Abstract

Europe, with production representing only 5% in volume and 7,5% in value, contributes only a small part to world aquaculture production which is largely dominated by Asian countries. However European aquaculture has experienced some important mutations over the last 20 years, some of them contributing widely to applications in many other areas of the world. The lessons learned during this evolution of new production opportunities in a changing economy and society allow us to analyse the major determinants of aquaculture development, the conditions for success and the reasons for failure. Among the growing constraints for sustainable aquaculture, the concern about environment preservation has become a major challenge for the aquaculture industry.

The activity basically relies on "traditional" activities such as shellfish farming in coastal waters (Crassostrea gigas and Mytilus sp.) and trout culture in fresh water (Salmo gairdneri), which underwent a rapid expansion during the 70's and 80's. But it is also characterized by the rapid development of marine fish culture in coastal waters, boosted by the northern Europe Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) production, appearing in the early seventies and developing into an industrial activity during the 80's. Moreover European research, mainly Great Britain and France, widely contributed to the domestication of marine fish species such as the European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), gilt head seabream (Sparus aurata) and turbot (Psetta maxima). These three major innovations rapidly spread outside Europe and facilitated aquaculture diversification in many parts of the world.

The different technologies used by the industry for all these productions are briefly described with reference to the possible environmental impact of the production activities: pollution load and nutriment discharge, use of chemical and antibiotics, introduction and transfer of live animals, pathology spreading, genetic impact of farmed populations, with regard to potential management or technological innovations (carrying capacity of coastal waters, rearing technologies and feeding, reduction of the pollution load, integrated aquaculture, prophylactics, GMOs).

The major challenges facing the rapidly growing European aquaculture will be to provide solutions for increasing usage conflicts for markets (compared to other human foods), for space (land use, conflicts with agriculture, industry, leisure), for water use (access, use rights, pollution), for innovative technologies or biotechnologies conferring strategic advantages and better profitability. Some of these are particularly critical in Europe due to the limited space available, especially in highly populated coastal areas where competition between activities becomes extremely tense.