2. Farmed in the EU - Learning about European aquaculture
Table of contents
01. INTRODUCTION pg. 2
02. PROJECT OUTLINE pg. 4
03. IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECT pg. 5
Step 1: Preparing the visit
Step 2: The visit
Step 3: Follow up activities
04. BACKGROUND INFORMATION pg. 14
05. USEFUL RESOURCES pg. 17

3. Farmed in the EU - Learning about European aquaculture 2
01
INTRODUCTION
Dicentrarchus labrax
Aquaculture is the fastest growing sector
of worldwide food production. In the
very near future it will surpass global
wild fisheries as the number one source
of seafood, meaning more and more of
our seafood will be farmed. Despite this
it remains surprisingly unknown to many
outside of the industry.
The Farmed in the EU school project has been designed to raise your
students’ awareness of the sector, particularly in their community, and help
them explore issues related to food production, the environment, and the
different business and career opportunities aquaculture offers.
The diverse nature of the sector means there is plenty of scope for student
research and discovery of the different marine and freshwater fish, molluscs,
crustaceans and algae which are produced and the different traditional and
more modern production methods used.
Farmed in the EU is part of the European Commission’s Inseparable
initiative, which aims to highlight the benefits of eating, buying and selling
sustainable seafood1
products.
The guidelines detailed in this booklet aim at helping any EU teacher
interested in developing a school project about aquaculture.
A pilot project will be run in 2014 in 20 schools from 10 Member States
(Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Poland,
Spain, and the United Kingdom).
Why do we need fish farming
in the first place?
Eating fish is good for your
health, but there are not enough
wild fish and shellfish to meet
existing demand. Sustainable
fishing goes hand-in-hand with
fish farming. Only together they
can produce enough fish to meet
the demands of the growing
global population without
jeopardising the long term future
of our wild fish stocks .
In the EU we rely on imports for
68% of the seafood we eat. A
significant proportion of which
comes from fish farms. Only
10% of our consumption is
farmed in the EU. Bringing more
farmed fish to our plates means
less pressure on wild fish stocks,
less reliance on imports, and
more jobs and growth in our
local economies.
1
Seafood is a generic term that encompasses fresh
water fish, marine fish, crustaceans, and molluscs.
For more questions and answers visit the
Farmed in the EU website
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01
INTRODUCTION
Salmo salar
Why a school project
on aquaculture?
The European Union is committed to supporting aquaculture because it can
provide us with healthy, sustainable seafood, and spark innovation in new
industries throughout Europe, from coastal communities to inland ones.
As an industry it is also hugely influenced by the social and environmental
contexts that surround it, and not simply by the products and services it
provides. That’s why this school project aims to connect fish farmers to
their local communities by bringing them into schools in their area to speak
about their work.
By creating links between schools and industry students get the chance
to see how their local economy works, to delve into issues around healthy
eating and sustainable consumption, and to discover a range of career
opportunities.
Active participation
Debating skills
Formulating opinions with recently acquired
knowledge
Evaluating information
Team work
Strengthening independent research
Working across multiple curriculum areas
Producing creative content that can be shared
with others and disseminated online
Presentation skills for speaking in public
Offer students direct access to industries that are
locally important
Foster dialogue and encourage joint collaboration
Learning objectives
This school project seeks to raise awareness about
aquaculture among students, and by doing so to
help them improve the specific skills listed below.
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02
PROJECT
OUTLINE
Cyprinus carpio
What are the major species
farmed in the EU?
Approximately 50% of the
aquaculture production in the EU
are shellfish. Mussels and oysters
are the most popular shellfish.
Marine fish such as salmon, sea
bream and sea bass represent
about 27% of our fish farm
produce whilst freshwater fish
such as trout and carp account
for 23% of fish farmed in the EU.
The species farmed in the EU
are very diverse and also include
clams, scallops, lobsters, tilapia,
sturgeon (caviar), and even
intensively targeted wild species
such as turbot, cod and sole.
Algae production is developing.
