The gross output of the aquaculture industry last year increased by €0.5 million over 2012.

The National Statistics Office said the gross output of the industry, which comprised of fish farming and other output, amounted to €98.1 million, up by 0.5 per cent from €97.6 million in 2012.

The gross value added of the aquaculture industry in 2013 amounted to €8.3 million, down by 34.1 per cent from €12.6 million in the preceding year.

Taking fixed capital consumption and exchange rate differences into consideration, the factor income amounted to €3.4 million, a decrease of 55 per cent from €7.6 million in 2012.

Compensation of employees amounted to €3.4 million, while entrepreneurial income stood at -€0.8 million against €3 million in 2012.

During the year under review, the volume of fish sold by fish farms amounted to 9,077 tonnes, an increase of 29.5 per cent over the preceding year.

The average price of fresh fish sold declined by 1.7 per cent.

When compared to 2012 intermediate consumption, which takes into account the costs incurred in the production of farmed fish, went up by 5.7 per cent.

This resulted from increases in overheads and in the value of purchases of live fish and fingerlings, of 11.4 and 8.8 per cent respectively.

The increase in overheads was mainly due to a rise in the cost of contractual work (+40.7 per cent).