RUSSIA TO TAKE A GREENER APPROACH TO AQUACULTURE

Russia to take a greener approach to aquaculture. “Along with the increase in the production of aquaculture products, the role of the ecological component in Russia will grow,” said Vasily Sokolov, deputy head of the Federal Agency for Fishery.

A representative of the department took part in a round table on sustainable development of aquaculture, which was held online in Shanghai. The event took place within the framework of the international conference on aquaculture “Millennium +20”.

Globally, aquaculture accounts for half of all fish production. According to the forecast of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), by 2030, production in the sector will increase by 23% – to 103 million tons.

According to the press service of the federal agency, the volume of aquaculture production in Russia has doubled over the past seven years. In 2021, according to forecasts of the Federal Agency for Fishery, at least a 15% increase is expected, and by 2030 the figure will reach 620 thousand tons.

The department drew attention to the fact that now there is an explosive growth of industrial salmon farming: in five years, its share in the total production structure reached 35%, which made it possible to replace a significant part of imports. “At the same time, other areas are also promising, including the cultivation of whitefish species, molluscs, algae and other objects,” the Federal Agency for Fishery noted. “Natural and ecological conditions are a serious advantage of domestic production.”

The Federal Agency for Fisheries stated that along with the development of aquaculture, its export potential is increasing. For its implementation, the highest standards of production organization are being introduced in Russia, including the minimization of environmental risks.

“Compliance with high environmental requirements is not only a matter of product quality. This is a matter of protecting the natural environment. At the same time, aquaculture requires more close attention than traditional agriculture, since water can spread infections faster, “said the deputy head of the Federal Agency for Fishery.

In the world, this trend is already clearly visible, the department noted. For example, China is already slowing growth in aquaculture as it moves to stricter environmental regulations. On the Russian market, preventive measures are being taken, the federal agency said.

Source: fishnewsru