The Farmed in the EU school project is
about bringing schools and aquaculture
professionals together to help students
learn about the sector and its impact on
the local community and beyond.
UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUE
The goal should be to understand what aquaculture is about, what natural
resources it offers, and what modern consumption trends look like. Students
might be able to identify some of the main benefits from aquaculture even
if they do not fully understand the subject – aquaculture provides fresh,
healthy, and affordable products which can be locally and reliably produced.
Aquaculture is also highly adaptable to different climates, landscapes and
aquatic species, and offers us the chance to explore understanding of the
social, economic and environmental aspects of farming and sustainability.
PARTICIPATION AND CREATIVE EXPRESSION
This school project is based on participation, seeking to engage students
into participative learning across a range of different subjects.
There is historical aspect of aquaculture, including the study of traditional
diets, the cultural reasons behind fish farming, and its geographical
adaptations throughout Europe.
It may be a good opportunity to develop and integrate ICT skills, whether by
researching online, or through producing presentations combining written,
graphic and multimedia content, which could then be shared on social
media, presented to the class or at an assembly to the whole school.
And let’s not forget the most important aspect of aquaculture – the fresh,
local and healthy seafood it provides us with! By focusing on recipes, menus
and actually tasting seafood, your students can find a whole world of new
and inventive ways to eat more sustainable seafood, which can then be
shared with the rest of the school, their families and can hopefully influence
their eating habits.
The key part of the Farmed in the EU school project is the visit by the fish
farmer. The visit provides students with the opportunity to talk to someone
knowledgeable on the subject, to help them build on their own research
about the sector, and to take part in a fun and interactive visitor session.
The school project has three steps:
These steps are detailed in the following pages.
Step 1:
Preparing
the visit
Step 2:
The visit
Step 3:
Follow up
activities
For more questions and answers visit the
Farmed in the EU website
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IMPLEMENTING
THE PROJECT
Step 1
Sparus aurata
How are fish farmed?
Shellfish such as mussels and
oysters are grown on ropes,
poles or table-like structures.
They require clean water to feed
on the nutrients suspended in
the water. Marine fish such as
salmon and sea bass are farmed
in large net pens suspended on
the sea’s surface. Freshwater
fish such as trout are usually
farmed in a series of tanks
through which river water is
diverted. Other freshwater fish
such as carp are farmed in large
lakes and ponds.
REFLECTING ON FOOD CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION
Seafood is often enjoyed or avoided according to personal taste! People
living in coastal areas or close to ponds, lakes and rivers may have easy
access to fresh fish products, while urban populations may prefer processed
and pre-prepared products. Parents tend to be more conscious about
nutritional values, while elder people often appreciate the health-related
benefits from eating more fish.
Many people may have no notion of food production on the scale it is
undertaken in the modern world. Our views on how food is produced is
shaped by a wide range of influences – the images on the packaging of our
food, historical ideas of farming, farmers, and fishermen, the countryside
all around us – and this may or may not tally with the reality and scale of
global food production.
FOOD: the past, the present and me
Let’s start with a warm up activity for you and your class, to discuss
any thoughts they have on food and their lives. Write some or all of the
questions on the board and ask your students to talk in small groups
for a few minutes, then feedback to the whole class. Maybe they have
never thought about the food on their plate and how it got there, so do
you ever think about how the food you eat got onto your plate?
IDENTITY: what do I eat, where do I buy it, and how do I prepare it?
How would my grandparents answer these questions?
FOOD PRODUCTION: how is seafood produced? Where does
the seafood you eat come from? What are the impacts of mass
production on the environment? Is what you eat farmed fish or
caught in the open ocean?
FOOD CONSUMPTION: how much does a person need to eat? What
is the population of your town or country? The world population?
What are some modern trends in food consumption? How often do
you eat fish?
SUSTAINABILITY: What is sustainable food and why is it important?
How can food production become more sustainable? Can labels
on food help people make more sustainable choices? Have your
students heard of labels on seafood/aquaculture products?
