"The EU must convert good intentions into measurable outcomes that enable a thriving, competitive, and sustainable aquaculture sector," say EU producer associations.
Photo: FEAP
Three major aquaculture organisations have urged the European Commission to provide firmer political guidance on the future of the sector, during a meeting with Commissioner Costas Kadis yesterday in Brussels.
The European Molluscs Producers’ Association (EMPA), the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) and the European Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Platform (EATIP), together representing the full range of the European aquaculture sector, set out a joint concern: that European aquaculture output has remained flat or fallen for more than 25 years, while global production has continued to increase.
The situation, the organisations said in a press statement, "is not due to a lack of entrepreneurship, investment, or innovation within the sector, but rather to excessive bureaucracy, burdensome administrative processes, fragmented initiatives, insufficient recognition in spatial planning, and policy frameworks that generate consultations but deliver few results."
The consequence of this, they contend, is that the EU is missing out: "strong EU demand for aquatic food is increasingly met by imports from countries with more coherent aquaculture policies," they argue.
At the meeting with Commissioner Kadis, Addy Risseeuw, EMPA President, repeated his call for a standalone EU policy that identifies aquaculture as a strategic part of the food system. He also argued for concrete growth targets, suggesting a 25% rise in production by 2040, supported by simpler rules and more predictable access to farming sites.
FEAP Secretary General Javier Ojeda also argued that “without clear production targets, there is no accountability and no progress," and emphasised the need for strong environmental protection alongside regulatory frameworks that enable responsible growth, innovation, and investment.
The industry groups also called for greater investment in EU research and innovation for aquaculture, with EATIP President Lorenzo Gennari noting that "dissemination, exploitation and application of research outputs" needs better support. He also pointed out that small companies often struggle to access EU programmes, and said that producer organisations would be ready to take on a greater role.
In response, Commissioner Kadis described aquaculture as a “top priority" in his portfolio, “both for food security and for competitiveness in coastal and river areas”. He added that boosting domestic production is important for “reducing our dependency on imported seafood” and said that “demand-driven research must play a central role in future EU research programmes.”
The coalition said while they welcomed Kadis' message, the EU "need[s] to convert political ambition into tangible results, including regular reality-checks at farm level to ensure policies reflect operational needs."
EU currently has several policy initiatives underway that are likely to have a direct impact on the European aquaculture sector, including the European Ocean Pact, the forthcoming EU Vision for Fisheries and Aquaculture by 2040, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and the evaluation and potential revision of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
