FAQ

Ako se provodi na održiv način, akvakultura može pomoći u rješavanju nekih od gorućih problema s kojima se danas suočavamo.

— Akvakultura dostavlja hranjivu i raznoliku hranu rastućem svjetskom stanovništvu.

— Akvakulturom se smanjuje potreba za većim ulovom divlje ribe kako bi se zadovoljila sve veća potražnja za ribom i stoga doprinosi očuvanju ribljih stokova.

— Može osigurati svježu i lokalnu hranu. Opskrba hranom bližom potrošaču omogućuje smanjenje emisija ugljika u prometu.

— Akvakultura može proizvoditi hranu i hranu za životinje s manjim utjecajem na klimu i okoliš od drugih vrsta uzgoja (npr. uzgoj goveda za mlijeko ili meso). Većom potrošnjom hrane iz akvakulture možemo smanjiti i pritisak uzgoja na kopnu.

— Akvakulturne aktivnosti mogu biti izvor prihoda i razvoja za udaljene obalne i ruralne zajednice u kojima je dostupno malo alternativa. Određene vrste akvakulture doprinose očuvanju ekosustava i bioraznolikosti (npr. uzgoj mekušaca, ekstenzivna akvakultura u ribnjacima i močvarnim područjima te uzgoj algi i drugih beskralježnjaka). Te usluge uključuju čišćenje vode od viška hranjivih tvari i organskih tvari ili očuvanje i obnovu ekosustava i bioraznolikosti.

— Prije nego što akvakulturna uzgajališta mogu poslovati, budući proizvođači u akvakulturi moraju dobiti odobrenje nadležnih nacionalnih tijela (ponekad za odobrenja mogu biti odgovorna regionalna tijela). Tijekom ocjenjivanja ta tijela provjeravaju je li predložena lokacija prikladna i pažljivo provjeravaju potencijalni učinak uzgajališta na okoliš.

— Proizvođačima u akvakulturi potrebno je odobrenje prije upotrebe morske vode ili slatke vode za uzgajalište. Kad ga vrate u okoliš, stanje vodnog tijela ne smije se pogoršati.

— Osim toga, objekti akvakulture moraju biti registrirani ili odobreni od strane sanitarnih tijela koja se bave zdravljem životinja, a i poljoprivrednik i ta tijela obvezni su nadzirati moguće bolesti.

— Nakon dobivanja svih autorizacija proizvođači u akvakulturi moraju ispuniti nekoliko uvjeta kako bi osigurali da se aktivnostima akvakulture poštuje okoliš, zdravlje ljudi i životinja te dobrobit životinja.

— Ovlaštena poljoprivredna gospodarstva moraju nastaviti pratiti svoj utjecaj na okoliš.

— Radi zaštite okoliša proizvođači smiju upotrebljavati samo odobrenu hranu za životinje, proizvode za čišćenje i lijekove.

— Kad je riječ o zdravlju životinja, poljoprivrednici također imaju obvezu voditi nekoliko evidencija, uključujući one o broju životinja koje ulaze i napuštaju poljoprivredno gospodarstvo te koliko uginu. Moraju bilježiti i mjere koje poduzimaju za sprječavanje rizika od bolesti i upravljanje njime. Radi zaštite zdravlja potrošača uzgajivači moraju slijediti stroga pravila o higijeni hrane i zdravlju životinja. Smiju upotrebljavati samo odobrenu i kontroliranu hranu za životinje.

— Za uporabu veterinarskih lijekova potreban je veterinarski recept, a dopušteni su samo odobreni veterinarski lijekovi, uz poštovanje propisanih razdoblja karencije i najvećih dopuštenih količina rezidua. Uzgajivači moraju bilježiti sve veterinarske lijekove koje upotrebljavaju i čuvati primjerak recepata.

— Osim toga, poljoprivrednici moraju osigurati humano postupanje sa životinjama iz uzgoja tijekom cijelog proizvodnog ciklusa te tijekom klanja i prijevoza.

Kako bi se znalo može li se projekt akvakulture provesti na određenom području, mora se provesti studija održivosti područja (npr. dostupnost kvalitetne vode, nemiješanje s drugim namjenama, uvjeti za uspostavu akvakulturnih lokaliteta na tom području) i mogućih vrsta koje će se uzgajati. Postoji mnogo mogućih mjesta za akvakulturu (npr. na kopnu, u obalnim vodama, na moru, u estuarini, u ribnjacima, uz rijeke). Za dobivanje dozvole svaka lokacija ima različite uvjete, a studije koje treba provesti različite su. Nadležna tijela ponekad utvrđuju prethodno ispitana područja u kojima je akvakulturna aktivnost moguća i na kojima je prioritet, što omogućuje brže ishođenje dozvola za uzgajalište na tom području.

Iako bi se u teoriji sve riblje vrste mogle upotrebljavati za uzgoj u akvakulturi, samo su neke od njih (oko 10) trenutačno važan dio akvakulturne proizvodnje EU-a. Konkretno, uzgajaju se one vrste čija je biologija dobro poznata i čije je razmnožavanje u zatočeništvu moguće. Istodobno je potrebna tržišna potražnja za tim vrstama i tržišna cijena koja omogućuje profitabilnost proizvodnje.