Step 1:
Preparing the visit
In order for you to implement the visit from the local aquaculture
professional we suggest following the steps described below. This lesson
should take place before the aquaculture professional visits, and can take
as long as you decide to dedicate to it, based on your available time.
Activity
For more questions and answers visit the
Farmed in the EU website
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IMPLEMENTING
THE PROJECT
Step 1
Engaging into sustainable change:
Write the words ‘Sustainability’ and ‘Consumption’ on the board, and
ask your students to imagine the link between the two, if they think
there is one.
Although your students may not know much about sustainability, they
can always try to imagine what it means in a wider context – where
does the responsibility along the supply chain lie when it comes to
sustainability – the producer, the sales point or the consumer?
Talk about what sustainability means, and make a list on the board
of what practices in the wider world they think are unsustainable.
Continue the discussion by asking what kind of sustainable practices
they know or think are present in aquaculture. You can focus on their
role as individuals (and consumers and influencers of the household
food budget), and what they can do alongside professionals and other
citizens to engage with sustainability.
Promoting responsible habits:
To lead healthy lives, your students need to develop responsible
attitudes towards healthy eating habits, and think about how they
will apply this new knowledge about their diet and ethical concerns to
their future lives as adults. They should grasp this in their own way of
speaking, and adapt it to their daily lives.
Encourage your students to think about the benefits of sustainable
aquaculture products for a balanced diet, and to discuss the role of
consumers in influencing the ‘market’ and lifestyle trends. How does
marketing influence their (or their parents) choices in the market? Do
they know what a healthy diet would contain, and how they would get
all the vitamins, mineral and nutrients they need?
This is a preliminary discussion, so you do not need to find ‘definitive’
answers.
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Activity Activity
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8. Farmed in the EU - Learning about European aquaculture 7
Tips for teachers
Preparing your visitor
It is important to stress that the visitor session is the most important aspect
of this project, as it will give your students the chance to directly interact
with someone who works in the industry, and who can hopefully bring the
preparatory session findings to life!
The visitor should be aware of the format of the project, that your students
will do some initial research, then the visit and finally a follow up session,
and that their input will help make the project real for your students.
Also let them know the timings of your session, and that they can talk for
around 10 minutes before the interactive dialogue begins, if that is the
length of time you have allotted.
The visitor should be encouraged to bring photos or different materials to
share with your students, as ‘hands-on’ experiences will engage them, spark
up conversation and make everybody feel more at ease. They could for
instance bring some food pellets, nets, or even some of the products they
make.
You could envisage inviting several fish farmers in the same time to
exchange on different productions (e.g. shellfish and fish).
At the back of this booklet you will find some data and web links that will
help you stimulate the dialogue with your students and make contact with
professionals across the European Union.
03
IMPLEMENTING
THE PROJECT
Step 1
Preparing the visit with professionals:
Preparing your class for the visit of the aquaculture professional can be
as in depth or as light touch as you wish to make it, but we recommend
you undertake certain preparatory steps:
1. BRAINSTORM: ask students to spend some time on the internet
searching for further information, either based around the results of
the previous discussion, or from their own particular areas of interest.
If your classroom doesn’t have a computer, or it is difficult to organise
a room, the students could perform this task as homework.
2. RESEARCH: investigate your visitor’s background, the farm they
work at, the aquatic species they farm if possible, and anything else
the students are interested in. The visit should be as student driven as
possible, so they should have questions or areas of interest prepared
to talk about, however you will find discussion points and questions in
the ‘Background’ section if this proves difficult.
3. FOCUS: after the background research has been completed, the
class should choose the focus of the visit – what do they want to find
out from the professional? There is room for more than one direction
of questioning during the visit, so encourage active participation here.
Your students should prepare a set of questions or a questionnaire
that could be completed during the visit if there is time, or for
homework if not.
4. PREPARE: this school project takes place over three sessions that
are all interlinked, so with this in mind explain to your students that
there will be a follow up activity after the visit involving their creativity!
Also, have a few students document the visit by taking notes,
photographing or even videoing the session. This will help them
when the final activity has to be completed.
