Filenews 31 January 2025 - by George Angastiniotis
The successful aquaculture and aquaculture sector in Cyprus can become a reference point in the European Union, Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis said in a briefing to Cypriot journalists in Brussels.
During the briefing on the challenges and objectives of this portfolio, Mr. Kadis stressed that aquaculture is the fastest growing food production sector in the world, but in the European Union it has been stuck, for years, at 10% of consumption in terms of seafood products.
Despite this, he added, in the aquaculture sector, Cyprus has shown an increase of 3-5% in recent years, something that is highlighted in an effort to transfer the positive experiences of our island to the other member states.
Supporting European aquaculture and aquaculture while ensuring the sustainability of the seas is one of the five pillars set as a priority by the Commissioner.
Another pillar is the European Ocean Pact, on which a broad consultation has already begun and at the same time the call for structured views on the Ocean Pact has just been posted on the European Commission's website, the final version of which will go through the College of Commissioners and will then be presented at the major United Nations Ocean Summit to be held in Nice at the beginning of June.
The third objective is to evaluate and improve the common fisheries policy. The consultation is ongoing and by the end of the year corrective actions will be taken where and where it will become apparent that the relevant Regulation is lagging behind. The dialogue so far has already shown, for example, that there is a need for generational renewal, as no new fishermen enter the profession. It has also emerged that more targeted fishing methods that do not cause harm to the environment need to be made. The integration of women into the profession and safety on board vessels are also important parameters.
The fourth pillar concerns support for small-scale fishing and coastal communities, which also affects Cyprus. After all, 76% of EU fishing vessels account for this sector, which employs 50% of the fishing workforce. It is an emblematic sector that coincides with the history and culture of each country, while it is the fisheries sector that causes the least damage to the marine ecosystem.
The fifth challenge for the sector is to upgrade the insular dimension of the Common Fisheries Policy, hence the close cooperation of the Committee on Fisheries, the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Transport and Tourism, under the umbrella of the Vice-President for Cohesion, so that there is synergy and a positive impact on the ground.
