European aquaculture was the focus of discussion during a conference organised in November 2012 by the European Commission, the Spanish Government and the Galician authorities in La Coruña. As part of the reform of the common fisheries policy (CFP), the European Union wants to give new impetus to sustainable European aquaculture production.
The aim of the conference was to gather suggestions and engage the Member States, producers and stakeholders of the sector on the
future ‘Strategic guidelines for the sustainable development of EU aquaculture’.
While aquaculture production continues to experience phenomenal growth in the rest of the world, in Europe it has been stagnating for
over 10 years. In 2008, the Commission identified several causes of this problem: lack of spatial planning, a heavy administrative burden
(such as very long procedures to obtain licences and permits for new sites), competitiveness issues and the lack of a level playing field
with imported products.
Aquaculture in the EU provides 10 % of the fish, molluscs and crustaceans consumed in Europe, while imported fish and aquaculture
products account for 65 % of European consumption. The Commission estimates that each percentage point gained by European production could represent 2 000 jobs or more. European aquaculture must therefore be given full support to play its part in promoting growth and jobs in Europe.
Multiannual national plans
As part of the reform of the CFP, the Commission is asking each Member State to develop a national plan to promote the sustainable
growth of aquaculture. The plan invites Member States to implement measures that tackle obstacles to the growth of aquaculture.
To help Member States to develop their own action plan, the European Commission is producing its ‘Strategic guidelines for the sustainable
development of EU aquaculture’. A first set of ideas to include in the guidelines was discussed in La Coruña on 23 November, during the
high-level conference.
Four key areas were brought forward and will feed into the key objectives of the Strategic guidelines:
1. Simplify administrative procedures, in particular for licencing.
2. Secure allocation of water and space for freshwater and marine aquaculture in coordinated spatial planning.
3. Promote business diversification to provide additional sources of income and sustainable aquaculture growth.
4. Exploit all competitive factors, such as the European Union’s high standards.
There was broad consensus on the need to address the challenge of filling the growing food security gap between the level of consumption
of seafood in the EU, the declining volume of captures from fisheries and the role that European Union aquaculture can play in filling it,
at least partially. The Commission’s guidelines are expected to be published in Spring 2013.(Article's Source)