Summary of mariculture production in countries neighbouring the European Union

Introduction

The other papers prepared for this volume have reviewed aspects of production, regulation and monitoring of mariculture in EU countries. The coastal seas in which these farms are located contain mariculture enterprises in non-EU countries. The mariculture industries in the EU countries compete within a market that is also supplied from non-EU European countries. It is therefore necessary, for both environmental and socio-economic reasons, to be aware of mariculture activity in countries neighbouring the EU. It is outside the scope of MARAQUA to compile reviews of mariculture for these countries in the same detail as those prepared for the EU countries. However, a brief review is presented of production levels and trends in those countries neighbouring the EU which were not represented at the first MARAQUA Workshop so that some perspective can be gained of the relative significance of production in these countries.

The information for this survey was obtained from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations database FISHSTAT Plus. The production (metric tons) in marine and brackish water of cultivated fish and shellfish in the countries neighbouring the EU for the years 1984–97 is summarized in Tables 1–6 with the scientific names given in Appendix 1. The annual production figures in italics represent estimates made by the FAO, and those < 0.5 t are considered negligible by the FAO. A blank space refers to unknown values and a value of 0 represents no production in the relevant year.

Table 1. Annual fish production (tonnes) in marine and brackish water from countries on the north African coast of the Mediterrean and Malta 1984–1997 (Fishstat Plus, UN FAO database)

Table 2. Annual shellfish production (tonnes) in marines and brackish water from countries on the north African coast of the Mediterranean and Malta 1984–1997 (Fishstat Plus, UN FAO database)

Table 3. Annual fish production (tonnes) in marine and brackish water from countries bordering the eastern Adriatic Sea 1984–1997 (Fishstat Plus, UN FAO database)

Table 4. Annual shellfish production (tonnes) in marine and brackish water from countries bordering the eastern Adriatic Sea 1984–1997 (Fishstat Plus, UN FAO database)

Table 5. Annual fish production (tonnes) in marine and brackish water from countries bordering the eastern Mediterranean Sea 1984–1997 (Fishstat Plus, UN FAO database)

Table 6. Annual shellfish production (tonnes) in marine and brackish water from countries bordering the eastern Mediterranean Sea 1984–1997 (Fishstat Plus, UN FAO database)

Table Appendix 1. Glossary of names in Tables 1–6

For presentational purposes (Fig. 1, fish and Fig. 2, shellfish), the countries have also been grouped geographically as described below:

Belarus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Macedonia and Slovakia have no coastlines and therefore no marine or brackish water aquaculture.

Fish

The fish production for the geographical areas shows a trend towards increasing production in countries bordering the Eastern Mediterranean and along the North African Coast (including Malta). In the Eastern Mediterranean, the increased production can mainly be attributed to the cultivation of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) and sea bass (Dicentrarchus sp.) in Turkey (78% of the 1997 production). There has also been increases in the production of gilthead sea bream in Cyprus and in Israel (4.4 and 3.6% of the 1997 annual production, respectively). The cultivation of three species (European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax; flathead grey mullet, Mugil cephalus and gilthead sea bream) in brackish water in Egypt have accounted for approximately 70% of the production in countries with North African coastlines (including Malta) in 1997. The production of these three species has increased over the 3 years for which data are available (1995–97). The marine cultivation of European sea bass and gilthead sea bream in Malta has also increased, reaching 6 and 9%, respectively, ofthe total fish production for this region in 1997. The production in the Eastern Adriatic can be mainly (73% in 1997) attributed to the marine cultivation of sea bass in Croatia (1992 onwards). There is no indication of increasing production of any of the fish species in countries with coastlines on the Eastern Adriatic Sea.

Shellfish

There was no production of shellfish in countries bordering the Eastern Mediterranean Sea prior to 1993. From 1993 to 1997, the increasing production of the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprevincialis) in Turkey has accounted for 80–98% of the total shellfish production in this area. The production of shellfish in countries with coastlines in North Africa and including Malta has varied only slightly between 1984 and 1997. The highest production in this area is the brackish-water cultivation of the Pacific cupped oyster (Crassostrea gigas) which has increased to account for 63% of the total production in 1997. The cultivation of the Mediterranean mussel in Algeria and Tunisia together account for 19% of the production in 1997. In the countries bordering the Eastern Adriatic, the decrease in production between 1990 and 1991 is due to the reduction in the brackish water cultivation of the Mediterranean mussel in Albania. From 1992 onwards, the production in this area came from the brackish water cultivation of the Mediterranean mussel in Albania and Croatia.

Authors' addresses: G. K. Rodger, Rodger Environmental, 1 Oyne Road, Aberdeen, UK. E-mail: [email protected] I. M. Davies (for correspondence), Fisheries Research Services, Marine Laboratory, Victoria Road, Aberdeen, AB11 9DB, UK. E-mail:[email protected]