February 4, 2008

EU to improve aquaculture statistics
 

EU MPs have voted in favour of replacing the current community legislation of aquaculture production statistics, which has been in force for more than 10 years.

The European Parliament said the changes should improve the submission of annual data on aquaculture production volume and accessibility of the necessary information.

According to the Parliament, the regulation should allow a transitional period of up to three years to be granted to Member States as their national statistical systems would require major adaptations for the change.

Rapporteur, Phillipe Morillon said the need for a broader range of data is required so as to develop and manage the aquaculture industry, as it is important to gain an accurate and comprehensive overview of aquaculture businesses, cultivation techniques and the different production environments.

The EU's aquaculture sector produces 1.3 million tonnes of fishery products per year, with a value of about EUR 3 billion (US$4.45 billion), which is equivalent to about one third of total value of production in the EU's fisheries sector and about one fifth of its volume.