The Federation of European Aquaculture Producers has warned that the European Commission's evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy contains structural biases against the fish farming sector.
Published on April 30, the commission's assessment reportedly overlooks aquaculture and fails to address stagnating production across the European Union.
According to the trade federation, voluntary co-operation tools have failed to prevent a decline in EU self-sufficiency for fishery and aquaculture products, which fell from 46.1 per cent to 38.1 per cent over the past decade. For the five most consumed species, this self-sufficiency rate stands at only 12 per cent.
"The commission's evaluation identifies many of the problems but refuses to draw the necessary conclusions," said Secretary General Javier Ojeda.
He argued that the sector now requires binding governance, harmonised standards, and a stronger commitment to strategic autonomy.
The Brussels-based federation, which represents 25 national fish farming associations across 23 countries, highlighted eight critical failures in the evaluation, including a lack of common environmental indicators.
It also criticised the commission for admitting it could not quantify the costs of the open method of coordination or assess the impact of national environmental measures.
To address these shortcomings, the federation urged EU institutions to introduce minimum harmonisation standards and a dedicated performance framework with quantitative targets.
It asserted that correcting these issues is vital for the upcoming 2040 Vision for Fisheries and Aquaculture to secure Europe's food supply and ensure fair competition against imports.