At the event, part of the Commission's 'Inseparable' campaign to promote sustainable seafood, Commissioner Damanaki highlighted the specific qualities of European fish farming, or aquaculture: "As the population rises so does our demand for fish. Without fish farming there would simply not be enough fish to eat and the long term sustainability of our wild fish stocks would be at risk. Fresh, local and healthy, fish farmed in the EU meets high consumer protection standards, and tastes delicious."
During the event, Commissioner Damanaki has been joined by two top chefs: Gianfranco Vissani from Italy and Kevin MacGillivray from the UK. Later in the year, an EU run school project across ten countries will raise further awareness of the benefits of eating farmed fish.
As part of the reform to the Common Fisheries Policy, the EU is committed to further supporting the aquaculture sector. A recent set of guidelines present the common priorities and general objectives for Europe's fish farming sector which include improving access to space and water, maintaining high health and environmental standards, reducing administrative burdens and increasing competitiveness. Financial support to achieve this will be made available through the new European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, whilst research aiding the sustainable development of European aquaculture will also be funded.
