Sustainable aquaculture will help feed the world
Sustainable aquaculture production, i.e. the farming of water bodies in order to ensure stable yields of plants and animals, not only fish but also crustaceans and algae, can contribute to food security. Commissioner Joe Borg presented the Ministers at the Council in Luxembourg with the Communication from the Commission on aquaculture, designed to stimulate growth and competitiveness in this sector. Aquaculture is a key element of the EU Common Fisheries Policy and an important priority for the Czech Presidency.
“Aquaculture is the shape of fisheries to come. If, in 2050, we are to provide food and find proteins for a world with nine or ten billion people, aquaculture must be firmly in our sights,” says Minister Gandalovič.
At the April Council in Luxembourg, European Commissioner Joe Borg presented Ministers with the Communication on aquaculture, which the Commission sent to the Council and the European Parliament on 8 April 2009. Aquaculture is a key element of the EU Common Fisheries Policy and an important priority for the Czech Presidency. The first aquaculture strategy in 2002 contributed to the sustainability of the sector, safety and quality production. Unfortunately, however, this industry has been more or less stagnant in the long term, and therefore it is necessary to come up with measures to encourage its growth.
Global fish consumption is increasing, but some fish populations are declining or stagnating. In this respect, aquaculture could be the answer to growing demand. “Almost half of the world’s consumption of fish and aquatic animals now comes from aquaculture production. European consumption is approximately 12 million tonnes, of which 1.3 million tonnes are covered by aquaculture. Consequently, there are massive imports from areas where production conditions do not always comply with European standards,” adds Minister Gandalovič.
To meet these challenges and become the real future of fisheries, aquaculture production must be sustainable, says First Deputy Minister Ivo Hlaváč. “Production must be environmentally friendly, and consumers must be able to perceive it as such,” says Hlaváč. In his opinion, another important attribute of aquaculture is competitiveness. Fuel, credit and economic crises have shown the need for durable, stable business models, especially in the case of marine aquaculture. “We are facing problems with small profit margins and inadequate market power among retailers and distributors,” explains Hlaváč. “Aquaculture is a significant potential source of nutrition for humans, which may gradually replace fishery products from the ever-decreasing fish stocks in the world’s seas. To realise this potential, we need to promote entrepreneurship in this sector, modernise it and make it more competitive,” says the Deputy Minister.
The majority of Member States take the view that fundamental factors for the further development of aquaculture include the promotion of business in this sector, with modernisation, functional applied research, the setting of quality standards for imports from third countries and effective action against cormorants and other fish-eating predators. In the case of cormorants, cooperation between the ministries and the Environment Council is essential.
The discussion of this document will continue within the working bodies of the Council in the subsequent preparation of the Council’s conclusions. The ministers will scrutinise it again in June.
For the Czech Republic, as a landlocked country, fisheries essentially means freshwater aquaculture. It is equally important for other EU Member States too (not just the landlocked countries). The challenge for companies in the Czech Republic and elsewhere, then, is to produce fish products that offer higher added value and respond to customer demand. In terms of historical developments and the current situation, the Czech Republic’s priorities are to preserve historical heritage in areas of traditional aquaculture, and to support the non-production functions of ponds as a means of combating floods and drought, including mud removal. Other priorities are modernisation, investments promoting competitiveness and follow-up grant schemes after 2014. The conservation of species diversity is equally important.
Contact:
- Tereza Dvořáčková, Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Agriculture
- Tel.: +420 221 813 063, GSM: +420 737 213 030, E-mail: tereza.dvorackova@mze.cz
Last update: 16.8.2011 15:29
