Rainbow trout is the main fish species farmed in the EU, according to FEAP.
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The Federation of European Aquaculture Producers has issued a formal response to the European Ocean Pact, formally launched by the European Commission during the UN Ocean Conference earlier this month.
The Ocean Pact, intended to bring all of the EU's ocean policies together under one single reference framework, was broadly welcomed by FEAP, but with one important caveat: what the aquaculture federation describes as the "critical omission" of freshwater aquaculture.
"While it might seem reasonable to its readers that a document focused on oceans and maritime issues should not necessarily cover inland aquaculture, this absence reveals a deeper, long-standing problem," the Federation argued, namely that "the existing European Union policy framework for aquaculture is simply not fit for purpose."
"Although since its beginnings aquaculture has been placed alongside capture fisheries, now that it has come of age, fish farming does not comfortably align with the scope of the Common Fisheries Policy, nor does it fit well enough under the competences of the Directorate‑General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission," FEAP claims.
However, it argues, measures similar to those outlined for sea-based aquaculture in the Ocean Pact could "prove valuable for developing sustainable freshwater fish farming in the European Union, in which rainbow trout is the main fish species farmed in the Union, while carp is essential in many central European countries."
Contending that aquaculture "doesn't quite belong" within the EU's Common Agricultural Policy either, the Federation reiterated its call for a "Common Aquaculture Policy" to take account of the sector's emerging role within the EU.
"Only by acknowledging aquaculture's distinct identity and needs can the European Union definitively move it out of the current legal orphanhood situation that asphyxiates it, unlock this vital sector's sustainable growth potential, and align itself with the FAO’s Blue Transformation strategy," FEAP stated.
However, FEAP indicated it is broadly supportive of several proposals in the Ocean Pact, including the EU-wide campaign to promote aquatic food, the proposed Ocean Act to improve maritime spatial planning, and the forthcoming Vision 2040 for fisheries and aquaculture.
It also endorsed the launch of an EU initiative on Sustainable Aquaculture and welcomed the proposed use of financial instruments such as BlueInvest and InvestEU to support sector development.
However, it stressed that these initiatives must be supported by a more coherent cross-departmental approach within the European Commission to avoid them being undermined by conflicting objectives and fragmented national implementation.
The organisation also called for more ambitious and binding targets within the Ocean Act, particularly around food production, and urged the Commission to include fed finfish farming in its strategic planning, not just low-trophic aquaculture.
The federation stated it "welcomes the European Commission’s move to replace the obsolete term ‘seafood’ with the more inclusive term ‘aquatic food’ as it encompasses freshwater food products".
It also advocated for harmonised consumer labelling rules across all sales channels, so that aquatic food products are accompanied by consistent information regardless of where they are sold.
On the question of aquaculture development, FEAP argued that licensing remains overly complex and inconsistent across Member States, and called on the Commission to take concrete steps to simplify procedures and harmonise requirements.
The organisation also noted the proposed Blue Generational Renewal Strategy does not specifically mention aquaculture, despite the sector's pressing need to attract younger generations.
The full text of FEAP's response to the European Ocean Pact can be viewed on the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers website.
