EU plans to improve sluggish aquaculture growth

The European Commission (EC) wants to give fresh momentum to sustainable growth in the country's stagnating aquaculture sector.

Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Joe Borg said that aquaculture has a bright future ahead in providing Europe's discerning consumers with high-quality, healthy fish products, but its potential is far from being fully realised today.

Borg added that it is time that the sector gets an equal voice for development as with other industries.

The commission is examining the root causes of the stagnation in EU aquaculture and is looking at ways to improve the sector's competitiveness, sustainability and governance.

According to the report, ways to improve and sustain growth was addressed. One of which would be to continue building on environmentally friendly production methods, maintaining high animal health and welfare standards and delivering a high level of consumer protection.

The other would be to enhance the sector's image and its governance-related aspects, as its success will depend to a large extent on being a business-friendly environment for the sector at national and local level.

Hence, EC's willingness to provide Member States and regional authorities with helpful measures would aid the sector utilise its assets.

EC believes that a strong, reinvigorated aquaculture industry would serve as a catalyst for growth in related sectors and further contribute to the development of rural and coastal areas.

According to the report, these are just some of the crucial benefits that would amass from concerted European action at all levels to unlock the aquaculture sector's full potential.