Mussel lines, Ireland.
Photo: BIM
The European Commission has released a series of recommendations aimed at bolstering sustainability in the EU’s aquaculture sector.
The three new recommendation documents focus on addressing critical challenges to the sector, including access to resources, climate change adaptation, and transitioning to cleaner energy.
These guidelines form part of broader efforts to ensure the EU aquaculture industry remains resilient, sustainable, and competitive in the face of mounting environmental and economic pressures, the European Commission said.
The first document, Access to space and water for freshwater and land-based aquaculture, highlights the difficulties faced by freshwater and land-based aquaculture operations, particularly in securing access to essential resources like space and water. This challenge is especially pronounced for inland aquaculture, and the document builds on a prior Commission publication from April 2024, which focused on planning access for marine aquaculture. Together, these resources aim to streamline planning processes and remove barriers to growth across different types of aquaculture systems.
Another key area addressed by the Commission is climate change, which poses increasing risks to the European aquaculture sector. The second document, Climate-change adaptation in the EU aquaculture sector, provides guidance for EU Member States and industry stakeholders to prepare climate adaptation plans, with examples of practical solutions already in use. The strategies aim to enable the aquaculture sector to better cope with rising temperatures, changing water conditions, and other climate-related challenges.
Energy use in aquaculture is also under scrutiny as the industry works toward decarbonization. The third document, Energy transition in the EU aquaculture sector, outlines how European aquaculture can transition to cleaner energy sources, detailing EU-funded projects and sharing best practices for reducing energy consumption. This publication aligns with the EU’s broader Energy Transition Initiative for fisheries and aquaculture, underscoring the importance of reducing the sector’s carbon footprint, the Commission indicated.
These new guidelines also build on the European Commission’s strategic framework for creating a more sustainable and competitive aquaculture sector, the EC said in its announcement. Developed in collaboration with EU member states, aquaculture producers, advisory councils, and scientific experts, the documents consolidate recommendations and showcase successful practices across the EU.
To ensure the recommendations are effectively implemented, the European Commission plans to offer training for authorities across Europe. The EU Aquaculture Assistance Mechanism will also provide e-learning modules for each document, making resources widely accessible.
Meanwhile, work continues on additional publications that will address environmental performance and fish welfare, which will be released in due course, the Commission said.