Plan to revitalise fish farming

A PLAN to revitalise Europe’s fish farming industry after years of stagnation says the business could be a golden opportunity for jobs and production, but red tape must be reduced and planning restrictions eased.

The strategy was welcomed by BIM, the Irish fish board that last month targeted organic fish farming in particular as a good growth area for the industry, and by the IFA Aquaculture section. Irish aquaculture provides 2,000 jobs and e120 million a year in production, of which over 70% is exported.

Globally, aquaculture has seen the biggest growth in food production, with quantities of sea, fresh water and shellfish growing by a third in six years and providing close to half of the seafood we consume. But most of this growth has been in Asia and South America, while the industry in the EU 27 stagnated in the six years to 2006. As a result Europe now imports more than 60% of its needs.