Austria

Type of species farmed (Source: 2023, EUMOFA; 2022, STECF) 

Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), brown trout (Salmo trutta), Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio). 

Type of production method (Source: 2023, EUMOFA) 

Pond farming, flow systems and recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). 

Sector’s size (production and consumption) (Source: 2021, Austrian Statistics; 2023, EUMOFA) 

• Production: 4.920 Tn (2021, Austrian Statistics); 35.410 thousand € (2023, EUMOFA) 
• Consumption of fishery and aquaculture products (2021): 12,65 Kg per capita (2023, EUMOFA) 
• % Variation in consumption 2021/2020: 0,2% 

Trends (past and future) (Source: MNSPA) 

Other innovative aquaculture products in Austria include caviar, algae, crab and shrimp. The aquaculture products fish have been increasingly filleted (convenience products), grafted and sold at farm level in recent years. 

Impact of aquaculture in the country’s economy, food market and labour market (Source: MNSPA) 

Aquaculture is small-scale in Austria and comprises 542 farms (2021, Source: Statistics Austria) with corresponding market performance. The majority of aquaculture enterprises specialise in direct marketing at regional level, restaurant and hotel industry. 

Challenges and opportunities (Source: MNSPA) 

• Increasing the annual production volume of freshwater fish.  
• Promoting new aquaculture species. Increasing the quality of domestic products and regional added value from aquaculture. 
• Improving the competitiveness of the domestic aquaculture sector and reducing the administrative procedures. 
• Setting up   new aquaculture sites through a coordinated spatial planning. Continue to promote training and advice activities.  
• Create a National Producer Organization.  
• Promote a sustainable Austrian aquaculture and increased development towards organic production. 

Employment and number of enterprises (Source: 2021, Austrian Statistics) 

542 farms 

Published National Strategic Plan on Aquaculture (Source: 2021, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management of Republic of Austria, BML): Nationaler Strategieplan Österreichs für die Aquakultur und Fischerei für den Zeitraum 2021 bis 2027 (NSP-AF 2021 – 2027) (in Austrian) 

Summary in English of the "Published National Strategic Plan on Aquaculture": National Strategic Plan for Aquaculture and Fisheries of Austria for the period 2021-2027

• Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management of Republic of Austria (BML) 
• Federal Agency for Water Management Office (BAW) 
• Federal Government 
• Federal Provinces 

• Austrian Water Act (WRG 1959) 
• Waste Water Emission Ordinance (AEV Aquakultur)
• Aquaculture Statistics Ordinance 2012
• Quality Target Ordinance Ecology Surface Waters - QZV Ökologie OG 
• Quality Target Ordinance Chemistry Surface Water - QZV Chemie OG 

EMFAF-Programme Austria

• Austrian Association for Fisheries and Aquaculture 
• Lower Austrian Pond Owners' Association 
• Association of Austrian trout breeders 

• Name and surname: Matthias Lentsch 
• Position held and name of the organisation: Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management, Officer in Department II/6 – Animal products 
• Email address: matthias.lentsch@bml.gv.at
• Telephone number: +43 1 71100 602870