Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Eurostat, Statistical Office of the European Union
1.2. Contact organisation unit
E1: Agriculture and fisheries
1.3. Contact name
Restricted from publication
1.4. Contact person function
Restricted from publication
1.5. Contact mail address
5 rue Alphonse Weicker
2920 Luxembourg LUXEMBOURG
1.6. Contact email address
Restricted from publication
1.7. Contact phone number
Restricted from publication
1.8. Contact fax number
Restricted from publication
2.1. Metadata last certified
17 June 2024
2.2. Metadata last posted
17 June 2024
2.3. Metadata last update
17 June 2024
3.1. Data description
Aquaculture, also commonly known as aquafarming, encompasses the cultivation of various aquatic organisms - including fish, molluscs, crustaceans, and algae - in both freshwater and marine environments. These organisms are produced for human utilization and consumption through controlled breeding, rearing, and harvesting methods. Aquaculture involves deliberate intervention in the organisms' natural life cycles to optimize production. Such interventions may include systematic stocking of young organisms, provision of specialized feeds, and implementation of measures to safeguard against predators. Additionally, aquaculture is characterised by the assertion of ownership or contractual management rights over the cultivated stock, whether by individuals or corporate entities. This degree of control and stewardship distinguishes aquaculture from traditional, open-water fisheries, as it allows for more precise manipulation of growth conditions to meet the increasing global demand for aquatic products.
European data on the quantity of aquaculture production, in tonnes live weight (TLW), have been recorded since 1950 [fish_aq_q]. Since 1984, data on the total value of the production in Thousand Euro are also available [fish_aq_v]. With the entry into force of the new Regulation (EC) No 762/2008 on the submission of aquaculture statistics aquaculture production data are collected and disseminated annually in 5 tables:
Aquaculture production at first sale for human consumption (excluding hatcheries and nurseries) by species, by FAO major area, by cultivation method, by aquatic environment in TLW (tonnes live weight), in Euro and Euro/TLW (fish_aq2a:).
Production of fish eggs (roe) at first sale by species, by FAO major area, by aquatic environment in TLW, Euro and Euro/TLW (fish_aq2b).
Input to capture-based aquaculture, i.e. wild seed, by species in TLW, Euro and Euro/TLW (fish_aq3).
Production of fertilised eggs at first sale for further on-growing or release to the wild by species in Millions (fish_aq4a).
Production of juveniles at first sale for further on-growing or release to the wild by species in Millions (fish_aq4b).
According to Regulation (EC) No 762/2008, aquaculture production means the output from aquaculture at first sale. Non-commercial aquaculture is thus not accounted for. Moreover, aquaculture production of aquarium and ornamental species is excluded as well as production for industrial, functional or research purposes.
Every three years, these data are complemented by data on the structure of the aquaculture sector by species group, FAO major area, production method, aquatic environment in hectares, 1000 cubic metres or metres (fish_aq5).
Data are submitted by all Member States of the European Economic Area (EU Member States and EFTA countries) by the 31st of December for the preceding year. They are compiled by the respective competent authorities of the Member States, usually either the National Statistical Institute or the Ministry of Agriculture. EEA Member States do also provide, every three years data on the structure of the aquaculture sector and annual methodological reports of the national systems for aquaculture statistics with details on the respective national data collection and data quality.
3.2. Classification system
The following variables are recorded with regard to aquaculture production:
Reference Year [TIME]
Reporting country[GEO] identified by ISO 3166-1 code.
Species [SPECIES] identified by its English and scientific name and a 3-alpha code. The 3-alpha identifier is a unique code made of three letters that is widely used for the exchange of data with national correspondents and among fishery agencies. The full list of these codes together with the English, French, Spanish and Scientific names may be found in the ASFIS file on the FAO website. The species are aggregated into species groups following the ISSCAAP classification ('International Standard Statistical Classification for Aquatic Animals and Plants') which divides commercial species into 50 groups on the basis of their taxonomic, ecological and economic characteristics. The ISSCAAP groups range from 1 Freshwater fishes to 9 Aquatic plants with further subdivision from 11 Carps, barbels and other cyprinids to 94 Miscellaneous aquatic plants. At Eurostat, these species groups are identified by the codes F10 to F94, and have been complemented by F00 (total of all species), F01, F08, F04, F07 and F02 (see Annex).
Production method [AQUAMETH] - The production methods used in the tables are listed and defined in Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 762/2008. They include ponds, tanks and raceways, enclosures and pens, cages and recirculation systems. For molluscs, on-bottom and off-bottom systems may also be reported.