Activity
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IMPLEMENTING
THE PROJECT
Step 2
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Sections plan 60 minutes
Introduction 10 minutes
• Ask one or two students to explain what they
talked about in the preparatory session, to give
the visitor a little background of existing views.
• If the students prepared a question and answer
sheet, now would be a good time to share it with
your visitor.
Presentation 10 minutes
• Let the visitor present themselves, and give a brief
outline of his/her company/background for a few
minutes (not a ‘commercial’ presentation, it should
focus on the human side of the job/career).
• If they have brought any items to help the
students visualise their work, now is appropriate
to ‘show and tell’ (and maybe taste if they
brought some products with them).
Step 2:
The visit
How to run your classroom session? You should define a clear programme for the visit of the
aquaculture professional, to ensure everyone in attendance gains the most from the lesson. The
pre-visit work is very important to facilitate the discussion and debate, and the follow up activity for
evaluating what was discussed and your students’ feelings and opinions on the subject and the visit.
Group dialogue 30 minutes
The dialogue will be completed as a class, because
as there may be only one visitor it will be difficult
to organise smaller group activities. Regardless,
participation from all students should be encouraged,
and the activities are designed to get the whole
group talking.
Discuss preconceptions 10 minutes
This activity is to be a follow on from your
preparation class and the introduction, where the
students will talk directly with the professional about
their preconceptions of the industry, its methods and
any other issues that arose before the visit. This is a
great opportunity to build rapport between the class
and the professional, and for them to get into the
‘flow’ of open discussion.
Dialogue 20 minutes
This dialogue can be either an open, free flowing
discussion without a plan, or could be guided by
the questions/questionnaire your students made in
the preparatory class, with a detailed plan of the
questions they wish to ask the visitor. This is the
chance for both sides to delve deeper into the subject,
and should provide rich and meaningful answers.
Individual students could take notes of interesting
topics they would like to find out more about, which
could then be used in the pooling and conclusion
section, and for further research into the topic.
Pooling ideas and conclusions 10 minutes
Students and the visitor go back over the discussion,
and talk about what they have discovered from the
dialogue. This is also the ideal time to discuss any
issues the students felt were not raised during the
session or in the preparatory lesson.
The conclusions drawn from the dialogue session
should have raised the student’s awareness of the
role of aquaculture in modern food production,
society and also as a source for future employment.
They should also give them a solid basis to develop
the follow up project, having opened new avenues
of discovery and surprising facts and figures about
the industry in both a local and Europe wide context.
Depending on where your fish farmer comes from
in relation to the school, it would be very interesting
for the students to visit the farm, although we
realise this may be difficult to organise and depends
on the budget of the school. The visit of the farm
could be envisaged as an extra step 4.
Tips for teachers
Don’t forget to visit the
useful resources section in
the back of the guidelines.
Here you will find websites
that will provide further
information, and a series of
questions to help the visit
run smoothly should your
students run out of ideas!
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IMPLEMENTING
THE PROJECT
Step 3
Mytilus galloprovincialis
Step 3:
Follow up activities
In order to achieve the best results from the project it is important that all
classes carry out a follow up lesson to reinforce what has been learnt and
discussed before and during the visit. Ideally this session will take place the
day after or close to the visit itself, so the discussion and the conclusions
reached are still fresh in the student’s minds.
In the following sections, you will find four examples of engaging activities
to further work on the topic of aquaculture from various perspectives, and
designed to help develop different skills.
Throughout all of the follow up activities there are many elements of
different skills that can be used – ICT can be present in all of them, as can
elements of art and design. The presentation aspect is a good opportunity
for students to practise public speaking, and of course, the idea of
cooperation and working as a team are facilitated through the group aspect
of the follow up activities.
Many of the resources you or your students will need for these activities can
be found in the ‘Background’ section of this booklet.
The European Commission will select the best school projects and advertise
them on its social media.
