Annexes to COM(2020)809 - Implementation of Regulation 762/2008 on the submission by Member States of statistics on aquaculture - Main contents
Please note
This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2020)809 - Implementation of Regulation 762/2008 on the submission by Member States of statistics on aquaculture. |
|---|---|
| document | COM(2020)809  |
| date | December 15, 2020 |
The European reference metadata, including an EU-level quality report on aquaculture statistics 13 , are published on Eurostat’s public database with the data tables listed above. Countries review the metadata each year.
2.5 Data confidentiality
A major shortcoming in aquaculture statistics collected under Regulation (EC) No 762/2008 is the high number of confidential data cells. There are two main reasons for this. First, the Regulation calls for a highly detailed data structure, which in turn leads to very fragmented data. Second, the aquaculture sector is highly specialised, as there are companies that grow very few species with one main production method or production environment. As a result, a large number of data on single species and aggregates have become confidential.
In 2018, almost half of the Member States faced data confidentiality issues with the main aquaculture production dataset. This meant that EU aggregates remained confidential for most species, often because of confidential data in a single Member State. However, the national total production volume and value were published for 2016 for all Member States, while they became confidential for Latvia in 2017 and 2018. Confidential data from one Member State prevented publication of the EU aggregate for input to capture-based aquaculture. EU-wide production of fish eggs for human consumption remained confidential because of niche production in three Member States, while national production started to be confidential in Spain and Hungary in 2018. The data on the production from hatcheries and nurseries were confidential in several Member States.
Eurostat and the Member States have invested time and effort in making as many figures as possible available to data users, while safeguarding statistical confidentiality and keeping the process as efficient as possible.
3 Burden and cost-effectiveness
Eurostat assessed the cost-effectiveness of aquaculture data collection under Regulation (EC) No 762/2008 using the methodological country reports for 2018, together with the cost analysis by statistical product carried out each year by the European Statistical System. The cost analysis corresponds to the year 2019, which covered the aquaculture data collection for the reference year 2017. Twenty-four countries replied to the cost analysis; in monetary terms, the average cost is approximately EUR 105 000 per year. A direct comparison with the figure from the last reporting exercise is not possible as not all countries replied to both exercises. Seventeen countries reported costs in both the previous and current reporting exercise. For those countries, costs fell by 3 %.
Based on the replies to the methodological country reports for 2018, the vast majority of countries cover national needs with the aquaculture data compiled under Regulation (EC) No 762/2008. Altogether, 16 countries collect the data as a census, and five derive the dataset from administrative sources; the remaining six countries run administrative sources or use expert estimates.
Fifteen countries reported on efficiency gains. The main efficiency gains were linked to online surveys (six countries), further automation (four countries) and to the increased use of administrative data (two countries). There were burden reductions in 10 countries. Easier data transmission and multiple uses of data were the most common types of burden reduction measures.
From the country reports, it appears that more than half of the countries collect data directly from the facilities at production unit level, while the others have company managers fill out the questionnaires for all of their facilities. Collecting data at company level makes reporting under Regulation (EC) No 199/2008 14 easier at the same time. The idea of covering both regulations with one data collection exercise may be worth investigating further to reduce the overall burden for Member States.
A number of countries have suggested improvements to reduce the burden of Regulation (EC) No 762/2008, particularly for improving the cooperation with other stakeholders in the field to standardise data submission requirements and deadlines. This concerns primarily the FAO and Data Collection Framework Regulation (EU) 2017/1004.
4 Conclusions
In recent years, aquaculture statistics have evolved into a stable set of data with timely and consistent output for data users not only at European and global levels, but also at national level.
At the same time, the consultation activities carried out as part of the recent evaluation on European fisheries statistics demonstrated that aquaculture statistics have a significant number of dissatisfied users. This is likely linked to the large number of confidential values in the dataset, which makes it harder to use the dataset. Confidential cells are linked to the detailed breakdown of the data requirements set by Regulation (EC) No 762/2008 and to the aquaculture sector’s specialised and concentrated structure.
