FAO figures show that the aquaculture sector is of increasing importance as a food production activity, both
in the Mediterranean as well as worldwide.
Globally, it generates around US$63 billion of revenues per year and supplies over 35 percent of all fish
consumed as food.
In the Mediterranean, aquaculture production stagnated during the 2000-2002 period but then grew by over
10 percent during year 2003 totalising more than 370 thousand tonnes a year, according to FAO.
Top producing countries
The top Mediterranean aquaculture producers are Italy, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, and France with a
combined share of 96 percent of all production. (Italy and Greece account for 40 and 26 percent of this total,
respectively).
In Western Europe the leading producers are France and Italy, which together produce over 179 thousand
tonnes of Mediterranean aquaculture produce per year, representing 47 percent of all Mediterranean
production.
Central Europe (Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia) currently produces just 0.5
percent of the total (almost 1.6 thousand tonnes a year).
To the east, Croatia, Greece, Malta, Cyprus and Turkey produce about 145 thousand tonnes a year,
nearly 39 percent of regional production. However the bulk of this production (95 percent) is from Greece
and Turkey.
With the exception of Egypt (12% of the regional production), North African and Middle Eastern production is
low (Algeria, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria and Tunisia) contributing about 5 thousand tonnes a
year or 1.4 percent of the total.
Key finfish species are Flathead grey mullet, the European seabass, and the Gilthead seabream. The
profile of Atlantic bluefin tuna in Mediterranean aquaculture is growing. This species is now being caught in
the wild and fattened in large marine netcages.. The Mediterranean Mussels and the Japanese Carpet
Shell are the most important molluscs species.
FAO body promotes sustainable aquaculture
The CAQ is a subsidiary body of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, a regional fishery
body established by FAO in 1949 which meets on an ongoing basis, share information on fisheries trends,
conduct joint scientific studies, discuss policy and agree on recommended management strategies.
Some 20 delegates representing 11 different countries, two intergovernmental organizations and one nongovernmental
organization participated in the CAQ meeting in Santiago.
During the meeting the CAQ established three ad hoc working groups of experts which will undertake
ongoing work related to the responsible management and development of Mediterranean aquaculture.
The first will concentrate on marketing issues, undertaking market assessments and proposing marketing
guidelines and a strategy for improving aquaculture's image among consumers. The second will focus on
sustainability and will try to develop guidelines for integrated aquaculture management in the Mediterranean.
The third working group will focus on developing methodologies for responsible aquaculture site selection
and coastal management issues.
The ad hoc working groups are expected to initiate their activities during autumn 2006 with the financial
support of GFCM Members. Their work will be overseen by a smaller coordinating group chaired by the
newly appointed CAQ Chairperson, Spyros Klaoudatos of Greece.
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) - 28th June 2006