Production area [ FISHREG] - For statistical purposes, 27 major fishing areas have been internationally established, the so called FAO Major Fishing Areas, comprising 8 inland areas and 19 marine fishing areas. European aquaculture production is recorded in the areas 27 'Northeast Atlantic', 37 'Mediterranean and Black Sea', 34 'Atlantic, Eastern Central and' 5 'European inland waters'. A tiny production is also recorded for area 1 'African inland waters' for the Canarian Islands. The production areas 10 'Marine areas' (including area 27 and 37), 9 'Total inland waters' (including areas 5 and 1) and 0 'Total all production areas' (27 + 37 + 5 + 1) are aggregates built on the existing areas.
Aquatic environment [AQUAENV] - The aquatic environment distinguishes the water types fresh water (FRW), sea water (SEA) and brackish water (BRK). From 2013, the distinction of brackish water has been abolished. Brackish and sea water are henceforth recorded as salt water (SBW).
NACE Rev. 2 classification: 03.2 - Aquaculture. The data cover the aquaculture sector from the point of view of farm-gate production accounted at first sale. Thus, production for own consumption is not reported, nor eggs and hatchlings produced for on-growing on the same farm without selling. Since the reference year 2016 aquatic plants, are included regardless of their final use.
Species [SPECIES] - FAO maintains the ASFIS List of Species for Fishery Statistics Purposes. Using this list, all species are identified by an internationally assigned three letter code (e.g. SAL = Atlantic salmon). In some cases, a species group n.e.i. (not elsewhere identified) is used to aggregate certain species. Systematic aggregates are build using the ISSCAAP classification (see classification systems).
Aquatic environment [AQUAENV] - Three aquatic environments are distinguished:
"Freshwater" (FRW) applying to waters of rivers, streams, lakes, ponds and other enclosures where the water has a constant negligible salinity.
"Sea water" (SEA), also referred to as salt water, applying to waters where the salinity is high and not subject to significant variation. The term "sea water" may be inappropriate as the salinity may be of artificial origin.
"Brackish water" (BRK) applying to waters where the salinity is appreciable but not at a constant high level. The salinity may be subject to considerable variation due to the influx of fresh or sea waters.
For the more recent data, the production in Sea water (SEA) and Brackish water (BRK) have been added to the aggregate SBW - Sea and Brackich water.
Production area [FISHREG] - refers to the FAO Major Fishing Areas, comprising 8 inland areas and 19 marine fishing areas. Relevant for European aquaculture production data are:
27
Atlantic, Northeast
34
Atlantic, Eastern Central
37
Mediterranean and Black Sea
5
Inland waters, Europe
1
Inland waters, Africa
Production methods [AQUAMETH] - ‘Ponds’ means relatively shallow and usually small bodies of still water or water with a low refreshment rate, most frequently artificially formed, but can also apply to natural pools, tarns, meres or small lakes.
‘Tanks and raceways’ means artificial units constructed above or below ground level capable of high rates of water interchange or with a high water turnover rate and highly controlled environment but without water recirculation.
‘Enclosures and pens’ means areas of water confined by nets, mesh and other barriers allowing uncontrolled water interchange and distinguished by the fact that enclosures occupy the full water column between substrate and surface; pens and enclosures generally enclose a relatively large volume of water.
‘Cages’ means open or covered enclosed structures constructed with net, mesh or any porous material allowing natural water interchange. These structures may be floating, suspended or fixed to the substrate but still permitting water interchange from below.
‘Recirculation systems’ means systems where the water is reused after some form of treatment (e.g. filtering).
Intended use [DEST] - This variable is recorded for the production of eggs and juveniles which are not intended for direct human consumption, but are either ‘Released to the wild’, meaning the intentional release for the restocking of rivers, lakes and other waters other than for aquaculture purposes. These releases may then be available for capture by fishing operations. Or: ‘Transferred to a controlled environment’, meaning the intentional release for further aquaculture practices. However, reporting of the intended use is voluntary and not always provided.
Unit [UNIT] - Data for the volume of the production are expressed in tonnes live weight [TLW] of the product. This weight includes all shells and bones. Data for the economic value of the production are expressed in Euro. An automatic conversion from National Currencies to the Euro is performed where applicable. The production of hatcheries and nurseries is reported in numbers and expressed in millions. Data on the structure of the aquaculture sector are expressed in thousand cubic metres, hectares or, optionally, 'metres rope length' according to the method.
3.5. Statistical unit
The basic statistical units are the production facilities of the aquaculture enterprises. Although these records are available to the national authorities, only the national aggregates are submitted to the international organisations and are made available in this database.
3.6. Statistical population
All active commercial aquaculture production facilities of EEA Member States. "Active" means that a facility has been used for aquaculture production any time during the reference year. "Commercial" means that off-farm aquaculture products have been sold.