Some Member States have continued to face problems with the timeliness and punctuality of data collection and delivery. The Eurostat data collection guidelines have helped make aquaculture data collection more consistent.
In some countries, the burden was reduced and measurable efficiency gains were observed. The average annual cost of producing aquaculture statistics was EUR 105 000 for the reference year 2017. This was 3 % less than in the previous period (for countries that delivered cost data for both periods). The share of the data collection costs in the total economic value of aquaculture production was rather low. Inefficiencies with other data collections (namely the FAO and Regulation (EU) 2017/1004 repealing Regulation (EC) No 199/2008) remain.
5 Recommendations
The most important outcome derived from the evaluation of fisheries statistics for aquaculture is that they are a very important and widely used part of fisheries statistics, but that they suffer from data confidentiality issues. Despite efforts made by the Commission (Eurostat) and by the Member States to reduce the amount of confidential data, their impact has been very limited. The sector’s specialisation has in fact increased the amount of confidential data. The only solution to providing a better service to data users would be to amend the current legislation or replace it with another one that is more focused on production and less demanding on structural dimensions linked to production. A new legislation could also bring about efficiency gains, especially by aligning deadlines with the needs of other international organisations.
At national level, the use of electronic questionnaires should be further encouraged as it helps make data collection more efficient. National data collection guidelines and helpdesks that offer respondents tailor-made support are other examples of good practices.
(1)
Regulation (EC) No 762/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008 on the submission by Member States of statistics on aquaculture and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 788/96 (OJ L 218, 13.8.2008, p. 1).
(2)
Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 762/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008 on the submission by Member States of statistics on aquaculture and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 788/96; COM(2015) 297 final.
(3)
Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 762/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008 on the submission by Member States of statistics on aquaculture and repealing Council Regulation (EC) 788/96; COM(2017) 747 final.
(4)
Regulation (EU) 2017/1004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2017 on the establishment of a Union framework for the collection, management and use of data in the fisheries sector and support for scientific advice regarding the common fisheries policy and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 199/2008 (OJ L 157, 20.6.2017, p. 1).
(5)
The Coordinating Working Party on Fisheries Statistics was established in 1959 by Resolution 23/59 of the FAO Conference to coordinate fishery statistical programmes of regional fishery bodies and other inter-governmental organisations. Its purpose is to (i) keep under continuous review the requirements for fisheries statistics (including aquaculture); (ii) agree standard concepts, definitions, classifications and methodologies for the collection and collation of fisheries statistics; and (iii) propose ways of coordinating and streamlining statistical activities among relevant intergovernmental organisations (http://www.fao.org/fishery/cwp/en). Recently, it has developed a draft standard aquaculture questionnaire as a recommendation for minimum requirements for aquaculture statistics.
(6)
Staff Working Document (2019) 425. Available only in English.
(7)
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/cache/metadata/EN/fish_aq_esqrs.htm . Available only in English.
(8)
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/cache/metadata/Annexes/fish_aq_esms_an2.pdf . Available only in English.
(9)
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/909 of 18 February 2019 establishing the list of mandatory research surveys and thresholds for the purposes of the multiannual Union programme for the collection and management of data in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors (OJ L 145, 4.6.2019, p. 21).
(10)
http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/database
(11)
The most recent is ‘Agriculture, forestry and fishery statistics – 2019 edition’, ISBN 978-92-76-13193-9
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/3217494/10317767/KS-FK-19-001-EN-N.pdf/742d3fd2-961e-68c1-47d0-11cf30b11489 . Available only in English.
(12)
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/estat/spe/metaconv/
(13)
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/cache/metadata/EN/fish_aq_esqrs.htm
(14)
Council Regulation (EC) No 199/2008 has been repealed by Regulation (EU) 2017/1004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2017 on the establishment of a Union framework for the collection, management and use of data in the fisheries sector and support for scientific advice regarding the common fisheries policy and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 199/2008 (OJ L 157, 20.6.2017, p. 1).