2021-03-15
SUTHERLAND - The European Union pledged around 2.9 billion euro between 2001 and 2020 to support the development of aquaculture. Based on the Food and Agriculture Organisation's strong support for fish farming, European institutions plan to develop aquaculture in member states, in order to decrease imports of fish products, to produce food in a more sustainable way and to reduce overfishing and meat consumption.
Scotland and the Mediterranean countries have been at the centre of the growth of this industry, with salmon, sea bream and sea bass productions. The EU gave money to these industries, but so far -after 20 years- has failed to provide clear rules on sustainability. This lack of regulation allowed member states to support the industries without necessarily asking them to respect strict environmental standards.
The result is that all the countries where aquaculture has grown in recent years are now suffering similar environmental problems where the sea farms are based, especially with pollution, use of chemicals and damage to wildlife. That's why different communities and campaign groups are now fighting against projects to expand or set up new farms in Scotland, Greece and Italy.
Supported
A grant of €9,000 was allocated on 09/08/2020ID
ECB/2020/JA3A/611ONLINE:
- Fish farms: £10m handouts, £900m profits and 300,000 tonnes of pollution - The Ferret, 14/03/2021;
- Viaggio negli allevamenti di pesce : ecco dove nascono spigole e orate «made in Italy» (tra fondi pubblici e dubbi sulla sostenibilità ambientale) - Corriere.it, 14/03/2021;
- Fondi pubblici agli allevamenti di pesce, ma è davvero un sistema sostenibile per produrre cibo? - One Earth, 14/03/2021;
- Government salmon farm research ‘excluded environmental impact’ - The Ferret, 16/03/2021;
- Revealed: 16 toxic chemicals fish farmers are allowed to use - The Ferret, 17/03/2021;
- Fish farms in Mediterranean ‘paradise’ blamed for pollution - The Ferret, 18/03/2021;
- Fondi pubblici, antibiotici, formaldeide: quanto costa un salmone (di F. De Augustinis) - HuffPost, 19/03/2021;
- Fondi pubblici, antibiotici, formaldeide: il costo “invisibile” del salmone - One Earth, 19/03/2021;
- Fish farms in Mediterranean ‘paradise’ blamed for pollution - One Earth, 22/03/2021;
- Troubled waters: communities at odds on fish farming - The Ferret, 18/07/2021
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