4. AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION IN GREECE

4.1 The Nature of Aquaculture Production

4.1.1 Detailed descriptions of current and developing aquaculture activities in the three different environments of concern - coastal marine, coastal lagoons, and fresh water - are given in the reports by other consultants.

In freshwater environments, both intensive and extensive production of trout, carp and eels is practised. Both private and state hatcheries supply trout and carp fry to private, intensive operations. State hatcheries supply trout and carp fry for restocking of public fisheries. Eel production depends on the direct collection and purchase of wild elvers.

4.1.2 Coastal marine cultivation is the most recent form of aquaculture activity in Greece and is being directed mainly towards the intensive rearing of sea bass and sea bream, and the cultivation of mussels.

4.1.3 Fisheries in brackish water lagoons can be counted as an extensive form of aquaculture on account of the minimal level of human intervention applied in the form of fixed permanent traps and the adjustments to the depth and water flow within the lagoons.

Semi-intensive cultivation in lagoons is at present in the early stages of development in Greece.

Production from these fisheries accounts for a significant proportion of total aquaculture production, and the following table (1) illustrates the variety of species produced. (The information is for the Preveza district and was supplied by the local fisheries office).

4.1.4

TABLE 1

Preveza - Volumes Landed by Species and Individual Lagoon (1986)

4.1.5 In interpreting production data for lagoons, a degree of scepticism is advisable, especially with data for larger ones where exploitation is normally carried out by a number of cooperatives operating independently. In these areas it is generally accepted that there are high levels of undeclared production because high levels of direct taxation, the lack of centralized marketing, and the extent and ease of access to the lagoons, make policing and monitoring difficult. Opinion at local fishery offices put the production as high as 3 times the declared levels. This feature of management of the larger lagoons will make it difficult to assess the effectiveness of development initiatives such as restocking.

On the other hand, confidence exists in the validity of the figures for the smaller lagoons where there is normally tight management under the control of a single cooperative.

4.2 Production from Capture Fisheries, Extensive and Intensive Aquaculture

4.2.1 Table 2 lists the sources of Greek fish production for 1986 and it can be seen that aquaculture of both extensive and intensive forms contributes only 4.8% to total production.

If the production from shellfish cultivation and intensive trout, carp and marine fish cultivation are taken as the definition of ‘aquaculture’, then the contribution to total fish production falls to 1.6%.

In the context of the national economy, total fish production is consistently less than 1% of gross national product.

4.2.2

TABLE 2

Fish Production in Greece, 1986

Source: Fisheries Section, Agricultural Bank of Greece.

4.3 Production Units and Employment

4.3.1 Table 3 lists the number of production units and the number of persons employed in each category. It should be noted that employment is predominantly of a part-time nature, with fishing and fish cultivation combined with other seasonal and part-time activities, except in marine fish farming and a very small proportion of trout farming.

4.3.2

TABLE 3

Number of Production Units by Culture Type and Respective Levels of Employment (1986)

Sources: Fisheries Sector, Agricultural Bank of Greece. Regional Fisheries Offices, Ministry of Agriculture. Personal Communications, Fish Farmers.

* Note: The estimate for cultivated mussel production is that provided by the Agricultural Bank and is significantly lower than later estimates (see reports by Arrundale, Askew). It is likely that the above figure refers to units in full production which use the Bank. Given the low-cost nature of production, many units will have been established without recourse to Bank facilities. Also, the higher estimates may reflect production capacity as opposed to actual sales of product.

4.4 Regional Distribution of Production

4.4.1 Table 4 shows the proportion of production units in each of the principal regions of Greece for the major species of trout, carp and mussels. The farming of marine species, which is expanding rapidly but which has not yet reached sufficiently high levels to exhibit particular regional patterns, is being carried out in northern, central and southern regions of the mainland and in islands to the west, east and south of the mainland.

The principal areas for lake and river fishing are the northern regions of Macedonia and Ipiros. The bulk of production from lagoon fisheries comes from the Amvrakikos and Messolonghi areas in the west of the mainland.

4.4.2

TABLE 4

Percentage Shares of Production by Region
(Based on Numbers of Farms)

Source: Institute of Social and Industrial Research (1984 Data)

4.5 Assessment of Future Potential

4.5.1 In a recently prepared document setting out the Ministry of Agriculture's forward thinking for the next 5 years, the following objectives and targets were laid down:

1. The general objectives of the Ministry continue to be national self-sufficiency in fish and the expansion of exports of shellfish, eels and freshwater species where domestic markets are relatively weak.

