Does aquaculture pollute the environment? Facts vs. fiction
Regulations in the industry
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Aquaculture activities takes a substantial space
in some harbours. |
The legislative framework regulating the aquaculture sector is a mix of different
norms (For further information about the European norm see Primary
Acts) that can be divided into:
- Norms regulating the management and development of aquaculture activities
- Norms aimed at the protection of the environment
- Norms aimed at ensuring that consumers buy healthy products (consideration
throughout the whole chain of the "product", from the early stages of the
life cycle on the farm to its presentation on the market, hygienic and healthy
fish processing is guaranteed).
The first set of norms comprises all those included in the Common Fisheries
Policy (CFP)(A Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) for all the European countries
was already discussed in 1957 during the so-called Rome Treaty. CFP underwent
a thorough revision in 2002.). These norms regulate the management and the development
of the aquaculture sector. Examples of such norms, in force since 1978, are
the promotion of the sector by means of specific subsides allocated for setting
up of farms or by funding the modernisation of outdated technologies (environmental
savings).
The second set of norms comprises those regulations aimed at reducing pollution. At European level, the responsible body for these matters is the Directorate General for Fisheries. Examples of norms of this type are measures that:
- Provide for the carrying out of studies for the evaluation of the environmental impact caused by the setting up of a new farms
- Establishing systematic controls during farming activities
It is important to stress that "Environmental protection" is a core element of legislation at every level.
The third set of norms comprises all those norms aimed at making sure that consumers buy a healthy product (hygiene and sanitary issues). At European level the responsible body for these matters is the Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General (DG Sanco).
Examples of norms of this type are measures that:
- Recommend, the adoption of the HACCP methodology (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) for the analysis of the production cycle
- Introduce the obligation to inform the consumer about the origin of the product - Traceability throughout the production chain).
The effective implementation of controls that are able to guarantee the safety of the production system and the quality of the final product is, today, one of the main concerns of the whole European industry.
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