An EU project which aims to increase the production of organic fish in Europe has been launched.
Coordinated by Nofima in Norway, the project OrAqua will identify obstacles in regulations and rules that must be changed to increase the production of organic fish. Despite many consumers wanting to buy organic fish, in Europe it is still hard to find certified organic fish in stores, unlike organic milk, vegetables and meat.
“Based on official numbers, below one per cent of fish farmed globally today is organically produced”, says project leader, Nofima’s Professor Ingrid Olesen. “There are a lot of challenges, such as harmonising the standards in such a way that it satisfies the views and principles of both producers and consumers”.
OrAqua will suggest improvements for the current EU regulatory framework for organic aquaculture based on: a review of the relevant available scientific knowledge; a review of organic aquaculture production and economics, and: consumer perceptions of organic aquaculture.
The project will focus on aquaculture production of relevant European species of finfish, molluscs, crustaceans and seaweed. To ensure interaction with all relevant stakeholders throughout the project, a multi stakeholder platform will be established.
The 13 OrAqua project partners form a highly qualified and multidisciplinary consortium that includes four universities, five aquaculture research institutes, three research groups in social science, a fish farmer organisation, a fish farmer and two organic certification/control bodies.
