Background information
Type of species farmed
Fish is traditionally produced semi-intensively in earthen ponds, rearing several species, mostly common carp (Cyprinus carpio), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), bighead carp (H. nobilis), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) and predatory species wels catfish (Silurus glanis), pike (Esox lucius), pike-perch (Sander lucioperca) together in polyculture
A growing subsector of aquaculture is intensive fish farming. The most important intensively reared species is African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). Other species in intensive systems are sturgeons (Acipenser spp.) (mostly for caviar production) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) but there is a growing interest towards intensive rearing of valuable indigenous predatory species (wels catfish, pike, pike-perch) as well.
Source: 2026, EuroFish
Type of production method
With no direct access to the sea, aquaculture activity in Hungary is limited to freshwater farming. The following main production methods were used in 2023 according to Eurostat:
- 75% of production: in ponds.
- 25% of production: in tanks and raceways.
Sector’s size (production and consumption)
28.6 thousand Tn; 84.5 million € (2026, EuroFish)
Production (2024)
5.83 Kg per capita
Consumption (2023)
-13% (2025, EUMOFA)
Variation in consumption (2023/2022)
Source: 2026, EuroFish; 2025, EUMOFA
Trends (past and future)
Past:
- Long aquaculture tradition dating back to the Middle Ages, initially limited to monasteries and nobility.
- Modern development started in the 19th century after river regulation.
- Historical dominance of pond-based (semi-intensive) aquaculture.
- Strong reliance on common carp as the main species.
- Production based on polyculture and natural resources (low external input use).
- Low domestic fish consumption compared to the EU average.
- Highly seasonal consumption (especially during Christmas).
- Increasing dependence on imports to meet demand.
Future / current trends:
- Faster growth of intensive aquaculture compared to traditional systems.
- Expansion of high-value species farming (African catfish, sturgeon, native predatory fish).
- Diversification of species and production systems.
- Growth in fish processing and value-added products.
- Gradual increase in domestic consumption driven by promotion campaigns.
- Decreasing seasonality due to wider product availability.
- Stronger focus on quality, certification, and consumer trust.
- Continued reliance on imports, especially for marine fish.
Source: 2026, EuroFish
Impact of aquaculture in the country’s economy, food market and labour market
- Generates over €80 million in aquaculture production value.
- Contributes to rural economy and regional development.
- Growing sector, especially in intensive aquaculture.
- High dependence on fish imports for domestic consumption.
- Limited exports, mainly live fish (especially carp).
- Low per capita fish consumption but increasing.
- Highly seasonal consumption, peaking at Christmas.
- Growing development of processed and value-added products.
- Provides over 1,200 full-time jobs plus additional part-time employment.
- Significant presence of family businesses in the sector.
Source: 2026, EuroFish
Challenges and opportunities
- High dependence on imports to meet domestic consumption.
- Low per capita fish consumption compared to the EU average.
- Strong seasonality in consumption (concentrated at Christmas).
- Dominance of carp, limiting sector diversification.
- Overall moderate sector development.
- Lack of recent data and potentially limited development of the processing sector.
- Rapid growth of intensive aquaculture compared to traditional systems.
- European leadership in African catfish production.
- Potential to diversify species through polyculture and intensive systems.
- Growth potential in processing and value-added products.
- Gradual increase in consumption driven by promotion campaigns.
- Expansion of consumption beyond seasonal peaks.
- Opportunity to reduce imports by strengthening domestic production.
Source: 2026, EuroFish
Employment and number of enterprises
In 2024: 379 enterprises with 458 facilities, 1,241 full-time employees, 199 part-time employees.
Source: 2026, EuroFish
Multi-annual National Strategic Plans for the development of sustainable Aquaculture
Relevant Authorities
Applicable Legislation
National legislation in force:
- Act CXXVI of 2012 on the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development;
- Act CII of 2013 on fish farming and the protection of fish (Hhvtv.);
- 314/2014. (XII. Government Decree No 12 of 12 on the fines for fish farming and fish conservation;
- 383/2016. (XII. Government Decree No 2) on the designation of bodies performing official and administrative tasks in the field of agriculture;
- 413/2017. (XII. Government Decree No 15) laying down rules relating to certain fisheries management procedures;
- 182/2022. Government Decree of 24 May 2011 on the duties and powers of members of the Government (hereinafter: A Statute Regulation);
- 133/2013. (XII. Decree No 29) of the Minister for Rural Development laying down certain rules on fisheries management and conservation;
- 89/2015. (XII. Decree 22) of the Minister for Agriculture on certain rules for the granting of fish management rights to the State for asset management, leases by tender and sub-leases;
- 90/2015. (XII. 22) FM Decree on the detailed conditions for the transfer by designation of the State’s right to fish farming and for subletting it.
