European Seafood Exposition Promises To Be A Key Momentff
13 April 2005
Belgium With over 1.400 exhibitors, the 2005 edition of European Seafood Exposition (Brussels Expo, April 26th to 28th) promises to be a key moment for the European seafood industry. While the European Commission is gearing up to develop a long term Maritime Strategy, seafood specialists come to Brussels to find intelligent solutions for an economically viable and ecologically sustainable fishery.
For the European seafood industry 2005 and 2006 will be two important years that determine the future face of the industry. In the past, the exploitation of oceans and seas by man was only limited by technology. Today, however, technological development and increased population of coastal areas put an ever higher pressure on natural resources. The European Maritime Policy, which is currently being developed, has to replace the fragmented management of separate maritime activities with an integrated approach in order to optimize the coexistence of economical and recreational activities.
The new Europe with 25 Member States has a coastline of 70,000 kilometers, seven times longer than that of the United States. Twenty-five Member States are coastal States, bordering two oceans and four seas. Almost half of the European population lives within 50 kilometers of the coast. Maritime regions generate over 40% of Europe’s GDP. The maritime surface areas under the jurisdiction of the Member States – the world’s largest - are larger than their terrestrial territory.
As fish stocks, ecosystems and pollution care little for administrative borders, a pan-European maritime strategy is absolutely necessary. At the very heart of this strategy is a sustainable fishery policy. Continuously decreasing live stock urge both policy makers and the industry to develop a new, creative approach. In less than two decades, farmed seafood production will exceed production from wild caught fisheries. The European Seafood Exposition plays a pivotal role in finding solutions to the technological challenges in fish farming and hybrid forms of seafood production.
Between 1995 and 2002 the European fisheries production decreased with 17%, while production in the rest of the world increased with a similar percentage over the same period. The fishing fleet was reduced by 15% to just over 94,000 vessels for the EU-25. The decreased production was partially compensated by an important increase in the fish farming segment. Between 1995 and 2002, aquaculture increased its share in total production from 12% to 17%. The over 1,3 million tons are produced mainly by Spain, France, Italy and the United Kingdom.
“Never before have the European fisheries and the seafood industry faced greater challenges than nowâ€, says European Seafood Exposition’s director Mary Larkin. “The entire industry had to reinvent itself. Rebuilding schemes for depleted stocks like cod, hake, sole and Norway lobster will seriously affect landings. Yet, the European seafood industry does not passively await the new maritime policy. It tries to anticipate what will be law tomorrow and this gives the 2005 edition of European Seafood Exposition a special buzz.