3.7. Reference area
Regulation (EC) No 762/2008 on the submission of aquaculture statistics has EEA relevance, thus the EU Member States plus Norway and Iceland are obliged to report their aquaculture production. However, Luxembourg has no commercial aquaculture production. In addition, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey submit data to Eurostat.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Data for the volume of the production are available from 1950 onwards, data for its economic value from 1984 onwards.
Since 2008 the aquaculture production of hatcheries and nurseries (eggs and juveniles), the input to capture based aquaculture and data on the structure of the aquaculture sector are recorded.
The deadline for national data submissions to Eurostat is the 31st of Decembre (N+1) following the reference year (N). Data are collected and disseminated annually except in the case of data on the structure of the aquaculture sector, which are due every three years (for reference years 2008, 2011, 2014 etc.). For the years 2008-2011 a number of countries were derogated from complying fully with Regulation (EC) No 762/2008 and did provide no data or only aggregate data.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
- The production volume is expressed in tonnes live weight [TLW] of the product. This weight includes all shells and bones. It is meant as wet weight for aquatic plants.
- Prices are reported as average price per unit in the national currency [NAC_T/TLW] and converted to [EUR/TLW]. Average prices are built either for a certain species and cultivation method, or only by species.
- The economic value of the production in [EUR] is calculated by multiplying the mean price with the quantity produced.
- The production of hatcheries and nurseries (excluding non-fertilized eggs for consumption) is reported in numbers and expressed in millions. Until the reference year 2012, a few countries measured the production of eggs and juveniles in weight instead of numbers at first sale and converted into numbers using an approximate conversion factor.
- The input to capture-based aquaculture is reported in tonnes live weight [TLW]. A few countries, like Denmark, measure eggs from the wild in numbers and convert to weight.
- Data on the structure of the aquaculture sector are expressed in thousand cubic metres [1000 m3], hectares [ha] or 'metres rope length' [m] according to the method.
Calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Regulation (EC) No 762/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008, on the submission by Member States of statistics on aquaculture and repealing Council Regulation (EC) 788/96.
These legislative acts are EEA relevant: that is, they apply to EU Member States and EFTA countries except Switzerland. In fisheries context this means that they apply to the EU27, Iceland and Norway.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Under the Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics common concepts and definitions are elaborated. Subsequently, Eurostat uses and maintains common fisheries and aquaculture code lists for the species and production areas with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164) stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Data which are confidential (Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics) are not disseminated by Eurostat. In the Eurostat database these values are marked with C-flag. All aggregates, both national and EU-level, containing these figures are also confidential.
To make at least some national aggregates available to data users, despite underlying confidential data which may not be disclosed, from the reference year 2014, countries have been asked to report non-confidential national aggregates on a voluntary basis. These non-confidential totals are then disseminated by Eurostat.
In addition, details on the production method, which would introduce confidentiality, may be hidden by declaring the production method as 'NSP' - 'not specified'.
From the reference year 2016, small confidential production volumes may be hidden by declaring them as 'not significant' (flag 'n').
8.1. Release calendar
The deadline for national data submissions to Eurostat is the 31st of Decembre (N+1) following the reference year (N).
The release calendar for agriculture and fisheries data foresees the dissemination of aquaculture statistics by mid-February for all data of good quality received on time.
New data are collected and disseminated annually except in the case of data on the structure of the aquaculture sector which are due every three years. Nevertheless, due to the lack of quality, the data on structure of the aquaculture sector was never published.
Methodological reports on aquaculture data are provided annually by the EEA Member States. Every three years (2017, 2020, 2023, ...) an evaluation report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council is provided based on Article 11 of regulation (EC) 762/2008. The latest report was published in 2023. The previous report was published in 2020.
11.1. Quality assurance
At the national level, quality checks are performed before submitting data to Eurostat. These are described in the national quality reports.
At Eurostat, the following data checks are performed before publishing any data:
Existence of codes (against dictionaries);
Duplicate records;
Missing data;
Comparability of data with previous years (outlier detection);
Species being reported for the first time by a country;
Sensible combinations of species, environment and production method.
Any doubts are clarified with the national data provider. If necessary, data revisions are carried out anytime during the year.
The majority of data providers report comprehensive coverage of the industry and good data quality. During the first 2-3 years of data being collected in compliance with the new Regulation (EC) 762/2008 (2008-2010) a few countries highlighted specific issues with data quality, in particular with regard to the production of hatcheries and nurseries and the size of aquaculture facilities, but also capture-based input to aquaculture. However, continuous improvements have been made.
