European Policies and aquaculture

The core policy that influences aquaculture, primarily the fish and shellfish production sectors, is the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which is the European Union's instrument for the management of both fisheries and aquaculture.

It was created originally to manage a common fisheries resource and to meet the obligation set in the original Treaties of the then European Community. Because wild fish are a natural and mobile resource they are considered as common property. In addition, the Treaties that created the Community stated that there should be a common policy in this area, that is, common rules adopted at EU level and implemented in all Member States.

The first common measures adopted for fisheries

The first common measures in the fishing sector date from 1970, at a time when professional fish and shellfish farming was limited to freshwater and small companies. They set rules for access to fishing grounds, markets and structures. It was agreed that, in principle, EU fishermen should have equal access to Member States' waters. However, in order to ensure that smaller vessels could continue to fish close to their home ports, a coastal band has been reserved for local fishermen who have traditionally fished these areas. Measures were also adopted for a common market in fisheries products. A structural policy was set up to coordinate the modernisation of fishing vessels and on-shore installations.

Aquaculture & Processing – vital components of the European fisheries industry

The sectors of aquaculture and seafood processing in the European Union are growing industries. In addition to being important sources of fishery products to European consumers they also provide substantial employment opportunities in areas dependent on fishing. They are included within the remit of the Common Fisheries Policy since:

• Aquaculture’s products are in the same market-place as those of fisheries and, in the case of Mariculture, may even occupy the same environment.
• Seafood processing includes the products of both fisheries and aquaculture.

Processed fishery products include preparations, canned, fresh, chilled, frozen, smoked and dried fish, crustaceans and molluscs. The value of the processing sector’s production (estimated at €18 billion) largely exceeds that of both landings and aquaculture.

These observations demonstrate the increasing importance of viewing the individual components of the entire value chain that concerns fish and seafood.

The CFP today

The simplest explanation of the Common Fisheries Policy is that it “shall ensure exploitation of living aquatic resources that provides sustainable economic, environmental and social conditions. For this purpose, the Community shall apply the precautionary approach in taking measures designed to protect and conserve living aquatic resources, to provide for their sustainable exploitation and to minimise the impact of fishing activities on marine eco-systems.

It shall aim at a progressive implementation of an eco-system-based approach to fisheries management. It shall aim to contribute to efficient fishing activities within an economically viable and competitive fisheries and aquaculture industry, providing a fair standard of living for those who depend on fishing activities and taking into account the interests of consumers.”

Common measures are agreed in the following main areas:

• Conservation and limitation of the environmental impact of fishing - to protect fish resources by regulating the amount of fish taken from the sea, by allowing young fish to reproduce, and by ensuring that measures are respected.
• Structures and fleet management - to help the fishing and aquaculture industries adapt their equipment and organisations to the constraints imposed by scarce resources and the market; measures aimed at creating a balance between fishing effort and available fish resources are also in place;
• Markets - to maintain a common organisation of the market in fish products and to match supply and demand for the benefit of both producers and consumers;
• Relations with the outside world - to set up fisheries partnerships agreements and to negotiate at the international level within regional and international fisheries organisations for common conservation measures in deep-sea fisheries.

While it is clear that the CFP’s main considerations have historically been focused on fisheries, the incorporation of aquaculture and processing as key components of the CFP is most marked within the Structures and Markets components.

Structural Measures of the CFP – The European Fisheries Fund

The EU's structural policy helps the fishing, aquaculture and processing sectors adapt to today's needs. Funding is available from the European Fisheries Fund for realising projects in all branches of fishing and aquaculture and for measures to identify and promote new market outlets. The main objective of the EFF is to grant financial support to the European fishing industry, during the period 2007-2013, with a view to help it adapt to evolving needs.

The Fund will particularly focus on:

• supporting the major objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), particularly those agreed during the reform of the policy in 2002. This includes in particular the sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources and achieving a stable balance between these resources and the capacity of Community fishing fleet ;
• strengthening the competitiveness and the viability of operators in the sector ;
• promoting environmentally-friendly fishing and production methods;
• providing adequate support to people employed in the sector.
• fostering the sustainable development of fisheries areas;

The EFF was designed as a tool to help deliver sustainability for the fishing industry. Aid will promote and accompany the adjustment of fishing fleets to available resources, particularly for those targeting endangered stocks. Consequently, while the aquaculture focus remains limited, there are several areas of interplay and components of importance for aquaculture development.

The environmental dimension is also reinforced through a set of measures to promote selectivity and reduce the negative impacts of fishing and aquaculture activities on the environment.

The Fund will also dedicate more attention to the preservation of human resources in the fisheries by providing adequate answers to the economic and social needs of the people employed in the sector – some of these considerations apply to aquaculture.

The EFF will contribute better to the sustainable development of fisheries areas, particularly those which are heavily dependant on fishing, through the financing of local development strategies – which may include aquaculture - designed and implemented by the stakeholders themselves.

While the initial proposal limited aid to small and micro enterprise operating in the aquaculture, procession and marketing sectors, it will now be possible to grant aid to medium and some large enterprises, provided micro and small ones will be given priority. In addition, new compensation could be granted for fish farmers whose businesses are located in the NATURA 2000 protected areas.

