EU aquaculture production on the decline

EU aquaculture production fell 10 percent in the period 2004 to 2007, according to recently published statistics from Eurostat.

The statistics show that 77 percent of the aquaculture output was in marine areas, 55 percent from the Atlantic and 22 percent from the Mediterranean.

Molluscs accounted for 52 percent of the total EU aquaculture production in 2007, with 677,318 tonnes, and fish making up the other 42 per cent with 629,867.

The production of crustaceans was 213 tonnes, and seaweed was 60 tonnes.

During 2007, the European industry gained 6.4 million tonnes of live fish, 11.5 percent less than in 2004. Of the total, 1.3 million tonnes were attributed to aquaculture.

Spain was the largest aquaculture producer, with 284,982 tonnes which makes up 22 per cent of total European aquaculture production. France was second, with 237,451 tonnes and Italy third with 180,988 tonnes.

Spain produced 217,775 tonnes of molluscs, 67,060 tonnes of fish, 122 tonnes of crustaceans and 25 tonnes of seaweed.

France produced 188,870 tonnes of molluscs, 48,506 tonnes of fish, 40 tonnes of crustaceans and 35 tonnes of seaweed. Italy produced 120,317 tonnes of molluscs and 60,670 tonnes of fish, among other countries of the EU.

The United Kingdom's total aquaculture production was 174,200 tonnes while Greece produced 113,188 tonnes.