Type of species farmed

Carp (different species), Trout (different species), Mississippi paddlefish (Polyodon spathula), Sturgeon (different species).

^{Source: 2023, EUMOFA; 2022, STECF}

Type of production method

According to Eurostat, the aquaculture activity in Romania is limited to freshwater farming. Production consists in its entirety in ponds.

^{Source: 2023, EUMOFA}

^{Source: 2023, EUMOFA}

Trends (past and future)

Recently, extensive fish farms have become multifunctional, providing services such as ecological tourism, recreational fishing, and educational activities related to knowledge about and protection of aquatic biodiversity. There is a trend to diversify and increase the current range of aquaculture activities.

^{Source: EuroFish}

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

• The growth in aquaculture production can be attributed to the expanded production of common carp in polyculture, extensively or semi-intensively.
• The production of species new to Romanian aquaculture, such as sturgeon, is still low.
• Salmonicultura is the sector constantly growing. At present, the salmonicole establishments in Romania have as their main objects the following species: rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), brown trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and indigenous trout (Salmo trutta fario).
• Marine aquaculture has a relatively recent development in the Black Sea and particularly on the Romanian coast.
• From the point of view of distribution by development region, in 2019 it is noted that the largest share of production achieved is represented by the North-East development region with 29 % of the total national production, followed by the development regions of South, South-East, North-West and Centre with a share of between 9 and 21 %. The very small share of production in the South-West and Bucharest-Ilfov regions is due to most of the fishing facilities are mainly recreational farmers.
• The consumption of fisheries and aquaculture products is far below the EU average. Romanian’s household consumption is dominated by live/fresh fish, followed by frozen fish, and marinated and prepared products. The top four preferred species are trout, carp, mackerel, and salmon. 

^{Source: MNSPA}

Challenges and opportunities

^{(Source: EuroFish & MNSPA)}

Employment and number of enterprises

504 enterprises and 2231 employees in 2018.

^{Source: EuroFish}

• Law No. 192 “On living aquatic resources, fisheries and aquaculture”
• Government Emergency Order No 23/2008 on fisheries and aquaculture (as completed and amended by Law No 317/2009)
• ORDER no. 332 / 2008 regarding the registration of aquaculture production units in the Register of aquaculture units and the issuance of the aquaculture license  

• Aquaculture licence
• Register of aquaculture establishments