Germany

Type of species farmed

The main species produced are blue mussel (Mytilus edulis), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), brown trout (Salmo trutta fario), char (Salvelinus fontinalis and Salvelinus alpinus x fontinalis) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio).

^{Source: 2025, STECF}

Type of production method

The leading form of marine aquaculture in Germany is on-bottom blue mussel production. Traditionally, Salmonids are produced in trout ponds. To a lesser extent, there are also tanks and raceways for trout farming. On the other hand, carp ponds consist of earthen ponds and polycultures. Further, catfish and high value species like eel, sturgeon, crustaceans and pike perch are produced in RAS.

^{Source: 2025, STECF}

^{Source: 2026, Federal statistical office, Destatis; 2025, EUMOFA}

Trends (past and future)

• Maintaining, stabilising and developing existing aquaculture production capacity. 
• Increasing the production of fishes and other aquaculture in sustainable production (“environment-friendly growth”) 
• Preservation of pond areas and return to farming abandoned ponds as a special form of aquaculture with its typical extensive-farming method and its dual function for livestock and the common good (nature conservation, landscape, water balance) 
• Increasing the image of domestic aquaculture products and strengthening regional marketing 
• Adapting aquaculture to climate change and increasing resilience.

^{Source: MNSPA}

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

• With a few exceptions, aquaculture in Germany is characterised by a long period of stagnation. Barriers to growth include, in particular, compliance with the legal framework, burdensome licensing practices, low competitiveness on the global scale, and losses to stocks due to predators and protected animals. In addition, there are problems with the image of aquaculture products, as well as shortcomings in training and research structures. 
• The German aquaculture sector is small but highly diverse. Aquaculture farms are predominantly family-owned and have a very small-scale structure (with some exceptions in marine mussel aquaculture). More recently, companies producing algae or other aquatic organisms also occupy the field of aquaculture or transitional areas for organic technology. 
• Blue mussel farming in Germany is concentrated in Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein, operating under time-limited state licenses and organized according to the EU Common Fisheries Policy. The number of producers has remained stable. Schleswig-Holstein shows higher productivity due to more favourable environmental conditions, while the southern North Sea faces environmental challenges. Mussel aquaculture in the Baltic Sea plays only a minor role. The cultivation of seed mussels with Smartfarm-Systems is a key driver. 
• Regarding the fact, that blue mussel on-bottom production is highly fluctuating, peaks of production are necessary to balance the weak economic periods of the segment. 
• Marine aquaculture employment has slightly declined and includes both farm and research staff. Freshwater aquaculture is mainly composed of small, often part-time family businesses focused on salmonids and carp, typically with low production levels. While employment has increased, unpaid labour remains essential and contributes significantly, especially in smaller operations where aquaculture is a secondary activity. 
• Small-scale farms have been leaving the market due to lack of profitability and succession issues when owners retire. Despite this, overall sales volume and value in freshwater aquaculture have remained stable, suggesting that these traditional small-scale pond systems contribute only a minor share to total national production. 
• Salmonid production: This form of fish production, alongside the shellfish culture industry, is the largest profitable aquaculture sector in Germany, which currently has a significant economic strength. 
• The production of fish in net cages has stagnated for years. Overall, net cages it is of minor importance in Germany at present. 
• Successfully recirculating facilities in Germany have been in place e.g., for eels and African catfish. The largest installations have so far reached a production of some hundred tonnes per year. 
• Marine finfish aquaculture is practically non-existent in Germany. 
• Algae production: In Germany, a food authorisation exists for the individual green algae Chlorella sp. and for the fasted cyanobacterium Spirulina sp. In case of macroalgae, brown algae (Saccharina latissima), green algae (Enteromorpha/Ulva) and red algae (Delesseria sanguinea) are mainly cultivated. The respective German production volumes are not known but are likely to be marginal. 
• Consumers are increasingly demanding regional products. Imports will continue to be necessary, but domestic aquaculture could provide more than hitherto to meet its own needs. 
• Germany imports around 89 % of consumed fishes and sea food. 
• The exact number of officially ‘bio-certified’ aquaculture enterprises in Germany is unknown, as the official statistics only include farms above a certain size or-volume of production. There are several small regional labels (QZBW, Schwarzwaldforelle, Fisch aus NRW, etc.) that are somewhat more popular than organic labels because they are cheaper and less elaborate.

^{Source: MNSPA; 2025, STECF}

Challenges and opportunities

^{Source: 2025, STECF}

Employment and number of enterprises

2,200 fish farming in 2024.

^{Source: 2026, Federal statistics office, Destatis}

• In Germany, the federal states (Länder) are responsible for aquaculture. Marine aquaculture is also subject to rules laid down in the Federal Sea Fisheries Act.
• Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture (BMEL)
• Portal of the federal government aquaculture
• Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection
• Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI)

• Federal Sea Fisheries Act
• Animal Welfare Act
• Animal Protection Slaughter Ordinance
• Water Resources Act
• Act on the Environmental Impact Assessment (UVPG), Annex 2 List
• At federal level, the Spatial Planning Act (ROG) of 22 regulates. December 2008 (BGBl. I p. 2.986), as last amended by Article 2(15) of the Act of 20 July 2017 (BGBl. I p. 2.808) on spatial planning

Accordingly, aquaculture permits in the Federal Republic of Germany, depending on the situation, often cannot be carried out by a single authority (the ‘one-stop shop’ scheme). On the contrary, the project promoter often has to contact several authorities in order to obtain the various authorisations for the construction and operation of the plant (no or at least no complete concentration decision)

Sources

• EUMOFA Country Profiles
• EUMOFA “The EU Fish Market” 2025 edition      
• Federal statistics office, Destatis
• STECF 24-14 - EU Aquaculture