Overall at the aggregate level the consistency of data between years appears to be good. However, at the more detailed level of species by production method, inconsistencies are frequently found, in particular for the first years of Regulation (EC) 762/2008. Data on the production of fish eggs for human consumption (fish roe and caviar production) are missing in some cases where there is anecdotal evidence that such production exists. Prices are often unavailable for wild seed (capture based input to aquaculture). The publication of data on the size of facilities has temporarily been suspended due to several shortcomings.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Aquaculture statistics are widely used by various data users. They form the basis for other data collections, and in particular for data on freshwater aquaculture, where no other EU-level dataset is collected and published.
The data collected under Regulation (EC) No 762/2008 are essential for informed, evidence-based policymaking at both national and EU level. The data on production levels and trends are important for analysing the development of the aquaculture sector as part of the common fisheries policy. Quantitative data are central in shaping the Member States’ multiannual national plans for sustainable aquaculture. They provide policymakers and industry with solid foundations on which to build the sector’s future. Moreover, the data are an important source for other organisations’ publications and services. For example, the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products uses European statistics on aquaculture to compile its structural analysis of the European fisheries and aquaculture industry. The World Trade Organization also uses European statistics on aquaculture for its trade-policy review.
Main users of the data are other Directorates General of the European Commission, mainly DG MARE and the Joint Research Centre (JRC). In the frame of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), European aquaculture statistics are used by DG MARE to assess the development of the European aquaculture sector and contribute to the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA). Data of hatcheries and nurseries, and on the size of facilities, shall help forecast future production. Data on the capture-based input to aquaculture may hint to impacts on wild aquatic populations.
FAO and OECD use European aquaculture production data published by Eurostat to complement own data. The World Trade Organisation uses the data for its trade policy review.
European aquaculture statistics are also used by national administrations, national statistical institutes (NSIs) and research institutes, besides the press and the public in general.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Eurostat is in continuous dialogue with DG MARE, JRC, FAO, OECD and other data users to ensure that the data are fulfilling the main user needs.
12.3. Completeness
The main aquaculture dataset (production from aquaculture) was relatively complete. It has become more complete over time. However, valid unit prices and some species are missing from some countries. In general, unit prices posed difficulties for all aquaculture-production datasets. This is mainly linked to confidentiality values and to the different methodologies applied by the reporting countries, which often report estimated values.
Data on the production of fish eggs for human consumption (roe and caviar production, fish_aq2b) are missing in some cases where there is anecdotal evidence that such production exists. Completeness of this dataset is also hampered by some methodological issues encountered in the countries.
Data on the input to capture-based aquaculture (fish_aq3) frequently lack unit prices. This is because the data set assembles data on seed fish collected from the wild. Aquaculture facilities that catch seed fish themselves instead of buying it, often find it difficult to estimate a price.
Some data gaps are also found for the production from hatcheries and nurseries (fish_aq4a and fish_aq4b). This is often due to a volatile production of species for which production volumes are very low.
The dataset on the structure of the aquaculture sector is collected every 3 years but it has comparability issues. For this reason, the dataset has not yet been published.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Data on aquaculture production are collected through census by majority of countries. Exceptions are Czechia, Slovenia and Iceland, which collect the data using only administrative sources while 8 countries use both approaches simultaneously). There are 4 countries that complement census or administrative sources with expert estimates. Two countries, Spain and Germany that complement census or administrative sources with sample surveys for a parts of their aquaculture production.
The census with complete coverage in almost all countries and a reportedly low non-response rate (except in a few cases) suggest that the accuracy of the main aquaculture production volume is fairly high. It needs to be acknowledged though that the quality and completeness of data depend strongly on the goodwill of the industry.
The economic value is provided as a national average price per tonne and sometimes estimated based on the general market price. These prices show a large variation from year to year and from country to country.
A few Member States (e.g. AT) report a collection of data on the level of the enterprises rather than the single production units. Details of the production environment (water) and method are then derived from splitting the overall production of the enterprise in proportion to the size of production units.
As regards the production of hatcheries and nurseries at first sale, the accuracy is lower due to the rather broad definition of "juveniles" and the use of weight to number conversion factors by some countries (e.g. DK and IS) during the first years.
It is important to note that "production" in the sense of regulation (EC) 762/2008 refers to the volume and value at first sale, which is only a proxy for real production, excluding for example any state owned production for restocking of lakes and rivers (as long as not sold to anyone) or production for own consumption.
