The European Commission has launched a new EU-wide campaign aimed at raising awareness and support for aquaculture, the farming of fish, shellfish, and algae. The campaign, titled “EU aquaculture. We work for you with passion,” will run for the next three months and focuses on promoting sustainable aquaculture practices and the economic benefits of increasing production within the EU.
The initiative, developed in collaboration with EU Member States and the Aquaculture Advisory Council, will highlight the dedication of EU producers to providing high-quality, sustainable products. It aims to reduce the EU’s reliance on imported seafood and support local economies.
The campaign will feature nine species, including mussels, trout, clams, oysters, and salmon, through educational content, videos, and a road trip showcasing aquaculture sites across the EU. The goal is to offer an immersive experience for the public, showing how aquaculture works from farm to plate.
The launch event, scheduled for 25 March, 2025, will be hosted by Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis in Brussels. It will be attended by EU officials, including Maria Panayiotou, Cyprus’ Minister of Agriculture, and Jacek Czerniak, Poland’s State Secretary for Agriculture. The event will be livestreamed from 10:00 to 12:30 CET.
The EU’s aquaculture production has remained stagnant since 2018, with key challenges including limited social acceptance of new sites and insufficient awareness of the sector’s importance. The campaign aims to address these issues by highlighting the role of aquaculture producers in sustainable food production and local communities.
