Albania is promoting sustainable fisheries by large subsidies
Albania could be an example for other European countries in the matter of promoting and encouraging the sustainable model on the modern fishery.
In order to promote environmental sustainability in the fishing industry, the Albanian government has decided by decree to cover 50% of the cost seafood companies have to bear to undergo Friend of the Sea sustainability certification audit, informs FIS portal.
"Albania is the first country in Europe to provide such level of support to seafood companies in their transition to sustainable seafood production practices. I am sure the Albanian government decision will, in turn, stimulate an improvement in the management of the Mediterranean stocks and the aquaculture practices. Albanian companies will benefit in terms of access to new markets", commented Paolo Bray, Founder and Director of Friend of the Sea.
Friend of the Sea association has been invited last month to attend meetings with institutions in Tirana and lead a workshop about the certification with major Albanian enterprises operating in the sector, several of which have already shown their interest in applying for Friend of the Sea audit.
Since then, Albanian authorities have decided to contribute to the program by subsidizing the seafood companies that are decided to take the next step in implementing an audit system for their operations.
The latest Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) report mentioned that Albanian capture fisheries amount to approximately 6000 tonnes, 35-40% of which are demersal species, such as hake, red mullet and deep-water shrimp, which have been mostly exported as fresh fish. The main destinations for Albanian exports are Italy (80% of the total), followed by Greece (14%), and Macedonia (2.5%), with prepared and preserved anchovies representing the bulk of exports.
In 2014, the country reported 2500 tons of farmed fish produced in the sea, with trout, carp, mussels, seabream and seabass as the main farmed species.
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