Support for aquaculture will continue, but this will not dominate fishing industry - Dvorkovich
MOSCOW. Feb 26 (Interfax) - Russia will continue state support for aquaculture, but this will not become a dominant segment of the fishing industry, Deputy Russian Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said at the 4th annual fisheries industry congress in Moscow on Monday.
"We will continue supporting aquaculture. I do not think it will be a dominant area of activity in our fishing industry, but nevertheless, as a complementary area, it is an important one which needs our attention," Dvorkovich said.
"This is a not a simple topic, particularly as these activities, much like other activities in waterways and seas, must meet the most stringent environmental requirements," he said.
Aquaculture output grew 18% to 200,000 tonnes in 2017, Dvorkovich said.
The fishing industry development strategy through 2030 envisages raising aquaculture output to 700,000 tonnes, said Ilya Shestakov, Deputy Agriculture Minister and head of federal fisheries agency Rosrybolovstvo.