Council Communicates on Sustainable Fish Farms

The Council Conclusions support the need to stimulate the sector's competitiveness, sustainability and governance.

With a view to enhancing competitiveness they emphasise in particular the necessity to simplify the administrative burden, to take account of the sector's needs in terms of space and to promote related research and development.

They also call for improving communication to and information of consumers. Furthermore, the conclusions address some specific issues, such as the importance of both parts of the sector, namely freshwater and marine aquaculture, fish health, the issue of cormorants and the need of a level playing field for domestic and imported aquaculture.

Since the first Strategy for the Sustainable Development of European Aquaculture in 2002 good progress has been achieved in ensuring the sustainability, safety and quality of EU aquaculture production. Nevertheless, the sector was faced with stagnation in recent years.

For some of the measures set out in the Strategy, a clear timetable is set out, whereas other measures need a long term commitment of all parties concerned.