Just for the carp On

(Photo: Pixabay)

The first presentation at the conference was about the situation and trends of the carp supply chain in Asia, mainly in China. The importance of genetic foundations in the supply chain is shown by the fact that in 2022 there were 288 new certified fish species in China, of which 54 were carp. In China, carp is one of the cheaper species, so it is very important to increase the added value by achieving fiber-free, higher processing, and the production of new products.

There is room for improvement in the proportion of aquaculture

The presentation on the role of carp in global aquaculture pointed out that the proportion of aquaculture in Europe is very small, only 19 percent, while in the world – thanks to Asia – aquaculture accounts for 49 percent of fish production based on 2020 data. In Europe, the share of freshwater aquaculture is very low, accounting for only 12 percent of the total aquaculture production. In Europe, about 90 percent of consumption from aquaculture is obtained from imports. Aquaculture production of carp is typical in East-Central Europe, where production is stagnant.

They toured the carp farm

The participants were able to learn in detail about the past and current trends of European carp farming, as well as the aspects of sustainable extensive lake aquaculture. During the panel discussions, the experts covered the following topics: strengthening Europe’s role in global carp aquaculture; lake management as European heritage, discussion of opportunities for international recognition; innovation to develop carp production systems and technologies along the value chain.

AKI PÁIR