
- streamlining the regulatory and administrative framework applicable to the sector, and
- ensuring adequate planning and allocation of space for marine aquaculture.
They consolidate good practices and provide concrete examples of how they have been applied in some EU Member States. Given the proximity of Norway and the UK to the EU and the importance of their aquaculture sectors, the documents also look at their good practices.
These documents were prepared in close consultation with Member States and stakeholders represented by the Aquaculture Advisory Council.
Learn more here