Aquaculture in the European Union – questions and answers covering EU aid for fish farming; specific regulations on aquaculture; legislation relating to fish farming and the environment; and EU policy towards the development of aquaculture.
Advertisement
Question:
Can I get EU aid for fish farming?
Answer:
Some investments in aquaculture are eligible for financial support from the EU through the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance, FIFG (PDF, 213 Kb).
FIFG aid is granted on the basis of structural development programmes established by EU Member States’ authorities and approved by the European Commission. It is the national programmes that determine priorities in structural measures and selection criteria for individual projects. To obtain information on national programmes you should contact the Ministry responsible for fisheries in your country, which will either be directly responsible for managing the structural programme or, alternatively, be able to refer you to the right service.
You can also find more information on this subject in the Commission’s brochure on the FIFG (PDF, 3,3 Mb)
Question:
I am looking for some information on fish farming. Are there specific regulations on aquaculture?
Answer:
A number of Community norms and regulations have an impact on aquaculture, even if they are not specific to it.
A list of EU legislation relating to aquaculture, processing or marketing of fishery products is available on this Web site.
Question:
What is the legislation relating to fish farming and the environment?
Answer:
Environmental legislation has a considerable relevance for the aquaculture sector.
EU Member States are required to ensure that all aquaculture enterprises operate within the rules on environmental protection. Most of the legislation takes the form of directives i.e. instruments adopted by the EU which need to be translated into detailed national rules and procedures. On this website you will find a list of Community legislation relating to aquaculture, processing and marketing of fishery products organised by subjects. Among these subjects you will find “environment”.
European Community actions in relation to aquaculture (for example, the approval of aquaculture programmes in specific Member States under the Structural Funds), must integrate environmental protection requirements.
Aquaculture can also benefit from EU environmental legislation. In particular, legislation aimed at protecting the aquatic environment can help safeguard aquaculture activities from damage to their resource base, for example, by providing for controls on polluting discharges from neighbouring activities.
For more information about aquaculture in the EU :
- Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament – A strategy for the sustainable development of European aquaculture (PDF, 125 KB)
- Forward study of Community Aquaculture (PDF, 755 KB)
- Report on market perspectives for European freshwater aquaculture, May 2001 (PDF, 110 Kb)
Question:
What is the EU policy towards the development of aquaculture?
Answer:
The Commission recognises the importance of aquaculture in the framework of the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and the necessity to develop a strategy for the sustainable development of this sector.
A Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on a Strategy for the Sustainable Development of European Aquaculture (COM (2002) 511 final (PDF, 125 KB)) was issued on 19.9.2002. Both the European Parliament and the Council expressed their agreement with the proposed strategy.
Source: European Commission