General objectives
Working together in teams, also strengthening independent research
Reinforcing the ability to work across multiple curriculum areas
Developing knowledge into practical applications
Producing creative content that can be shared with others
in the school setting or disseminated online
Presentation skills to familiarise the students with public speaking.
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11. Farmed in the EU - Learning about European aquaculture 10
Objectives for pupils:
To gain and apply practical knowledge on the different nutritional
values of food, and to combine them towards a healthy diet
To review the many varied products European aquaculture has to
offer, especially those from local sources
To analyse the benefits associated with seafood like availability,
affordability, quality, nutritional values and sustainability, especially
when taking weekly recommended intake of proteins and nutrients
into consideration
To encourage teenagers into becoming more involved in responsible
consumption and healthy habits. Experiment with new materials and
techniques.
03
IMPLEMENTING
THE PROJECT
Step 3
Follow up activity
1. Nutrition & cooking
Around the issues of healthy diets and nutrition, including buying and
cooking, we suggest you design a sustainable menu using suitable
European aquaculture products, or investigate ideas of healthy eating
to a budget.
This could take three main forms:
1. Plan a school menu
Work on a healthy and varied weekly or monthly menu, and make a
proposal of two dishes per week. They could be limited by the real
school food budget, which will certainly make it more challenging! The
class could then propose this to the school, or ask the school chef to
come in and talk to them about their reasons for choosing what they do.
2. Design a gourmet menu
Design a ‘gourmet’ menu for a special occasion, be it a birthday party,
first date, or even a graduation party. The students should create a
menu that utilises delicious and sustainable aquaculture products from
either their local area or the whole of Europe.
3. Which protein?
A study into the relative benefits of different forms of protein,
contrasting the price against health benefits. This will be a complicated
study that will need ICT research skills to complete, and would be best
done in a larger group to save time and spread the effort equally.
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IMPLEMENTING
THE PROJECT
Step 3
Follow up activity
2. Science & technology
Science and modern fish farming are deeply interlinked. We suggest you
have students develop posters or presentations covering the main aspects
of aquaculture. The groups should then present their findings to the rest of
the class.
The posters or presentations can either cover the biology and ecological
aspects of aquaculture, or even the chemistry/technology of aquaculture
systems.
Along these lines we suggest the following:
1. The processes and equipment of a fish farm
What equipment is used and why, how the fish are transported both
to the farm and then to market after harvesting, and the process of
feeding the fish are all valid topics for this project.
2. Life stages and husbandry of domesticated fish
Why are certain fish used in aquaculture but not others? What are
the life stages of a fish, and how will this affect the farming of each
species (your students could look at salmon, trout and/or mussels)?
3. The environmental sustainability of aquaculture, both marine
and freshwater
Is aquaculture damaging to local environments or species of fish? How
could feed for carnivorous fish become better? Your students could
look into integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (links can be found in
‘Background’) and its benefits.
4. Location, location, location
Finding a location for a fish farm within national boundaries, taking into
consideration space needed, transportation issues, water requirements,
local populations, etc. – with a presentation that will explain their
choices for each element. The class could then vote on the proposal
afterwards!
Objectives for pupils:
To research the scientific aspects of aquaculture
To learn more about aquatic systems and processes
To marry different scientific perspectives with multi-layered
understanding
To understand the challenges and opportunities of fish
domestication and husbandry
To scientifically assess environmental sustainability.
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IMPLEMENTING
THE PROJECT
Step 3
Follow up activity
3. Communication
Sustainability, environmental impact, health and nutrition, and consumer
choices are issues that are always in the news. Aquaculture is a perfect
example of how mass media may empower consumers towards better
choices, but also confuse them or even manipulate them when information
is tailored to different interests.
To work around language and expression skills, we propose the following:
1. Journalistic review
A ‘journalistic’ review of campaigns that are either for or against
aquaculture. Students should map campaigns, articles and other
texts on aquaculture, and develop the arguments for and against, the
benefits and the risks. The outcome could take the form of an article, a
short essay, a poster or presentation that displays the results.