- Act XVII of 2007 on certain aspects of the procedure relating to agricultural, rural development and fisheries aid and other measures;
- 2/2005. Government Decree 12/2001 (I. 11.) on the environmental assessment of certain plans or programmes;
- 82/2007. (IV.) Government Decree 25) on the establishment and organisation of financial, accounting and control systems for programmes and measures supported by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, the European Fisheries Fund and the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund;
- 38/2012. (III) Government Decree 12) on government strategic management;
- 60/2014. (III) Government Decree No 6) on the central monitoring and registration of developments carried out with the aid;
- 272/2014. (XI. Government Decree No 118/2011 of 5 December 2014 on the rules governing the use of assistance from certain European Union funds in the 2014-2020 programming period;
- 256/2021. Government Decree No 18/2002 of 18 May 2021 on the rules governing the use of assistance from certain European Union funds in the 2021-2027 programming period;
- 481/2021. (VIII.) 13) Government Decree 12/2000 on the use of appropriations under the chapter ‘Developments of the Economic Relaunch Fund’ and centrally managed appropriations in the EU Developments Chapter;
- 1023/2019. (II) Government Decision No 11) on planning the use of EU cohesion funds for the period 2021-2027 to increase competitiveness;
- Minister for Agriculture 5/B/2015. (III) 9) on the involvement in the programming and implementation process of the Hungarian Fisheries Operational Programme co-financed by the European Union for the period 2014-2020 and the related management arrangements.
- 37/2011. (III) (22) Korm. on the procedure for State aid for the purposes of EU competition law and on the regional aid map;
- 50/2007. (VI. Decree No 27) of the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development on institutional guarantees available to agricultural undertakings as de minimis aid;
- 64/2008. Decree of 14 May 2004 of the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development on de minimis aid for participation in the quality carp production scheme;
- 39/2011. Decree No 18/2001 of 18 May 2003 of the Minister for Rural Development on de minimis aid granted under the Agrarian Széchenyi Card Schemes;
- 94/2013. Decree (X.10.) of the Minister for Rural Development on budgetary support for guarantee premiums in order to facilitate lending to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.
- Decree-Law No 6 of 1986 promulgating the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, done at Bonn on 23 June 1979;
- Act XLII of 1993 on Wildlife of International Importance, in particular the Convention on the Residence of Waterbirds, adopted at Ramsar on 2 February 1971, and its amendments adopted on 3 December 1982 and 28 May to 3 June 1987;
- Act LIII of 1995 on the general rules of environmental protection (hereinafter: KVT.);
- Act LXXXI of 1995 on the promulgation of the Convention on Biological Diversity;
- Act LIII of 1996 on nature protection (hereinafter: Tvt.);
- Act XXXII of 2003 promulgating the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, adopted at Washington on 3 March 1973;
- Act CXXXVII of 2012 on the reservation to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, adopted at Washington on 3 March 1973, and promulgating an amendment to the Convention;
- Act VIII of 2014 promulgating the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation to the Convention on Biological Diversity;
- 33/1997. (II) Government Decree 20) on the rules relating to the imposition of nature conservation fines;
- 67/1998. (IV.) Government Decree No 3) on restrictions and prohibitions on protected and specially protected communities of life;
- 74/2000. Government Decree (V. 31.) on the promulgation of the Convention on cooperation for the protection and sustainable use of the Danube River, established in Sofia on 29 June 1994;
- 130/2000. (VII.) Government Decree No 17/1992 promulgating the Convention for the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, signed in Helsinki on 17 March 1992;
- 219/2004. (VII.) Government Decree 21) on the protection of groundwater;
