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Table of Contents
Aquaculture, Agriculture
Summary of EU 1379/2013
Regulation (EU) No //eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/ establishes the common organisation of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products within the EU. Its main objectives are to ensure the sustainable development of these sectors, improve market transparency, and enhance the competitiveness of EU producers. The regulation sets out rules for producer organisations, marketing standards, consumer information, and market intelligence. It also introduces mandatory labelling requirements for fishery and aquaculture products, aiming to provide consumers with clear, accurate information on the origin, production methods, and environmental impacts of these products. Additionally, the regulation supports the creation of producer organisations to help manage supply and stabilise markets, and it promotes the use of sustainable practices throughout the value chain (chaineur-lex.europa.eu+2).
Relevance to Algae Culturing
EU 1379/2013 is relevant to both macro and microalgae culturing because it includes algae-based products within its scope, particularly when these products are intended for food, feed, or other commercial uses. The regulation sets specific requirements for the labelling and marketing of macroalgae and microalgae products sold as food, ensuring that consumers receive transparent information about their origin and quality. This inclusion helps standardise the algae market, supports the development of a sustainable algae sector, and aligns with broader EU goals such as the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy, which emphasise the role of algae in providing alternative, low-carbon protein sources and contributing to a circular economy
Notes
It is an old question: is algal cultivation an agricultural activity or an aquacultural activity. The answer to this question is important for several reasons:
- spatial planning and permits: agriculture is frequently simpler, rules are simplified to reflect with the existing habits,
- water permits: use of water for agriculture is governed by different rule than water use for aquaculture,
- taxation: there are frequently simpler rules for farmers,
- subsidies: there is an elaborate system of subsidies, mostly under EU jurisdiction with local implementation rules,
- labelling: there are rules of origin and labelling requirements specific for each kind of activity,
- jurisdiction: both at EU level and frequently at local levels the bodies responsible for each activity are different,
- policy: algae and seaweeds are included in Annex 1 of
There are arguments to including algal cultivation under both umbrellas:
| AQUA | AGRO |
| algae are water organisms | algae are (simple) plants, they are a photosynthetic organisms very similar to the plants |
| Algae need mineral nutrients for their growth, most other aquaculture organisms need organic material for their growth | |
| Algae need sunlight for their growth, while most other aquacultural organisms need their feed from organic material | |
Regulation governing the aquaculture is //eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/