2. Promoting aquaculture
A campaign to promote local aquaculture targeted towards young
people, to be presented to the school. Students should research local
aquaculture, and produce a positive campaign to explain its benefits
to the rest of the school. The presentation could include a slide show, a
video, or any other creative ICT-based solution.
3. History of aquaculture
A history of aquaculture in the local area. Your students could prepare
a presentation detailing the history of fish farming in the local area,
from its origins to its present state. This project could involve internet
research, using the school or local council library or even contacting
the fish farmer to ask further questions. It could be as a news report or
standard presentation.
4. Aquaculture in society
A look at the socioeconomics of aquaculture. It should cover the
local population, ideas of food sources and security, possibilities of
employment in the sector, and the economics of importing farmed
produce versus producing locally. This is an in depth project, so if this
route is taken the class should be split differently, in two groups, with
pairs from each group taking one aspect and investigating it.
Objectives for pupils:
Critical review of communication campaigns
Debate the pros and cons of aquaculture
Summarise objective conclusions on campaigns
Design and produce creative new content
Use ICT-based multimedia solutions.
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IMPLEMENTING
THE PROJECT
Step 3
Follow up activity
4. Arts
Food, farming, professions, fish, aquatic landscapes, or even the anatomy
of a fish, bivalve or algae are great topics to explore new artistic skills,
materials and techniques. Artistic creation is a great way to deal with topics
that are controversial, through the use of allegory and interpretation, as
well as giving the artist the chance to express themselves in any number of
techniques or styles.
We propose an artistic interpretation of local aquaculture, either focusing
on skills or representing new knowledge / importance of the sector in their
community.
Along these lines we propose three activities:
1. Representing a fish
Choose a local aquaculture species and represent it. Aquatic animals
are a good chance to work on details such as proportions, wet effects,
or natural backgrounds. This can lead to anatomic illustration or more
artistic and free representations.
2. What is a fish farm?
Represent a fish farmer or a fish farm from your town, city or region.
Try to grasp the nature and work of an aquaculture professional, either
the one you’ve met or one defined by your group’s research. You can
also represent a fish farm, in architectural or schematic diagrams, by
drawing plans, putting pictures together, or making a 3D model.
3. Aquaculture-a past in pictures
A historical study of fish farming in the area, detailing the different
types of aquaculture used in the past, present and possibly into the
future. This could take the form of a cartoon strip, poster or allegorical
painting or drawing.
Allow the students creative freedom to draw, paint, model, collage, or
use digital media.
Objectives for pupils:
Observe and represent natural models (fish and/or their anatomy,
the fish farmer, the environment of a fish farm)
Develop new artistic skills related to the special qualities of water
and aquatic organisms
Express their own points of view in an artistic way
Experiment with new materials and techniques.
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BACKGROUND
INFORMATION
Crassostrea gigas
What exactly is
aquaculture?
According to EU definition, “aquaculture’
means the rearing or cultivation of aquatic
organisms using techniques designed to
increase the production of the organisms
in question beyond the natural capacity
of the environment, where the organisms
remain the property of a natural or legal
person throughout the rearing and culture
stage, up to and including harvesting”.
Simply put, aquaculture is a form of farming in water that can be both off-
shore and on land. Its products are now found in most supermarkets and
dinner tables across Europe and the world. Global aquaculture production
is the fastest growing sector of the world food economy, increasing by a
yearly average of more than 7%.
Is it true that aquaculture
can damage the
environment?
Like any other human activity,
aquaculture must be managed
sustainably and responsibly.
The EU’s environmental
standards are among the
strictest and most effective in
the world. Fish farmers must
also play a wider proactive role
in protecting the environment:
for instance aquaculture ponds
help preserve important natural
landscapes and habitats
for wild birds and other
endangered species.
Shellfish contribute to cleaner
coastal waters by absorbing
nutrients which could otherwise
damage water quality.
2
http://www.fao.org/docrep/016/i2727e/i2727e.pdf
Aquaculture – why do we need it?