- 220/2004. (VII.) Government Decree 21) on the rules for the protection of the quality of surface water;
- 275/2004. Government Decree (X.8.) on nature conservation areas of European Community interest;
- 276/2004. Government Decree (X.8.) on the detailed rules for certain subsidies and compensation for the protection of nature;
- 314/2005. (XII. Government Decree 25) on the environmental impact assessment and the uniform environmental use authorisation procedure;
- 27/2006. (II) Government Decree 7) on the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources;
- 348/2006. (XII. Government Decree 23) laying down detailed rules for the protection, keeping, use and presentation of protected animal species;
- 78/2007. (IV.) Government Decree No 24 of 24 on the basic environmental register;
- 90/2007. (IV.) (26) Korm. on the rules for preventing and remedying environmental damage;
- 91/2007. (IV.) (26) Korm. on the determination of the extent of damage caused to nature and on the rules for remediation;
- 292/2008. (XII. Government Decree No 10) laying down certain rules for the implementation of international and European Community acts regulating international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora;
- 71/2015. (III) Government Decree No 30) on the designation of bodies performing official and administrative tasks relating to the environment and nature conservation;
- 408/2016 (XII. The Government Decree on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species;
- 19/1997. (VII.) 4.) Decree of the Minister for Transport and Transport on measures relating to confiscated protected natural assets;
- 13/2001. Decree of 9 May 2004 of the Minister for the Environment on protected and specially protected plant and animal species, on the range of specially protected caves and on the publication of plant and animal species of conservation importance in the European Community;
- 6/2002. (XI. (5)) Decree of the Minister for Environmental Protection and Water on the limit values for the contamination of surface water used for the abstraction of drinking water or designated as a drinking water base and surface waters designated to ensure the living conditions of fish and their monitoring;
- 30/2004. (XII. (30) Decree of the Minister for Environmental Protection and Water Management on certain rules for the assessment of groundwater;
- 31/2004. (XII. (30) Decree of the Minister for Environmental Protection and Water Management on certain rules for the monitoring and assessment of the status of surface waters;
- 12/2005. (VI. 17) Decree of the Minister for Environmental Protection and Water Management on the detailed rules for imposing restrictions on the habitats and habitats of specially protected plant and animal species;
- 27/2005. (XII. 6) Decree of the Minister for Environmental Protection and Water Management on the detailed rules for the control of discharges of used and waste water;
- 101/2007. (XII. (23) Decree of the Minister for Environmental Protection and Water on the professional requirements for the intervention of groundwater resources and the drilling of water wells;
- 30/2008. (XII. (31) Decree of the Minister for Environmental Protection and Water Management on the technical rules applicable to activities and facilities for the recovery, protection and prevention of damage to water;
- 6/2009. (IV.) 14) Joint Decree of the Minister for Environmental Protection and Environment and the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development on the limit values necessary for the protection of geological formations and groundwater against pollution and on the measurement of pollution;
- 111/2009. (VIII.) 19) Decree of the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development on rules relating to the use of alien and locally absent fish species in aquaculture;
- 14/2010. KvVM Decree (V. 11.) of the Minister for Environmental Protection and Water on land parcels affected by nature protection areas of European Community interest;
- 14/2015. (III) Decree No 31) of the Minister for Agriculture on administrative service fees for environmental and nature conservation official procedures;
- 32/2004. (IV.) 19) OGY Decision declaring protected indigenous or endangered Hungarian breeds of farmed animals of high genetic value to be national.
