European shellfish growers call for ambitious Common Aquaculture Policy

Shellfish growers rely on the quality of the waters in which their animals live and increasingly suffer from contamination by diseases or pollutants and EMPA explained this is one of the main reasons why the EU shellfish sector is in crisis today despite being a key sector to address many policy concerns.

“A profession that contributes to the objectives of food autonomy. A sector of activity that creates jobs. A key player in the sustainability of our environment, acting as nitrogen sinks or a means to combat coastal erosion,” explained French EPP Member of the European Parliament Isabelle Le Callennec. 

EMPA presented its “Manifesto for the Sustainable Development of the European Shellfish Sector” – a list of policy claims and objectives for the next five years. In it, the mollusc producers call for the strict implementation of the environmental regulations related to wastewater treatments and water management, for political support for the sector’s development, and for the valorisation and compensation of the ecosystem services provided by the sector.

It was highlighted that shellfish farming is the animal-protein production sector with the lowest environmental impact, while the “EU strategic guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture for the period 2021 to 2030” call for the “diversification of EU aquaculture towards non-fed and low-trophic species with a lower environmental footprint”. 

“The ambitions of the European Union for aquaculture are as bold as they are necessary” said Addy Risseeuw, EMPA President. “The EU envisions a future where sustainable aquaculture plays a pivotal role in food security, environmental sustainability, and economic resilience. Unfortunately, the reality on the ground is very different. Not only the sector is not growing: we are decreasing year after year.”

The manifesto’s last point indeed calls for the creation of an “EU Common Aquaculture Policy” setting binding objectives and measurable development indicators as the only way to reverse this trend and unlock the full potential of the EU’s shellfish sector.

With members from six European countries (Spain, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Italy and Ireland), EMPA represents 90% of the companies or operators involved in the production and marketing of shellfish in Europe. 

Mollusc production is the largest segment of aquaculture in the EU, with an annual production of over 500 million tonnes. At European level, the shellfish production sector represents an annual production worth EUR 1.17 billion, and more than 50% of aquaculture production.