A new report from the European Court of Auditors (ECA) has revealed that measures to support aquaculture in the period up to 2013 were not well designed and implemented at EU and Member State level, and that the European Fisheries Fund (EFF), as the funding instrument of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), failed to deliver value for money and effective support for the sustainable development of aquaculture.
Kevin
Cardiff, the ECA Member responsible for the report, commented that: "We
found that the main objectives for growth of the aquaculture sector
have not been met, and the sector has stagnated for many years. "While the financial crisis undoubtedly contributed to this
stagnation, the overall framework to support the sector was not well
designed, and the actual measures taken were weak. "The projects we audited in the Member States were often poorly
selected and, with some exceptions, did not deliver expected results or
value for money, and contributed little to growth and employment. "We hope that our observations and recommendations will be used as
lessons learned for the implementation of the new EMFF measures for
aquaculture starting this year. In that context, we note that the
Commission has already indicated that it will act on various
recommendations." Each year the EU produces about 1,3 million tonnes of fish from
aquaculture, and the sector has a turnover of 4 billion euro. One of the
aims of the CFP in the period up to 2013 was to encourage the
sustainable development of aquaculture. Consequently, by May 2013, the
EFF provided over 400 million euro to fund measures for productive
investments in aquaculture, as well as environmental and health
measures. Kevin Cardiff, the ECA Member responsible for the report, commented that:
"We found that the main objectives for growth of the aquaculture sector have
not been met, and the sector has stagnated for many years."While the financial crisis undoubtedly contributed to this
stagnation, the overall framework to support the sector was not well designed,
and the actual measures taken were weak."The projects we audited in the Member States were often poorly
selected and, with some exceptions, did not deliver expected results or value
for money, and contributed little to growth and employment."We hope that our observations and recommendations will be used as
lessons learned for the implementation of the new EMFF measures for aquaculture
starting this year. In that context, we note that the Commission has already
indicated that it will act on various recommendations."Each year the EU produces about 1,3 million tonnes of fish from
aquaculture, and the sector has a turnover of 4 billion euro. One of the aims
of the CFP in the period up to 2013 was to encourage the sustainable
development of aquaculture. Consequently, by May 2013, the EFF provided over
400 million euro to fund measures for productive investments in aquaculture, as
well as environmental and health measures.
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