On Tuesday 12 June, the European Parliament in Strasbourg will request that the Union step up its aquaculture production in order to reduce pressure on natural fishing grounds. It will also underline that, by adopting the report by Carlos Iturgaiz (EPP, Spain) on the European aquaculture sector, fish-based animal feed should be sustainably sourced and should not jeopardise the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) (see EUROPE 12021).
The aim, says Parliament, is to best meet demand for fish in Europe while reducing the latter’s dependency on imports.
MEPs underline the fact that freshwater aquaculture is still under-exploited. Greater use of this possibility would increase food supply security and develop rural regions.
The Commission is invited to promote development of the emerging macro-algae aquaculture sector.
Within the framework of the CFP for post 2020, Parliament calls on the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council for the Union to increase to 75% the amount of investment support for freshwater aquaculture in order to boost the desire to invest and to provide help to fish farmers. It also calls on the Commission to develop, with the European Investment Bank (EIB), an EU level interest rate support scheme for investing in aquaculture and financing liquid assets.
Furthermore, Parliament calls on the Commission to establish the obligation to provide information on the use of vaccines and antibiotics in aquaculture in view of possible risks to human health and the ecosystem.
Finally, Parliament calls for the creation of a specific label for the recognition of products from EU sustainable aquaculture and stresses the need for transparency for consumers also in connection with aquaculture products imported from third countries, by reinforcing traceability.
EU aquaculture is stagnating unlike the growth noted in other regions of the world. In addition, it is estimated that aquaculture production in the European Union covers only 10% of domestic demand for fish, whereas over half of demand for fishery products is covered by imports from third countries. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)