Bulgaria

Type of species farmed 

Main species are rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) and Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis).

^{Source: 2025, STECF}

Type of production method

In 2023, almost 89% of Bulgarian production occurred in freshwater and the rest in marine waters. According to Eurostat, in 2023 the following main production methods are used in the country:

The rest has been classified under freshwater using other methods for which no detail is available.

^{Source: 2025, EUMOFA & STECF}

Trends (past and future)

Bulgaria’s aquaculture sector experienced steady growth until 2019, followed by increasing instability. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a sharp decline in 2020, with a partial recovery in 2021, but performance weakened again in 2022. Overall, the sector has shifted from expansion to fluctuating production and sales, indicating a more fragile and uncertain development path. 

Structurally, the industry remains dominated by freshwater species (especially trout and carp), with gradual diversification through recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). However, rising feed and energy costs have reduced profitability, leading to financial losses despite earlier growth. Recent trends also show price increases followed by slight corrections and a moderate decline in production, reinforcing the current pattern of economic pressure and volatility.

Impact of aquaculture in the country’s economy, food market and labour market 

• The overall performance of the Bulgarian aquaculture sector has improved significantly in the last decade as the total income in 2020 increased by 27% compared to the average value for the period 2012-2019. In 2020, the COVID-19 crisis was the main driver of the decline in the overall performance, decreasing the total sales weight and value by 25% and 24%, respectively. In 2021, the sales volume and value increased by 19% and 23%, respectively, but in 2022 sales volume and value decreased again by 19% and 2%, respectively.
• In 2022, Bulgaria had 714 registered aquaculture enterprises. Only, 378 enterprises from the total population have sales, turnover, and employees; the rest of the 336 registered enterprises have declared that they have no sales. There were 671 enterprises with 5 or less employees, 23 enterprises with 6–10 employees, and 20 enterprises with more than 10 employees. Total employment (paid and unpaid) in 2022 was 1,518, corresponding to 1,236 FTEs.
• The consumption of aquaculture products is highly linked to the social practices and culture in the country where the consumption of carp is traditional. In the last few years, people prefer to include more healthy products, such as different dietary fish than carp, in their diet.

^{Source: 2025, STECF}

Challenges and opportunities

• Existence of natural assets with the potential to develop aquaculture.
• Unrealised potential for increasing consumption of local aquaculture, including mariculture.
• Development of new species of mariculture in Black Sea waters (pilot projects).
• Enhancing the professional skills of those working in the aquaculture sector, through lifelong learning and the introduction of know-how.
• Deployment of new technologies.
• Diversifying production by cultivating high-end species.
• Potential to add value to aquaculture production through primary processing and marketing activities.
• Extending the range of niche products available on the international and domestic markets.
• Certification of organic fish farms in Bulgaria. (Legislative.)
• Certification of national standards for local products to promote native species. (Legislative.)
• Potential for sustainable development of dams up to 100 decares by increasing the share of aquaculture services.
• All these circumstances — water scarcity, water load, global climate change, etc. set out the guidelines in which aquaculture in Bulgaria should be reoriented. This sub-sector can only rely on sustainability in production in the coming years if it takes into account the occurrence of projected changes in the quality, quantity and distribution of water resources. In any case, it is mandatory to reorient production towards a water-saving and environmentally friendly one. This requires the management and application of new water-saving and energy-saving technologies.
• A challenge for the scientific community in the country is the mastering of the biotechnology of artificial breeding of new species for Bulgarian aquaculture to ensuring the sustainability of production. The absence of a long-term plan to maintain and restore populations of native species of hydrobionts subject to commercial and recreational fisheries does not allow the organisation of sustainable and scientifically planned production of these species in aquaculture farms.

^{Source: MNSPA}

Employment and number of enterprises

1,518 total employment (paid and unpaid) and 714 active fish farms in 2022.

^{Source: 2025, STECF}

Registration of farmed fish and fish farm registration 

Find relevant information also here

• Strategic Action Plan for Environmental Protection and Restoration of the Black Sea
• National strategy for the management and development of the water sector
• Maritime strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria and programme of measures
• National Biodiversity Strategy 

Sources

• EUMOFA Country Profiles
• EUMOFA “The EU Fish Market” 2025 edition
• STECF 24-14 - EU Aquaculture