There are very diverse production methods for EU aquaculture species, some of the main ones are the following (STECF Aquaculture economic data table, 2023):

- Enclosures, pens, recirculation systems and tanks for salmon;

- Tanks and raceways, recirculation systems and ponds for trout;

- Pens, tanks, ponds, recirculation systems for sea bass and sea bream;

- Rafts, polyculture, logline for mussels;

- Ponds, tanks, raceways, gages, polyculture for carp;

- On-bottom, longline, rafts and polyculture for oyster;

- Ponds, raceways, tanks for crustaceans;

- On bottom, tanks and raceways, pens, recirculation systems, polyculture, rafts, longline, tanks for seaweed;

- Open or closed-system bioreactors for microalgae.

In addition, during the early growth stages, most fish species and seaweeds need to be in a hatchery and a nursery. Seeds of molluscs are produced in hatcheries or collected from the wild.

Like any economic activity, aquaculture has an impact on the environment. This depends on the quality of management of the activity, the suitability of the location and the production system. When properly managed, aquaculture can also be a method of protein production with a lower carbon and environmental footprint than other types of farming. Furthermore, certain forms of aquaculture (e.g. mollusc farming, aquaculture in ponds and wetlands, and the farming of algae and other invertebrates), when appropriately managed, can offer many ecosystem services. These services include the absorption of excess nutrients and organic matter from the environment or the conservation and restoration of ecosystems and biodiversity.

EU environmental legislation and implementing national legislation have set the regulatory framework for EU aquaculture that ensures the mitigation of the impact that aquaculture activities may have on the environment (be it in terms of carbon footprint, effluents, waste or other impacts on marine and freshwater ecosystems), and that aquaculture activities do not significantly harm ecosystems or biodiversity.

The environmental performance of the EU aquaculture sector can nevertheless be further improved by: (i) ensuring that environmental legislation is fully applied and its objectives are met; (ii) further mitigating the impact of aquaculture; and (iii) promoting aquaculture with lower environmental impact and aquaculture that provides ecosystem services.

The ‘Strategic guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture for the period 2021 to 2030’ aim to improve the environmental performance of the aquaculture sector by further limiting the impact of aquaculture, as well as promoting the types of aquaculture that are most beneficial for the environment and the climate such as low trophic aquaculture and organic aquaculture.

Aquaculture requires good water quality to ensure optimal health and welfare of aquatic animals and the profitability of an aquatic farm. Therefore, the fight against water pollution by EU Member States, in line with the “zero pollution” ambition defined in the European Green Deal, is of particular importance to aquaculture.

Aquaculture producers need authorisation before using seawater or fresh water for the farm. When they return it to the environment, the status of the water body must not deteriorate. Discharges from EU aquaculture facilities must meet the rigorous EU water quality standards as well as stringent national, regional, and local regulations.

Certain forms of aquaculture such as mollusc farming and the farming of algae and other invertebrates, when appropriately managed, can improve the water quality due to the absorption of excess nutrients and organic matter from the environment.

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) are land-based aquaculture facilities – either open air or indoors – that minimise water consumption by filtering, adjusting, and reusing the water.

Compared to traditional pond or open water aquaculture, the water recirculation process in RAS makes it possible to control the culture conditions and collect waste. In addition, land-based aquaculture avoids escapees and limits external transmission of diseases and parasites. RAS gives promise of more sustainable food production with lower consumption of fresh water, and shorter transport distances, as fish can be grown closer to the markets. By controlling the culture conditions, aquaculture production in a RAS facility can be established almost anywhere, regardless of local conditions. By moving the production on land, it can also mitigate the scarcity of available space and competition for access to sea areas.

On the other hand, a RAS facility tends to be energy intensive and expensive. Investment costs are high, and the recirculation technology consumes vast amounts of energy and requires to be controlled and managed by a skilled workforce. Furthermore, the technology remains to prove its viability on large-scale production, especially concerning saline water environments.

Feed for farmed fish must incorporate important levels (35-50%) of highly digestible proteins and high energy through high quality fats, to maintain their activity and growth. The raw materials available for the manufacturing of such aquafeed come from three main origins:

(i) Vegetable by-products from wheat, soya, and maize.

(ii) Fish meal and oil from fish and marine crustaceans although their share in feed is decreasing.

(iii) In some cases, also by-products from the terrestrial animal production sector, which are highly nutritious.

Nowadays, sustainable feeding systems are being promoted, limiting the dependence on fishmeal and fish oil from wild stocks for food production, for example, encouraging the use of alternative protein ingredients, such as algae or insects, or waste from other industries. This is also reflected in the Strategic guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture for the period 2021 to 2030.

According to Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 on organic production and labelling of organic products (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32018R0848), organic production is an overall system of farm management and food production that combines best environmental and climate action practices, a high level of biodiversity, the preservation of natural resources and the application of high animal welfare standards and high production standards in line with the demand of a growing number of consumers for products produced using natural substances and processes. This Regulation together with certain relevant secondary acts, provides for detailed production rules for organic aquaculture which include environmental requirements, respect of a period for conversion into organic production, nutrition, animal welfare, health care and husbandry requirements with detailed maximum stocking densities for species and strict limitations on use of external input, among others on veterinarian treatments.

To be able to use the organic EU logo and to mention "organic" on the labels of their products, the organic operators must be certified by a control body approved by the competent authorities who will attest that their activity is carried out in compliance with the EU organic regulation.

More information on the EU organic certification system and its enforcement is available on the following Commission’s webpage:

Organic farming (https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/farming/organic-farming_en). In addition a FAQ document on provisions concerning organic productions, including a chapter on organic aquaculture, is available here: https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-09/organic-rules-faq….