2. The priority for development is for the improvement and modernization of lagoon fisheries. The introduction of semi-intensive methods of cultivation is also a priority.

3. On intensive cultivation, the following targets are set:

   • 20 marine on-growing units
   • 10 combined marine hatchery and on-growing units
   • 3 marine hatcheries without on-growing
   • 6 shrimp production units
   • 20 shellfish cultivation units with a target of 2 000 tonnes of production
   • 15 eel cultivation units, target production 1 200 tonnes
   • 3 crayfish cultivation units, target production 30 tonnes
   • 2 salmon cultivation units, target production 80 tonnes
   • 7 cultivation units for species yet to be developed.
     

     The Ministry's estimates for intensive cultivation for sea bass and sea bream are as follows:

     1987 - 150 tonnes
     1988 - 750 tonnes
     1992 - 4 000 tonnes

4. For processing and marketing, the opportunities for small-scale trout and eel smoking and freezing are seen as good. Also, the establishment of 3 eel collection and grading centres is given as a specific development target.

4.5.2 In a more qualitative and critical review of future potential, the fisheries section of the Agricultural Bank make the following assessment of potentials and problems:

1. Trout production: This is viewed as being capable of expansion from its present levels to an annual production of between 3 000 and 3 500 tonnes. This expansion, however, is dependent on improvements in marketing organization but the view that overall increases are possible is supported by the increases in production between 1984 and 1986 which are put down to cooperative marketing being introduced.

2. Carp: Again, production is seen as being capable of expanding if market organization can be improved. There are both export and import substitution opportunities. No technical barriers to expanding production exist.

3. Eels: Production from aquaculture is seen as being set to increase despite persistence of technical problems with intensive cultivation. Markets are predominantly export, and channels for selling and distribution are already in existence in Greece for landings from lagoon fisheries.

4. Sea bass/sea bream: Increases in production are foreseen to supply strong demands in Greece. The rate of growth in production would increase rapidly if there were a decrease in price from its current high level. Despite the persistence of some technical problems, cage culture is seen as profitable. Pump-ashore systems are not yet proven, but the Bank has assisted one such unit to test their viability.

5. Mussels: The Bank predicts small increases in production each year because of the weak and seasonal nature of the Greek market and because of the lack of purification and associated controls necessary for exporting to other countries.

4.5.3 Combining these assessments with general observations in the field, it is very likely that there will be expansion in the production of trout, carp, eels, sea bass and sea bream, and mussels.

However, some caveats have to be made. Firstly, it is not completely clear in the case of intensive cultivation of sea bass and bream that technical problems have been resolved to a point where production can take off. Significant variations in feed conversion rates (2.7:1 to 1.9:1) are reported and experimentation to establish optimum stocking densities is still being carried out at on-growing sites. The problem of spinal deformation in fry also persists and in 1986 at the major project at Cephalonia, production fell well below projected targets due to storm damage to cages.

Askew, in his report on shellfish cultivation, emphasizes the need for internal discipline amongst producers to overcome the ‘dangerous’ reputation of mussels. Progress with this and with the expansion of freshwater production will depend on progress in the difficult area of social organisation of producers. The support of good extension services will be critical.

4.5.4 The effect of the Ministry's priority towards the development of lagoon fisheries should be to make these areas sources of increased production, although the effectiveness of modernization efforts will be difficult to assess in the main production areas.

4.5.5 Despite the current high levels of interest from both the private and public sector in establishing new capacity in intensive rearing of fry of high value species, it is likely that semi-intensive methods will play an important part in promoting increased aquaculture production. Simple techniques, which have potential locally but which are not widely applied, include the collection of wild fry, the utilization of undersized fish from lagoon traps, the collection of elvers and grading of eels. These techniques and those of shellfish spat collection can make significant contributions to increased production. Training at this level and technology transfer will be much simpler than training and transfer in intensive systems.

4.6 Summary

4.6.1 Current levels of production from aquaculture are low and depend principally on extensive production from lagoons, lakes and rivers and on intensive trout farming. The potential exists, however, for significant increases in production and the most likely species are trout, carp, eels, sea bass and sea bream, and mussels.

For trout, carp and mussels the main barriers to increased production are market-based, for sea bass and sea bream and eels technical barriers are more important.

There is a high level of interest from both public and private organizations in establishing projects for intensive rearing of high-value marine species and this will be important in achieving increases in production. However, semi-intensive techniques will also be important and should not be ignored.