Greece is moving to accelerate investment in its aquaculture sector, approving 105 new projects worth €131 million Rural Development and Food Minister Margaritis Schinas said on Wednesday. Speaking at the opening of the 14th session of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Aquaculture (CAQ) of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), a regional fisheries body operating under the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, Schinas presented what he described as the administration’s vision for a more competitive, sustainable and resilient aquaculture industry.
The minister announced that 105 investment plans have been approved, with a combined budget of €131 million, including €87 million in public funding. According to Schinas, the original budget allocation was increased from €71 million to €78 million in order to support all aquaculture projects that received a positive evaluation. He described the funding package as one of the most significant investment interventions in the sector in recent years, aimed at modernizing production facilities, encouraging innovation, supporting digital transformation and strengthening the international competitiveness of Greek aquaculture.
The government’s goal, he said, is to achieve average annual production growth of 5% through the end of the decade.
Aquaculture and Europe’s Long-Term Challenges
Schinas, in his intervention, linked the future of aquaculture to broader challenges facing Europe over the coming decade, including food security, climate change, sustainable development and the protection of natural resources. “The question facing the Mediterranean today is how to produce more and better food without exhausting the natural resources on which production itself depends,” he said, arguing that the answer lies in cooperation, scientific research, innovation and a shared European and Mediterranean vision.
Aerial view of aquaculture fish farms in Sithonia, Greece.
Invoking the ancient Greek concept of the “golden mean,” Schinas suggested that the central challenge for policymakers was finding the right balance between economic growth, competitiveness and the protection of marine ecosystems. “Growth and sustainability are not opposing objectives, but part of the same solution,” he said.
Schinas said he had recently discussed the future of Mediterranean fisheries in Nicosia with Costas Kadis, the European commissioner responsible for fisheries and oceans, arguing that the next decade should be devoted to long-term planning for the region.
A Key Export Industry
The newly appointed Minister said Greece currently has around 285 marine fish farming units, more than 400 shellfish farming operations and 24 hatcheries. According to the government estimates the industry supports more than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs, while annual production approaches 141,000 metric tons. Approximately 80% of output is exported. “Greek fish has evolved into a true ambassador for our country,” Schinas said.
The comments come as Greece continues to wrestle with the future of its aquaculture sector. While the government has for years identified fish farming as a strategic industry for growth and exports, plans to expand the sector have triggered strong backlash in several coastal communities. Residents and local groups have raised concerns about the environmental and economic impact of large-scale aquaculture developments, particularly the expansion of POAY zones, which are designated areas for the organized development of fish farming. At the same time, industry representatives argue that progress has stalled because of delays in approving new aquaculture zones, despite repeated government commitments to support the sector.
Source: ot.gr