In cases where individual data of a country are confidential, the total production is provided by the country on a voluntary basis. These totals may be rounded and thus differ slightly from the sum of detailed data. In rare cases, the total may be larger than the sum of details where small confidential quantities has been omitted from the detailed data such as not to introduce confidential cells
13.2. Sampling error
Sample surveys are only used in Germany to estimate unit prices and in Spain to estimate the quantity and value of mussel production in Galicia. The coefficient of variation for the sampling error ranged between 1.3 and 8.7% for the different data sets in Germany.
13.3. Non-sampling error
The bias introduced due to non-response is judged non-existent or insignificant by almost all countries, although non-response was indicated to be the main factor lowering the accuracy. For the reference year 2022, only Portugal, France and Ireland indicated high non-response rates of >15% for the main aquaculture production data set. Most countries having issues with missing values, impute all or some of these values, most often based on the same unit in the time series, but also based on other similar units.
Coverage errors are neglectable. Some very small enterprises are excluded in Austria.
Misclassification errors of species or methods are reported to be rare and have little impact on the data. However, Iceland reports misclassification errors for the size of facilities.
14.1. Timeliness
The deadline for submitting aquaculture data to Eurostat is 12 months after the end of the reference year.
14.2. Punctuality
Most Member States have met the data-submission deadlines in recent years. The compliance assessment for the aquaculture statistics for the reference years 2020 and 2021 has been compared with that of previous years. Compared with the data collection for the 2019 reference year, the level of punctuality slightly improved in 2020 and 2021. However, some countries are still delivering quality reports after the deadline.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
As regards the statistical process geographical comparability is given. With regard to the data: For many species, the price per unit of production shows a large variation from year to year and from country to country. Moreover, countries tend to focus their aquaculture production on a few main species each, although about 130 different species were farmed in aquaculture in 2022 in the EEA. This makes it rather difficult to compare production data between countries.
In October 2018, Eurostat published a Handbook for aquaculture statistics, which has further improved the consistency – and therefore the comparability – of the data between countries. Eurostat is considering the possibility of further updating the handbook but needs to carefully evaluate the cost/benefit ratio of this action as the new legislation will most probably require the complete redrafting of the handbook.
15.2. Comparability - over time
The length of the time series – and therefore comparability over time – varies between the countries. On geographical comparability, for some countries, the time series go back to 1970, while other countries started only in 2011. However, for the period covered by this report, data are comparable over time.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Not available.
15.4. Coherence - internal
The aquaculture production statistics are based on concepts and definitions laid down by the Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics (CWP) and are therefore coherent with FAO and other international aquaculture statistics.
The ESS carried out a cost analysis of European statistical products. Cost estimates for aquaculture statistics were received from 26 Member States. The average annual cost of national data collection in 2022 was approximately EUR 103 487 per year per country, or an average of 0.03 % of the total value of aquaculture production.
The vast majority of countries cover also national needs as well as reports requested by FAO, OECD and GFCM with the aquaculture data collected under Regulation (EC) No 762/2008.
All reported errors (once validated) result in corrections of the disseminated data.
Reported errors are corrected in the disseminated data as soon as the correct data have been validated.
Data may be published even if they are missing or flagged as provisional or of low reliability for certain countries. They are replaced with final data once transmitted and validated.
Whenever new data are provided and validated, the already disseminated data are updated.
18.1. Source data
Data on the weight and economic value of aquaculture production are submitted by the national authorities under the terms of Regulation (EC) no 762/2008 on the submission by Member States of statistics on aquaculture production. This regulation applies to Member States of the European Economic Area (EEA). In the fisheries context this means that they apply to the EU Member States, Iceland and Norway. (However, Luxembourg has no commercial aquaculture production.) In addition, data are received from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey.
In Table 1 the organizations responsible for transmitting data on aquaculture statistics are listed for each of the concerned Member States.
Table 1: National institutions responsible for transmitting data on aquaculture statistics
Country
Responsible Organization
Austria
Statistics Austria
Belgium
Statistics Belgium
Bulgaria
Executive Agency of Fisheries and Aquaculture (EAFA)
Croatia
Ministry of Agriculture, Directorate of Fisheries
Cyprus
Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment
Czechia
Czech Statistical Office
Denmark
Danish Fisheries Agency
Estonia
Statistics Estonia
Finland
Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
France
Ministry of Agriculture and Food
Germany
Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis)
Greece
Hellenic Statistical Authority
Hungary
Hungarian Central Statistical Office
Ireland
Central Statistics Office (CSO)
BIM the Irish Seafood Development Agency (BIM)
Italy
Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests
Latvia
Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Latvia
Lithuania
State enterprise Agricultural Data Center (ADC)
Malta
National Statistics Office
The Netherlands
Statistics Netherlands
Poland
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Portugal
Directorate General for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services
Romania
National Agency of Fisheries and Aquaculture
Slovakia
The Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic
Slovenia
Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia
Spain
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Sweden
Swedish Board of Agriculture
Iceland
Statistics Iceland
Norway
The Directorate of Fisheries
Albania
INSTAT, Institute of Statistics
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Montenegro
Statistical Office of Montenegro (MONSTAT)
North Macedonia
State Statistical Office MAKSTAT
Serbia
Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia
Turkey
Turkish Statistical Institute
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annual for production data, every three years for structural data.
