Brussels, 08/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - 'The Commission has decided to give a new political impetus to European aquaculture,' said EU Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg on Wednesday 8 April 2009, setting out the EU's new strategy to extend the farming of fish, molluscs and crustaceans in sea water and sweet water (see details of the communication on fish-farming in EUROPE 9878). It is time to unlock the full potential of European fish-farming, added Borg, explaining that the new strategy should achieve this.
Joe Borg pointed out that with average annual growth of 6 to 8%, fish-farming is the fastest growing sector of agriculture. Faced with rising demand for seafood, the EU imports a lot of fish-farmed food. EU imports account for 75% of the value of the EU's own fish-farm production, explained the Commissioner. He said that EU fish farms produce around 1.3 million tonnes of fish, molluscs and crustaceans a year (only 2% of total global fish-farming), generating a turnover of around 3 trillion euros and employing 65,000 people.
Joe Borg set out the advantages of the fish-farming sector in Europe - the EU is at the peak of research and technology in this field; there is sharply rising demand for seafood in the EU; the existing legislation provides high levels of consumer protection, high marine animal welfare standards and high levels of environmental protection. There are, however, a number of complex challenges facing the industry in Europe. The Commission's communication highlights three strategic objectives: improving competitiveness, creating the conditions for sustainable development of fish-farming and improving governance.
In answer to questions from the media, Joe Borg explained that increasing seafood production in Europe could reduce pressure on fishing at sea and fish-farming will receive funding from the European Fisheries Fund until 2013. He said that the Commission had started working on eco-labelling of some seafood products caught at sea, and the next stage might be the eco-labelling of processed and fish-farmed products (as long as World Trade Organisation rules are met). (L.C. trans fl)