Type of species farmed

Mussel (Mytilus spp.), oyster (Ostrea edulis), Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), Artic char (Salvelinus cf Umbla) (Source: ZSM), Common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Further: African and European catfish and high value species like eel, sturgeon, crustaceans and pike perch are produced in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS)

^{Source: 2023, EUMOFA; 2022, STECF; Munich State Zoological Collection, ZSM; Germany, personal com., January 30, 2023}

Type of production method

According to Eurostat, in 2021, 25% of German production occurred in sea and freshwater, and most of the marine production includes on-bottom mussel farming in sea. (2023, EUMOFA). 

Aquaculture in Germany stretches from semi-natural, extensively managed earthen pond to flow-through facilities, net cages, and closed recirc-systems. In the marine environment, mussel farming is also part of aquaculture.

^{Source: 2023, EUMOFA & MNSPA}

^{Source: 2023, 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.
• In Germany, 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.
• In Germany, carp is raised in ponds of approximately 23,000ha. The main production areas are in Bavaria, Saxony and Brandenburg. There are very different farm structures and intensity levels. The quantity of carp produced continues to decrease slightly.
• 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.
• Only the shellfish culture sector has increased sharply for years. In particular in Schleswig-Holstein, the development of the mussel industry is stabilising the development of the cultivation of mussels. The cultivation of seed mussels with Smartfarm-Systems is a key driver.
• 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}

Challenges and opportunities

^{Source: MNSPA}

Employment and number of enterprises

Around 2 400 farms (> 0.3 ha or 200 m²) cultivate fish and seafood in Germany in fresh and marine waters. In total, around 1 800 people are employed at aquaculture facilities and it is assumed that an additional workforce of around 3 200 unpaid owners and family members are engaged here.

^{Source: 2022, STECF}

• 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)