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Overview of aquaculture

Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms (e.g. fish, molluscs) under controlled conditions; it is an alternative to catching wild fish and takes place in both inland and marine areas. Marine aquaculture production has been increasing in Europe (EEA-39) since the early 1990s, mostly due to growing salmon production in Norway (EEA, 2018). For the same period, inland aquaculture has been relatively stable (EEA, 2018). In 2017, EU production of both inland and marine aquaculture was almost 1.5 million tons with a production value of approximately 5 billion EUR (Eurostat, 2019). Overall, though, aquaculture in the EU is of relatively small importance compared to other economic sectors and to other parts of the world (Guillen et al., 2019). In 2017, the production of finfish (particularly, salmon, trout, seabass, carp, and tuna) and molluscs (mussels, oysters and clams) accounted together for almost the entire aquaculture production by weight in the EU (Eurostat 2019). Aquaculture of freshwater fish accounts for about 23 % of total production and is thus smaller than molluscs and crustaceans (ca. 50 %) and marine fish (ca. 27 %) (EC, 2015).

Aquaculture production, both inland and marine, can put significant pressures on European waters related to point and diffuse source pollution, changes in flow, dredging and the introduction of alien species. In the 2nd RBMPs, around 1 400 surface water bodies (mainly rivers) were reported with significant pressures from aquaculture in 20 European countries, with the highest share in Finland, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Czech Republic. Water abstractions for fish farms were the most frequently reported aquaculture pressures, followed by point source pollution, hydrological alterations, and diffuse source pollution.

Three major types of freshwater aquaculture in European waters can be distinguished (European Commission, n.d.; 2012):

  • Extensive pond farming which consists of maintaining ponds (natural or artificial) with low fish density and natural fish feed. Production in extensive farms is generally low (less than 1 t/ha/y). It is practiced across the whole Europe and is particularly common in Central and Eastern Europe.
  • Semi-intensive freshwater aquaculture, whereby the production of the pond is increased by adding supplementary feed, allowing for higher stocking density and production per hectare.
  • Intensive freshwater aquaculture in tanks, where fish are bred until they reach marketable size. There are two techniques: Either river water enters the tanks upstream and leaves downstream, or the water remains in a closed circuit and is recycled and ‘recirculated’ in the tanks.

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