18.3. Data collection
In the majority of Member States data are collected through complete census of registered aquaculture producers using annual postal or electronic questionnaires. The registration of aquaculture production businesses is a requirement of the EU animal health legislation [*]. Non response rates are reported to be low in most Member States and it is relatively simple for authorities to follow up data providers. Some Member States report making use of administrative information from industry sources. Collaboration between veterinary offices and fisheries departments in cross checking register details and returns occurs in a number of countries.
[*] Council Directive 2006/88/EC of 24 October 2006 on animal health requirements for aquaculture animals and products thereof, and on the prevention and control of certain diseases in aquatic animals (OJ L 328, 24 November 2006) and Commission Decision of 30 April 2008 implementing Council Directive 2006/88/EC as regards an Internet-based information page to make information on aquaculture production businesses and authorised processing establishments available by electronic means (OJ L 138, 28.5.2008, p. 12–20).
18.4. Data validation
Data are validated both at national and at European level. See 11.2 Quality assurance.
18.5. Data compilation
The data sent by the National Authorities are processed within Eurostat's internal production environment. EU aggregates are compiled automatically. No imputations of missing data are taking place.
Aquaculture, also commonly known as aquafarming, encompasses the cultivation of various aquatic organisms - including fish, molluscs, crustaceans, and algae - in both freshwater and marine environments. These organisms are produced for human utilization and consumption through controlled breeding, rearing, and harvesting methods. Aquaculture involves deliberate intervention in the organisms' natural life cycles to optimize production. Such interventions may include systematic stocking of young organisms, provision of specialized feeds, and implementation of measures to safeguard against predators. Additionally, aquaculture is characterised by the assertion of ownership or contractual management rights over the cultivated stock, whether by individuals or corporate entities. This degree of control and stewardship distinguishes aquaculture from traditional, open-water fisheries, as it allows for more precise manipulation of growth conditions to meet the increasing global demand for aquatic products.
European data on the quantity of aquaculture production, in tonnes live weight (TLW), have been recorded since 1950 [fish_aq_q]. Since 1984, data on the total value of the production in Thousand Euro are also available [fish_aq_v]. With the entry into force of the new Regulation (EC) No 762/2008 on the submission of aquaculture statistics aquaculture production data are collected and disseminated annually in 5 tables:
Aquaculture production at first sale for human consumption (excluding hatcheries and nurseries) by species, by FAO major area, by cultivation method, by aquatic environment in TLW (tonnes live weight), in Euro and Euro/TLW (fish_aq2a:).
Production of fish eggs (roe) at first sale by species, by FAO major area, by aquatic environment in TLW, Euro and Euro/TLW (fish_aq2b).
Input to capture-based aquaculture, i.e. wild seed, by species in TLW, Euro and Euro/TLW (fish_aq3).
Production of fertilised eggs at first sale for further on-growing or release to the wild by species in Millions (fish_aq4a).
Production of juveniles at first sale for further on-growing or release to the wild by species in Millions (fish_aq4b).
According to Regulation (EC) No 762/2008, aquaculture production means the output from aquaculture at first sale. Non-commercial aquaculture is thus not accounted for. Moreover, aquaculture production of aquarium and ornamental species is excluded as well as production for industrial, functional or research purposes.
Every three years, these data are complemented by data on the structure of the aquaculture sector by species group, FAO major area, production method, aquatic environment in hectares, 1000 cubic metres or metres (fish_aq5).
Data are submitted by all Member States of the European Economic Area (EU Member States and EFTA countries) by the 31st of December for the preceding year. They are compiled by the respective competent authorities of the Member States, usually either the National Statistical Institute or the Ministry of Agriculture. EEA Member States do also provide, every three years data on the structure of the aquaculture sector and annual methodological reports of the national systems for aquaculture statistics with details on the respective national data collection and data quality.
Species [SPECIES] - FAO maintains the ASFIS List of Species for Fishery Statistics Purposes. Using this list, all species are identified by an internationally assigned three letter code (e.g. SAL = Atlantic salmon). In some cases, a species group n.e.i. (not elsewhere identified) is used to aggregate certain species. Systematic aggregates are build using the ISSCAAP classification (see classification systems).
