Aquaculture is the farming of fish, shellfish and aquatic plants under controlled conditions, the opposite of catching wild fish. Aquaculture in Europe accounts for 20% of the total fish production. In 2015, the total production of aquaculture was estimated at 1.3 million tons, which is around 1% of the total European agricultural production.
The aquaculture sector offers useful and healthy alternatives to fisheries, since seafood is considered to contain healthy protein and fats irrespective of whether the fish was wild or not, and as fisheries can have a negative impact on the underwater environment and fish species’ diversity, fish farming offers a more sustainable alternative.
SmartAgriHubs also involves aquaculture through a Flagship Innovation Experiment that develops a system that controls water quality and executes operational routines. By doing so SmartAgriHubs contributes to a more efficient and sustainable aquaculture.
