Discover the people and local communities behind the success of EU aquaculture, some preserving a way of life that goes back centuries. Learn about the work of European producers that spans the Atlantic coast, the Baltic, Central Europe, and across the Mediterranean Sea.
Mali Ston Bay, famous for its oysters, is home to Vedran Kunica, who has been president of the local producers’ association for over a decade.
The farmers here grow oysters in the traditional way: on longlines at depths of 8 to 15 metres.
Not only do the oysters thrive here, they also play a vital role in filtering the water naturally by using up excessive nutrients, phosphorus and nitrogen.
In the heart of the Camargue Biosphere Reserve in southern France, Caroline Scotti has transformed her passion into purpose.
A former laboratory technician, Caroline now runs a successful mussel farming business with her husband, Paul.
Together, they raise between 20-35 tonnes annually, delivering directly to local markets to ensure the exceptional quality and taste of their mussels.
In the late 1950s, Philipp Mohnen’s grandfather started the family-owned trout farm in Stolberg-Schevenhütte near Cologne.
Today, his grandson Philip runs the company which consists of four fish farms in the area.
They sell fresh and smoked trout, as well as live fish to other producers across Germany.
On the Greek island of Evia, Anna Kaloumenou works as sales manager for the fish farm started by her father and his friend.
They produce sea bream and sea bass off the coast of the island, using a special feeding programme to reduce waste.
The company works hard to protect marine biodiversity and the local habitat.
Bence Puskás is the deputy CEO of a carp farm in Biharugra, in Hungary’s Southern Great Plain region.
The fish are raised in restored ponds and the near-natural habitat supports wildlife, including several protected species.
They produce high-quality, affordable fish that feed on plankton and local crops.
On Ireland’s remote and beautiful Atlantic coast, Thomas Doherty is co-owner of an organic salmon farm near Castlebar in County Mayo.
Fish farming allows Thomas and his friends and neighbours to remain in an area with limited job opportunities, enabling the local community to prosper.
Massimo Genari is a clam farmer from Goro, a picturesque area in the Po River Delta in Italy.
Currently CEO of the Consorzio di Pescatori di Goro, he started working in aquaculture as a boy, helping his father harvest clams.
The farmers here use special techniques to ensure the best natural conditions for their product.
Eduardo Soler Torres works for Avramar, a producer of high-quality Mediterranean fish.
He is in charge of Avramar’s environmentally friendly practices.
The company farms meagre and other types of fish off the coast of El Campello, Spain.
Marine biologist Göran Nylund is co-founder and researcher at Nordic Sea Farm, located in Grebbestad, near Gothenburg.
The company’s main activity is growing and processing algae (sugar kelp and sea lettuce), which is used for food, biomaterials, animal feed and fertiliser, as well as by the pharmaceutical industry.