Seafood has always been a vital part of our diets, with evidence of its
consumption dating back over 40 000 years. To this day, billions of people
regularly eat seafood, and hundreds of millions rely on it as their main
source of protein. With the world population ever increasing, aquaculture
is becoming more important than ever as the fastest growing food
production sector.
Global aquaculture already gives the world around 50% of its seafood
every year, and continues to grow to supply an ever-increasing world
demand2
.Thanks to aquaculture, we can improve and control the
productivity of many marine and freshwater species, and refine methods
to ensure the environmental friendliness, economic profitability, and social
fabric of their production.
Aquaculture is here to stay, and will continue to grow over the coming
decades because food security is an issue, and because there is a need
for constant progress in the development of more efficient production
techniques and the domestication of new species.
For more questions and answers visit the
Farmed in the EU website
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BACKGROUND
INFORMATION
Aquaculture, a European story
Aquaculture, particularly in freshwater
has a long history in Europe. In the
Mediterranean, the cultivation of oysters,
as well as the breeding of different species
of fish in ponds, was well developed by
Roman times, and ‘home-grown’ systems
became very popular among wealthy
families.
References to aquaculture can be found in both Greek and Roman historical
texts, and archaeological evidence of these ponds can be found all over
their old territories.
Emperor Charlemagne (768-814) asked for fish ponds to be built wherever
possible, to help alleviate the difficulty of feeding the mostly Roman
Catholic population, who were not meant to eat meat on Friday or during
the whole of Lent. As a direct result of this, monks began to develop
systems for the production of carp, the first farmed fish in Europe, and
the knowledge they gained spread around mediaeval Europe and was
transferred to the marine environment.
Many of the most important developments and research in the sector since
have taken place in Europe, or in collaboration with European institutions.
For example, artificial fertilisation of trout eggs first happened here (1739),
and the first aquaculture research centre in the world was built in 1852 at
Huningue, France.
Following the ‘Green Revolution’ of the 1940s, 50s and 60s, a time when
agricultural production increased hugely through the use of improved
seeds, fertilisers and pesticides, aquaculture also experienced a massive
boost. Over these few decades, scientists managed to realise the full
domestication and enhancement of species such as salmon, sea bass and
sea bream, so increasing production rates to industrial market levels.
Broadly speaking, aquaculture in Europe currently falls into the
following categories:
• Farming of shellfish such as oysters, mussels and clams, in natural
conditions with little human interference
• Extensive farming of fish, such as carp and cyprinids in freshwater ponds,
levees and estuaries
• Intensive farming of fish such as trout, salmon, sea bass and sea bream
in marine cages along the coastline
• Intensive farming of freshwater fish such as trout on land in specially
constructed raceway systems using water diverted from a natural source,
or recirculated, treated water
• Extensive farming of seaweed in natural conditions with little human
interference.
European aquaculture is also a leader in research and development of new
products, species and production techniques.
©Edosaodaro|dreamstime.com

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BACKGROUND
INFORMATION
Carp
The carp was introduced into
Europe at the time of the
Romans. At that time, the effort
to set aside the finest specimens
for reproduction led to a genetic
selection that has given us the
robust, fleshy, long-lived fish
that we know today, including
those in the wild.
Trout
Rainbow trout is the leading
freshwater cultured species
in Europe. Its hardiness and
fast growth quickly proved
particularly well adapted to
aquaculture. Rainbow trout
are farmed today in nearly all
European countries, especially
in coastal countries with a
temperate climate.
Pacific oyster
The Pacific cupped oyster was
introduced into Europe in the
1970s. With its fast growth and
adaptability to different settings,
the Pacific cupped oyster is now
the most widely reared oyster
worldwide, including in Europe.
Seabass
Living close to shores and
estuaries rich in micro-
organisms, the European
seabass has long been reared in
traditional aquaculture. In the
1960s the growing scarcity of
young fish and the example of
salmon farming in northern
Europe led Mediterranean
scientists to develop an intensive
rearing process.
