North Macedonia has joined the European Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Advisory Commission (EIFAAC) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as it 37th member. Ljupcho Nikolovski, the Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy of the Republic of North Macedonia, informed QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General, about the decision.

The Macedonian inland fisheries and aquaculture sector is small but important for the country, with a fish production of around 2 500 tonnes per year. The aquaculture production of primarily trout and carp species takes place in ponds, rivers, and lakes. The Ministry has a target to double the aquaculture production by 2030 to increase domestic food security in line with the National Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development 2021–2027 and the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2018–2023).

“Although North Macedonia is a landlocked country with no access to the sea, aquaculture and freshwater fisheries have increasingly become an important source of income and employment,” Minister Nikolovski commented. “We are honored to become a member of the EIFAAC family along with the other 36 countries. The membership provides an excellent opportunity to benefit from regional projects on inland fisheries and aquaculture, access to knowledge and scientific advice, and transfer of aquaculture technologies and innovations.”