- Act XXVIII of 1998 on the protection and welfare of animals;
- Act XLVI of 2008 on the food chain and its official supervision Éltv;
- Act CXXVII of 2012 on the Hungarian Chamber of Veterinary Medicine and on the provision of veterinary services;
- Act LVI of 2019 on the statutory provisions necessary to regulate livestock production;
- 244/1998. (XII. Government Decree No 31/1999 on animal protection fines;
- 22/2012. (II) Government Decree No 29 of 29 on the National Food Chain Safety Office;
- 40/2013. (II) (Gov. Decree) on animal testing;
- 188/2019. (VII.) Government Decree No 30) on animal husbandry;
- 41/1997. Decree No 30/2011 of 28 May 2004 of the Minister for Agriculture on the issue of the Animal Health Code;
- 44/2003. (IV.) (26) Decree of the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development on the mandatory requirements of the Hungarian Feed Code;
- 64/2007. (VII.) 23) FVM-EüM Joint Decree on food hygiene conditions for the placing on the market of food of animal origin and for the production of food at the point of sale;
- 119/2007. Decree (X. 18.) of the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development on the national registration system of enclosures, cultures and certain data relating thereto;
- 113/2008. (VIII.) 30) Decree of the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development on the procedure for the notification of animal diseases;
- 127/2008. (IX. (29) FVM on animal health requirements for aquaculture animals and products thereof and on the prevention and control of certain diseases in aquatic animals;
- 128/2009. Decree (X. 6.) of the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development on veterinary medicinal products;
- 152/2009. (XI. 12) of the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development on the mandatory requirements of the Hungarian Food Code;
- 3/2010. (VII.) Decree 5) of the Minister for Rural Development on the provision of data and traceability in relation to the production and marketing of food;
- 65/2012. (VII.) Decree No 4) of the Minister for Rural Development on certain rules on the production, placing on the market and use of feed;
- 34/2013. Decree No 14/2001 of 14 May 2003 of the Minister for Rural Development on the certification, production, marketing, labelling and control procedures of agricultural products and foodstuffs in accordance with organic farming requirements;
- 74/2013. (VIII.) Decree No 30) of the Minister for Rural Development on certain animal disease measures and related State compensation;
- 36/2014. (XII. Decree No 17) of the Minister for Agriculture on food information;
- 43/2014. (XII. (29) Decree of the Minister for Agriculture on the detailed conditions for the use of support for the tasks of organising rearing;
- 61/2016. (IX. Decree No 15) of the Minister for Agriculture on indications referring to the absence of GMOs.
- Act CLXIV of 2005 on trade;
- Act CXXVII of 2007 on value added tax;
- Act LXXVI of 2009 on the general rules on the commencement and pursuit of service activities;
- Act XCVII of 2015 on certain aspects of the organisation of the markets in agricultural products, producer organisations and interbranch organisations;
- 210/2009. (IX. (29.) Korm. on the conditions for carrying out commercial activities;
- 2/2018. (II) 1.) Decree of the Minister for Agriculture on the detailed rules for the recognition and control of interbranch organisations.
- Act LVII of 1995 on water management Vgtv.);
- Act XXI of 1996 on Spatial Planning and Spatial Planning (hereinafter: Tftv.);
- Act LXXVIII of 1997 on the development and protection of the built environment;
- Act CXXXIX of 2018 on the spatial planning of Hungary and certain priority areas;
- 253/1997. (XII. Government Decree 20) on national urban planning and construction requirements;
- 31/2007. (II) (28) Korm. on the information system relating to spatial planning and spatial planning and the procedure for the mandatory disclosure of data;
- 76/2009. (IV.) Government Decree No 8 of 8 on administrative procedures for spatial planning;
- 190/2009. (IX. Government Decree No 15) on the activities of the main architect;
- 218/2009. Government Decree 26/1998 (X. 6.) on the content requirements of the spatial planning concept, the spatial development programme and the spatial plan and the detailed rules for their integration, preparation, consultation, adoption and publication;
- 16/2010. (II) Government Decree No 5/2015 on the collection, preservation, registration and utilisation of documents to be kept in connection with spatial planning and spatial planning;
- 37/2010. (II) (26) Korm. on the territorial monitoring system;
- 77/2010. (III) Government Decree No 25 of 25 on the authorisation of spatial planning and the designation of the authority responsible for the supervision of spatial planning activities;
- 115/2014. (IV.) Government Decree No 3) on the charging system for the provision of agricultural water services;
- 43/1999. (XII. (26) EIAM Decree on the calculation of the contribution to water resources.
Applicable Procedures
- Preliminary examination procedure.
- Environmental impact assessment: It is necessary if, as a result of the preliminary procedure, the environmental authority considers it necessary to carry out an environmental impact assessment and, in the case of fish farming in an intensive cage or pond production plant, if it takes place in a protected site of national importance, and in the case of the establishment of a pond or lake system, if it covers more than 30 hectares of protected natural area of national importance.
- Authorisation of the county government office.
- Water Object Identification Statement.
- Permit for the establishment of water rights.
- Permit to operate water rights.
- Authorisation and registration of fish farms.
- Authorisation for the use of alien and locally absent species in aquaculture
- The recognition of breeding organisations.
- Notification of hatchery.
- Drawing up a self-monitoring plan.
National associations and networks
Relevant Websites
Contact Details
Department of Fisheries Management, Ministry of Agriculture
Peter Lengyel, Fisheries and Aquaculture Director
- Telephone number: +36 1 795 6294
Uploads
Summary in English of the "Published National Strategic Plan on Aquaculture" for Hungary