Aquatic environment [AQUAENV] - Three aquatic environments are distinguished:
"Freshwater" (FRW) applying to waters of rivers, streams, lakes, ponds and other enclosures where the water has a constant negligible salinity.
"Sea water" (SEA), also referred to as salt water, applying to waters where the salinity is high and not subject to significant variation. The term "sea water" may be inappropriate as the salinity may be of artificial origin.
"Brackish water" (BRK) applying to waters where the salinity is appreciable but not at a constant high level. The salinity may be subject to considerable variation due to the influx of fresh or sea waters.
For the more recent data, the production in Sea water (SEA) and Brackish water (BRK) have been added to the aggregate SBW - Sea and Brackich water.
Production area [FISHREG] - refers to the FAO Major Fishing Areas, comprising 8 inland areas and 19 marine fishing areas. Relevant for European aquaculture production data are:
27
Atlantic, Northeast
34
Atlantic, Eastern Central
37
Mediterranean and Black Sea
5
Inland waters, Europe
1
Inland waters, Africa
Production methods [AQUAMETH] - ‘Ponds’ means relatively shallow and usually small bodies of still water or water with a low refreshment rate, most frequently artificially formed, but can also apply to natural pools, tarns, meres or small lakes.
‘Tanks and raceways’ means artificial units constructed above or below ground level capable of high rates of water interchange or with a high water turnover rate and highly controlled environment but without water recirculation.
‘Enclosures and pens’ means areas of water confined by nets, mesh and other barriers allowing uncontrolled water interchange and distinguished by the fact that enclosures occupy the full water column between substrate and surface; pens and enclosures generally enclose a relatively large volume of water.
‘Cages’ means open or covered enclosed structures constructed with net, mesh or any porous material allowing natural water interchange. These structures may be floating, suspended or fixed to the substrate but still permitting water interchange from below.
‘Recirculation systems’ means systems where the water is reused after some form of treatment (e.g. filtering).
Intended use [DEST] - This variable is recorded for the production of eggs and juveniles which are not intended for direct human consumption, but are either ‘Released to the wild’, meaning the intentional release for the restocking of rivers, lakes and other waters other than for aquaculture purposes. These releases may then be available for capture by fishing operations. Or: ‘Transferred to a controlled environment’, meaning the intentional release for further aquaculture practices. However, reporting of the intended use is voluntary and not always provided.
Unit [UNIT] - Data for the volume of the production are expressed in tonnes live weight [TLW] of the product. This weight includes all shells and bones. Data for the economic value of the production are expressed in Euro. An automatic conversion from National Currencies to the Euro is performed where applicable. The production of hatcheries and nurseries is reported in numbers and expressed in millions. Data on the structure of the aquaculture sector are expressed in thousand cubic metres, hectares or, optionally, 'metres rope length' according to the method.
The basic statistical units are the production facilities of the aquaculture enterprises. Although these records are available to the national authorities, only the national aggregates are submitted to the international organisations and are made available in this database.
All active commercial aquaculture production facilities of EEA Member States. "Active" means that a facility has been used for aquaculture production any time during the reference year. "Commercial" means that off-farm aquaculture products have been sold.
Regulation (EC) No 762/2008 on the submission of aquaculture statistics has EEA relevance, thus the EU Member States plus Norway and Iceland are obliged to report their aquaculture production. However, Luxembourg has no commercial aquaculture production. In addition, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey submit data to Eurostat.
Calendar year.
Data on aquaculture production are collected through census by majority of countries. Exceptions are Czechia, Slovenia and Iceland, which collect the data using only administrative sources while 8 countries use both approaches simultaneously). There are 4 countries that complement census or administrative sources with expert estimates. Two countries, Spain and Germany that complement census or administrative sources with sample surveys for a parts of their aquaculture production.
The census with complete coverage in almost all countries and a reportedly low non-response rate (except in a few cases) suggest that the accuracy of the main aquaculture production volume is fairly high. It needs to be acknowledged though that the quality and completeness of data depend strongly on the goodwill of the industry.
The economic value is provided as a national average price per tonne and sometimes estimated based on the general market price. These prices show a large variation from year to year and from country to country.
A few Member States (e.g. AT) report a collection of data on the level of the enterprises rather than the single production units. Details of the production environment (water) and method are then derived from splitting the overall production of the enterprise in proportion to the size of production units.
As regards the production of hatcheries and nurseries at first sale, the accuracy is lower due to the rather broad definition of "juveniles" and the use of weight to number conversion factors by some countries (e.g. DK and IS) during the first years.
