The Ministry of Agriculture commissioned us to act as the contact point for the National Correspondent in the area of collecting, managing, and using aquacultural data.
The basic legislative framework for this activity is defined by Regulation (EU) 2017/1004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2017 establishing a Union framework for the collection, management, and use of data in the fisheries sector and for supporting scientific advice for the Common Fisheries Policy and repealing Council Regulation (EC) no. 199/2008, referred to as EU MAP.
The National Correspondent ensures the exchange of information between the Member State and the Commission on the preparation, implementation, and evaluation of the National Aquaculture Data Collection Work Plan. The National Correspondent also coordinates the preparation of the annual report, ensures the transmission of information within the member state, and participates in the meetings of the RCG ECON Regional Coordination Group.
The main activity in the framework of data collection for IAEI is the collection of socio-economic data originally according to Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/1251 and currently according to Commission Delegated Decision (EU) 2021/1167 and Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1168. This collection represents the relevant chapter of the National Work Plan and is mandatory for the Czech Republic.
As a supporting platform for the collection of socio-economic data from aquaculture, the portal for production aquaculture akvanavigator.cz was created in 2022.
This portal aims to provide information about productive freshwater aquaculture in the Czech Republic and to help develop aquaculture in our country in line with the EU's Common Fisheries Policy. Who is it for, for example, a description of the activities that are necessary to start a fishing business or to operate already established fishing business activities listed on the portal in the section Life situation of a fisherman. Furthermore, the portal offers up-to-date information on subsidies, applicable legislation, statistics, fish diseases, and infections. It also provides an overview of key studies and expert analyses. Part of the site is a platform for collecting data for the creation of the Common Fisheries Policy of the European Union by bringing together all contexts related to the collection of socio-economic data according to the requirements of the European Commission defined in the National Work Plan. The portal also offers a calendar of aquaculture events focused on professional and educational events. In the fall, the dates of fishing ponds are listed here.
The activities of IAEI related to aquaculture are co-financed by the European Union within projects supported by the Operational Programs of Fisheries.