Support for inland fisheries and producer organisations – where there interest has been declared within the aquaculture sector - are maintained.

EFF will thus continue to support the sustainable development of European aquaculture. Shellfish farmers, temporarily unable to harvest their production due to unforeseen circumstances, will be eligible for aid. The development and application of methods and practices that lessen the impact of aquaculture on the environment, the implementation of measures to promote hygiene and protect public health as well as initiatives to enhance marketing conditions of fisheries and aquaculture products will be eligible for EFF aid. The focus will be on support for small enterprises although larger enterprises may also receive funding. These objectives will also guide funding to the processing and marketing of fisheries and aquaculture products. Support for inland fisheries will be maintained and new possibilities will be offered to compensate for the temporary cessation of inland fishing activities subject to Community conservation measures and to the reassignment of inland fishing vessels to other activities.

Promoting collective interest

Aid will be available for projects undertaken by representatives of, or organisations from, the fisheries or aquaculture sector and which contribute to the sustainable management or conservation of fisheries resources, strengthen transparency in the markets in fisheries and aquaculture products or promote partnership between scientists and players in the fisheries sector.

Examples of such projects include: the protection and development of aquatic resources, modernisation of fishing ports and landing sites, promotion and development of new markets for fisheries and aquaculture products and pilot projects in increasing and disseminating knowledge in the protection of fisheries resources.

How does the EFF address the social and economic concerns in the sector?

The EFF proposal puts a much greater emphasis on the social and economic dimension of Community support. First of all, Member States will be invited to lay down, among other issues, their strategy with regard to preserving human resources and securing sustainable employment in the sector.

Aid to upgrade professional skills, improve working conditions and safety will be available for all persons employed in the fisheries sector, be it on board vessels, within aquaculture and processing units, fishing ports or landing sites.

The local strategies for the sustainable development of fisheries areas to be funded by the EFF will also be driven by the objective of improving the quality of life and maintaining the economic and social prosperity of the areas concerned.

How is the gender perspective taken into account in the EFF?

The EFF stipulates that – as an all-encompassing principle - the equality between men and women has to be respected and that the gender perspective has to be promoted in all stages of implementing national EFF programmes.

The Fund will support the networking and exchange of best practice among organisations promoting equal opportunities between men and women.

The local development strategies to be supported by the Fund should also provide tailor-made answers to the needs in terms of improving professional skills, workers adaptability and access to employment, particularly in favour of women.

How will the EFF ensure a sustainable development of aquaculture?

The EFF strongly focuses on the development of a sustainable aquaculture sector. It targets:

• employment increase,
• the production of healthy, safe and high quality products complying with the market needs and
• the promotion of environmentally friendly methods of production.

The EFF introduces special aqua-environment measures, allowing compensation for the use of aquaculture production methods that are benign to the environment and the natural landscape. The EFF may also contribute to the financing of plans for the eradication of many aquaculture animal diseases, grant compensation to mollusc farmers in case of contamination and suspension of their harvest for public health protection purposes.

What type of support will the processing and marketing sectors enjoy from the EFF?

Most fish processing and marketing enterprises, with the exception of the retail sector, will have the opportunity to receive the EFF assistance. Different rules on aid intensity will apply according to the size of enterprises. Investments to improve working conditions, health and hygiene standards, protect the environment and provide high quality products will be eligible for support. Moreover, innovation will be considered as a key aspect not only for products but also for production methods and application of new technologies. In the current context of scarcity of raw materials, the Fund will promote a better use of little-used species, by-products and waste.

Finally, the Fund will also assist the marketing of products mainly originating from local landings and aquaculture.

What is the relationship between the “national strategic plans” and the EFF programmes?

Member States are invited to establish, at the latest when submitting their EFF programmes, a “National strategic plan”. This document will present an overall strategic vision of each Member State with regard to the medium term development policy of the fisheries and aquaculture sector. It covers all areas of the CFP, its scope is therefore broader than that of EFF programs. National strategic plans form the background for actions selected for financing under EFF. They are a reference document in drawing up EFF programmes in each Member State and the actions included for EFF financing will have to follow the objectives and strategy previously defined by the Member State in its NSP.

Who is responsible for managing the EFF programs?

EFF programs are managed according to the principle of shared management. Consequently both the Commission and Member State shall be responsible for managing of EFF programs. The tasks of the Commission and the Member States are clearly divided. The Member States will set up the different bodies and the management and control system required to run the EFF programs. The Commission role will be to check the proper functioning of these systems.

The audit authorities of the Commission, European Court of Auditors and Member States control regularly the efficient and quality use of EFF assistance.

What is the global financial allocation for the EFF and how is it determined?

According to the new Financial framework for 2007-2013 approved by the European Council in December 2005, the total EFF budget amounts to € 3 849 million (2004 prices) of which € 2 908 million for the Convergence areas and € 941 million for the non Convergence areas.

Taking into accounting that 0.8% should be reserved to the technical assistance to be managed by the Commission, the remaining total EFF budget allocated to MS in 2004 prices is € 3 818 million (€ 2 885 million for Convergence regions and € 933 million for non Convergence regions).