It is important to note that "production" in the sense of regulation (EC) 762/2008 refers to the volume and value at first sale, which is only a proxy for real production, excluding for example any state owned production for restocking of lakes and rivers (as long as not sold to anyone) or production for own consumption.
In cases where individual data of a country are confidential, the total production is provided by the country on a voluntary basis. These totals may be rounded and thus differ slightly from the sum of detailed data. In rare cases, the total may be larger than the sum of details where small confidential quantities has been omitted from the detailed data such as not to introduce confidential cells
- The production volume is expressed in tonnes live weight [TLW] of the product. This weight includes all shells and bones. It is meant as wet weight for aquatic plants.
- Prices are reported as average price per unit in the national currency [NAC_T/TLW] and converted to [EUR/TLW]. Average prices are built either for a certain species and cultivation method, or only by species.
- The economic value of the production in [EUR] is calculated by multiplying the mean price with the quantity produced.
- The production of hatcheries and nurseries (excluding non-fertilized eggs for consumption) is reported in numbers and expressed in millions. Until the reference year 2012, a few countries measured the production of eggs and juveniles in weight instead of numbers at first sale and converted into numbers using an approximate conversion factor.
- The input to capture-based aquaculture is reported in tonnes live weight [TLW]. A few countries, like Denmark, measure eggs from the wild in numbers and convert to weight.
- Data on the structure of the aquaculture sector are expressed in thousand cubic metres [1000 m3], hectares [ha] or 'metres rope length' [m] according to the method.
The data sent by the National Authorities are processed within Eurostat's internal production environment. EU aggregates are compiled automatically. No imputations of missing data are taking place.
Data on the weight and economic value of aquaculture production are submitted by the national authorities under the terms of Regulation (EC) no 762/2008 on the submission by Member States of statistics on aquaculture production. This regulation applies to Member States of the European Economic Area (EEA). In the fisheries context this means that they apply to the EU Member States, Iceland and Norway. (However, Luxembourg has no commercial aquaculture production.) In addition, data are received from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey.
In Table 1 the organizations responsible for transmitting data on aquaculture statistics are listed for each of the concerned Member States.
Table 1: National institutions responsible for transmitting data on aquaculture statistics
Country
Responsible Organization
Austria
Statistics Austria
Belgium
Statistics Belgium
Bulgaria
Executive Agency of Fisheries and Aquaculture (EAFA)
Croatia
Ministry of Agriculture, Directorate of Fisheries
Cyprus
Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment
Czechia
Czech Statistical Office
Denmark
Danish Fisheries Agency
Estonia
Statistics Estonia
Finland
Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
France
Ministry of Agriculture and Food
Germany
Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis)
Greece
Hellenic Statistical Authority
Hungary
Hungarian Central Statistical Office
Ireland
Central Statistics Office (CSO)
BIM the Irish Seafood Development Agency (BIM)
Italy
Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests
Latvia
Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Latvia
Lithuania
State enterprise Agricultural Data Center (ADC)
Malta
National Statistics Office
The Netherlands
Statistics Netherlands
Poland
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Portugal
Directorate General for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services
Romania
National Agency of Fisheries and Aquaculture
Slovakia
The Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic
Slovenia
Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia
Spain
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Sweden
Swedish Board of Agriculture
Iceland
Statistics Iceland
Norway
The Directorate of Fisheries
Albania
INSTAT, Institute of Statistics
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Montenegro
Statistical Office of Montenegro (MONSTAT)
North Macedonia
State Statistical Office MAKSTAT
Serbia
Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia
Turkey
Turkish Statistical Institute
New data are collected and disseminated annually except in the case of data on the structure of the aquaculture sector which are due every three years. Nevertheless, due to the lack of quality, the data on structure of the aquaculture sector was never published.
The deadline for submitting aquaculture data to Eurostat is 12 months after the end of the reference year.
As regards the statistical process geographical comparability is given. With regard to the data: For many species, the price per unit of production shows a large variation from year to year and from country to country. Moreover, countries tend to focus their aquaculture production on a few main species each, although about 130 different species were farmed in aquaculture in 2022 in the EEA. This makes it rather difficult to compare production data between countries.
In October 2018, Eurostat published a Handbook for aquaculture statistics, which has further improved the consistency – and therefore the comparability – of the data between countries. Eurostat is considering the possibility of further updating the handbook but needs to carefully evaluate the cost/benefit ratio of this action as the new legislation will most probably require the complete redrafting of the handbook.
The length of the time series – and therefore comparability over time – varies between the countries. On geographical comparability, for some countries, the time series go back to 1970, while other countries started only in 2011. However, for the period covered by this report, data are comparable over time.
