European aquaculture is suffocating under an oppressive legal framework, warns FEAP

04 Apr 2024 --- The Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) has raised the alarm over the stagnation of aquaculture production within the EU, a trend contrasted by the sector’s explosive growth globally. The federation attributes this slowdown to the excessive bureaucratic hurdles and challenges in acquiring licenses for new fish farms, effectively turning fish farming in the EU into a near-impossible feat.

According to the FEAP, this issue transcends the aquaculture sector, impacting the broader food production industries at a time when the relocation of strategic industries and food security are of key importance.

“Difficulties in obtaining licenses for new fish farms and excessive red tape make fish farming in the EU extremely burdensome and challenging. In addition to being dependent on natural factors, fish farming is today practically impossible to overcome the bureaucratic ordeal,” reads a statement. 

“Such a restrictive legal framework is counterintuitive and counterproductive, to say the least. The pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the Red Sea crisis, inflation and climate change are stark reminders that Europe must now act to create the proper conditions for its key sectors to be able to develop in a stable and fair administrative playing field.”

To address this situation and allow the sector to become a real champion in sustainable, profitable and resilient food production, FEAP calls for simplification, realism and science-based governance, besides the launching of a coherent EU food production policy.

Farmer protest
Amid the economic challenges, farmers and agricultural communities across the EU, including Poland, France, Germany, Spain and Belgium, are protesting against EU policies that they claim threaten their livelihoods.

FEAP has acknowledged the protests, emphasizing that they reflect the frustration of Europe’s primary producers—fishers, fish farmers, livestock and crop growers—who are often burdened by administrative penalties.

Despite the global recognition of aquaculture as a sustainable and efficient means to feed the population, the federation says the aquaculture sector is undervalued.

EU is looking into a more sustainable management of fish stocks.“The UN FAO Blue Economy principles, the European Commission’s communications demanding the member countries of the Union promote the development of aquaculture and the various favorable opinions of the European Economic and Social Committee are just a few examples of the recognition of the aquaculture sector receives from the main institutions at a global and continental level,” highlights the statement.

Calls for changes
The FEAP criticizes the European Commission, particularly DG MARE, for recognizing the sector’s challenges without addressing the underlying causes of its stagnation. 

“Ineffective spatial planning for aquaculture and complicated licensing procedures are mere symptoms of deeper problems and not the actual causes behind the situation,” says the statement.

FEAP has identified two central domains of action aiming at truly unlocking the situation. “First, food production in the EU must become an objective with a similar level of importance as environmental protection. Secondly, as for agriculture, aquaculture needs a Common Policy.”

This approach aims to balance environmental concerns with the need to boost aquaculture production, emphasizing the sector’s role in sustaining the EU’s food security and economic development.

This year, China has announced guidelines to expand its offshore aquaculture operations as part of efforts to strengthen food security and address climate change.

Additionally, the federation calls for rationalization of environmental obligations to match food production goals and the establishment of marketing standards that also apply to imported products. It also emphasizes the importance of consumer information, proposing specific rules for product labeling to enable responsible choices.

“Aquatic products sold on the EU market on far too many occasions do not carry sufficient information to allow consumers to make responsible choices.”

FEAP advocates for the establishment of clear labeling regulations for caviar and promotes the listing of countries of origin on processed fish products, avoiding the use of “multiple origins.”

FEAP is convinced that aquaculture in the EU has great potential to provide healthy aquatic food, economic development and employment opportunities, just like this activity in other parts of the world.

Furthermore, the long-standing stagnation of aquaculture in the EU can be solved if the right actions are taken, says the organization. FEAP stresses that if the EU truly wishes to put aquaculture back on track for significant growth, those fundamental issues must be addressed, both by and beyond the European Commission.

By Gaynor Selby and Sichong Wang