The Commission Staff Working Documents (SWDs), on “Planning of space and access to water for marine aquaculture” and “Access to space and water for freshwater and land-based Aquaculture”, serve as complementary resources aimed at implementing the “Strategic Guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture for the period 2021 to 2030”. Together, the two SWDs, provide comprehensive guidance for authorities and policymakers in Member States (MSs), addressing the allocation of space and access to water for both marine and freshwater aquaculture activities.
The SWDs were produced by the European Commission in collaboration with the Aquaculture Assistance Mechanism (AAM) employing a thorough methodology to select good practices from EU and non-EU countries on the topic access to space and water. The methodology includes desk research and tools, such as: surveys, technical seminars, a workshop held in Brussels in 2023, and several online interviews with European aquaculture experts. Recently, e-learning modules were produced by the AAM on both documents to boost the good practices exchange among MSs.
The SWD on “Planning of space and access to water for marine aquaculture” explains social, economic, environmental, and regulatory conditions of the EU marine aquaculture sector, and identifies key challenges faced by public authorities with competencies in marine aquaculture spatial planning.
Similarly, the SWD on “Access to space and water for freshwater and land-based aquaculture”, addresses: lack of social acceptance, conflicts with other activities, cost of space, water rights and licenses, application of the Water Frame Directive (WFD) and River Basine Management Plans (RBMPs) which, among others challenges, are factors that are restraining the competitiveness and further development of the freshwater and land-based aquaculture sector in the EU.
Both SWDs outline the necessary steps for effective access to space and water for all types of aquaculture and consolidate existing good practices and tools. The factsheets included in the SWDs address solutions to the identified challenges and provide practical example from both EU and non-EU countries. The factsheets, which emphasise the benefits of the selected good practices, also provide guidance to EU public authorities on how to implement such solutions, to enhance the planning processes, and ensuring sustainable aquaculture development in the European Union.
1 https://aquaculture.ec.europa.eu/key-documents/access-space
2 https://aquaculture.ec.europa.eu/key-documents/access-space-and-water-freshwater-and-land-based-aquaculture
3 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52021DC0236
4 The AAM is part of a Service Contract jointly managed by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) and DG MARE. The consortium is coordinated by NTT DATA, Poseidon, SCOPE - Netcompany, the European Aquaculture Society (EAS) and the European Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Platform (EATIP). https://aquaculture.ec.europa.eu/