The picture that emerges is of an industry facing severe constraints of stagnation and fragmentation. Partly to blame is the small size of most individual operations and lack of cooperation between producers. Fish farmers, both in fresh and marine waters, are characteristically good at fish production but in general have not always been attuned to changing market requirements. The freshwater aquaculture industry as a whole lacks cohesion, which will be required for a successful future. A combination of low prices and a poor image of the aquaculture industry, aggravated by a strained relationship with environmentalists and lack of political clout, mitigates against increased investment in new processing and product technology. This would be necessary in order to move the product up-market, away from traditional near-pond outlets to the modern, more sophisticated market place.
Trends towards more filleted and smoked products, rather that whole gutted fish, and the availability of trout through supermarket outlets are already apparent. Carp, however, retains a traditional image and suffers from falling sales, implying the need for urgent market action as production volumes could be significantly increased.
Apart from the present concentration on carp, trout and eel there are other candidates for aquaculture, both native and introduced exotic species. The development of fish rearing and processing technologies has opened new possibilities for production of native carnivorous fish such as pike perch and perch. Although they face competition from salmon and marine capture fisheries some 5 000 t/year of each species is expected to enter the EC market. The appearance of new goals in the European fish culture, as fish production for sport fishing, for restocking or for rehabilitation of the original fish fauna, also directed the interest toward other native species. There is controversy surrounding the introduction of exotic species such as tilapia, African catfish or paddlefish, but large quantities of them could be grown in closed culture systems, subject to sufficient safeguards. However, such controversies may well be overcome by applying relevant existing technical provisions and guideline documents[1].
Being disorganised the industry is often at the mercy of the processing and marketing sector. It is almost always price-taking rather that price-making. The producers need to devise means of connecting to the consumers with information on farming practices, products and promotion of consumption. There is clearly a need to support consumer-oriented economic research and greater attention to the institutional food service market.
The European industry could draw important lessons from the experience of US catfish farmers. Although little more than 20 years old the US catfish industry already produces 280 000 t/year on land where cotton had become unprofitable. The industry is strongly vertically integrated, from feed supply to the table and relies heavily on an industry association, The Catfish Institute (TCI), for coordination and promotion. The Institute has as its mandate raising awareness of catfish as food through permanent communication (particularly with consumers) and the integration of farmers, processors and the retail sector.
