Europe presently consumes twice as much seafood as it produces, with imports filling the gap. Despite this fact, aquaculture accounts for about 20% of production in Europe and directly employs some 85 000 people, mostly in rural and coastal areas. In contrast with the development seen in other non EU Mediterranean countries, aquaculture production is stagnating in Europe. This is the reason why the European Commission has proposed the target of a 20% increase in sustainable aquaculture production in the Mediterranean. With the aim of supporting this objective the MedAID project has been born, and its outcomes are expected to be vital in strengthing European marine fish production.Continue reading