Gilthead seabream
Gilthead seabream, whose
name refers to a golden band
on its head, has become one of
European aquaculture’s main
fish species. Gilthead seabream
are consumed in ‘portions’ and
can be marketed in different
sizes. They usually weigh
between 400 and 600 g and are
sold fresh or whole.
Atlantic salmon
The farming of Atlantic salmon
dates back to the 19th century,
when hatchery techniques
were developed in the United
Kingdom. Most modern
companies handle salmon
from the egg to slaughter. The
product is then delivered to
processing companies, which
market it fresh, cut up, or in
smoked slices.
Sturgeon
Siberian sturgeon is now farmed
in many European countries
such as France, Belgium, Italy,
and Germany. The number of
farms is growing as operators
aim to produce caviar, a highly
lucrative luxury product.
Siberian sturgeons can be
reared in raceways, circular
tanks, ponds or cages. They are
carnivorous and are fed pellets.
Blue mussels and
Mediterranean mussels
Mussel farming has developed
all over the species’ liveable
range – the entire European
coastal area. The different
rearing techniques were
perfected at the end of the 19th
century, when mussel farming
was developed to provide a
source of low-cost protein.
Some European aquaculture species

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05
USEFUL
RESOURCES
Acipenser baerii
Is farmed fish really as
healthy as wild fish?
EU legislation sets strict rules,
including maximum levels for
contaminants, to ensure that
our food is safe. These limits are
the same for both farmed and
wild fish whilst a strict system
of official controls ensures that
only healthy food arrives on our
tables whether it stems from
the EU or from abroad.
Questions directly to the fish farmer
• How did you become involved in aquaculture ?
• Have you always been interested in seafood?
• Do you enjoy your work?
• How did you get to work in a fish farm?
• Do you eat fish at home?
• Where do you buy it?
• What exactly do you do / What are your responsibilities?
• What is the thing you like most about aquaculture?
About the fish and processes
• How do you grow fish/shellfish? What do they need?
• Which species do you farm? Why those? Why not others?
• How do you take care of them along their life cycle?
• How do you slaughter them?
• What do you feed them with?
• Where do you get eggs or fry from?
• Do you use antibiotics?
• How can aquaculture help with sustainability?
• How do you deal with natural predators? Have you had
any problems with poachers?
• Do you cultivate anything other than fish?
About the farm
• Is your fish farm sustainable?
• What do you do to make it more sustainable?
• Why do some people say fish farms are not
sustainable?
• Is it profitable?
• What are the economic risks?
• How does your farm contribute to the local community?
• What is a day at the fish farm like?
• How long has the farm been active for?
• Is it a family business?
• What are the environmental impacts of aquaculture on
our local area?
• Do you process any products at the farm?
• How could you use by-products and/or recycle waste?
• Is there any scope to integrate the functions of the
farm with other things, like growing vegetables, or
algae, for example?
• Do you invest in research and development?
• How do you count fish?
Aquaculture and us
• How could we start a career in aquaculture?
• Could you recommend a delicious recipe with an
aquaculture product?
• Does aquaculture have anything to do with home
aquariums?
Question suggestions
For more questions and answers visit the
Farmed in the EU website

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USEFUL
RESOURCES
Psetta maximus
Web links
European Commission
Farmed in the EU
http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/inseparable/en/farmed-eu
http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/cfp/aquaculture/index_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/cfp/aquaculture/aquaculture_methods/index_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/cfp/aquaculture/species/index_en.htm
https://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/inseparable/sites/inseparable/files/infographics_AQC_final.pdf
FAO
http://www.fao.org/fishery/aquaculture/en
European and National Aquaculture Associations
FEAP
http://www.feap.info/
Members FEAP
http://www.feap.info/Default.asp?SHORTCUT=578
EMPA
http://www.bivalife.eu/Collaborative-european-project-BIVALIFE/Bivalife-Consortium/List-of-partners/EMPA
http://www.cnc-france.com/L-Organisation-professionnelle-europeenne.aspx
EATIP
http://www.eatip.eu/
Members of EATIP
http://www.eatip.eu/default.asp?SHORTCUT=285